If the crew is to prepare food, cook, serve, and clean up safely, the commercial kitchen must have well-designed and professionally executed lighting.
Beyond the lighting itself, it's crucial to make sure that there aren't any excessive reflections or glare across the whole kitchen. There are several considerations to examine while building the lighting system for a commercial kitchen.
Are you interested in learning about restaurant kitchen lighting requirements and some of the best practices? If so, you've come to the right place. Here, we're sharing things you need to know about safe and effective commercial kitchen lighting.
Natural Lighting
The interaction between artificial and natural lighting is something you should absolutely consider when installing new commercial kitchen lighting. The main source of light in a kitchen will undoubtedly be artificial lights, but natural light may also be quite useful.
If at all feasible, the kitchen window should take up at least 10 percent of the room's total wall space. They ought to gaze upward or out toward the sky.
Skylights and windows may provide a better working environment for employees by letting natural light into the workspace. However, if they are positioned incorrectly, they can cause a lot of glare.
The placement of the windows and how the interaction and effects of artificial and natural light on the personnel must be carefully considered by a lighting designer.
Light Fittings to Prevent Food Contamination
Any lighting fixtures placed in a commercial kitchen must be careful to prevent food contamination.
Ensuring you have the correct amount of lighting is important. Maybe you did not know the Model Food Code has basic requirements. In food prep areas 50-foot candles and in general work areas 30-foot candles. Then, in the storage area, only 10-foot candles are needed.
Lighting fixtures should be surface mounted or recessed into ceilings. Any hung light fixtures will have a propensity to accumulate dust, which might be a risk factor for food contamination.
The diffuser is another crucial factor to take into account when choosing lighting fixtures. When you have several lights in a busy work area, the globes will surely break, which is why a well-made diffuser will not only assist disperse the light equally but will also be constructed in a way to collect any fragments that occur from bulb breakage.
Emergency Lights
Any restaurant or commercial kitchen must have emergency lights to enable personnel and customers to leave promptly and securely in case of an emergency.
Obviously, in the event of a power outage, emergency lights should switch on by themselves. This implies that it will require a separate power source of its own which is often a battery backup built into the unit.
To guarantee that proper illumination levels are maintained so the facility can be safely evacuated, this lighting also has to be installed close to all exits and at consistently spaced-out intervals. This lighting should be periodically tested to ensure it is working as planned. Ensure you are following OSHA requirements.
Utilize Safe, Effective Kitchen Lighting In Your Restaurant
As you have learned, commercial kitchen lighting is an important part of the overall safety and efficiency of your crew and patrons. Now you're aware of the requirements of restaurant kitchen lighting and overall restaurant kitchen safety!
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