Safety Hazards of LED Lights

LEDs are used in many households and industries as a source of lighting for both optical signals as well as standard lighting for buildings. Due to their lower power consumption, cooler burning temperatures and clarity of light, LEDs are growing in popularity around the country. However, their widespread use has caused increasing concern for safety hazards that this type of light source may present.

Overview of LED Safety

• Both natural and artificial sources of light have been the subject of safety research over the years. In industry, many solid-state lighting products (SSLs) such as LEDs may exceed the RG-1 blue light hazard limit. According to the the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard RP-27.3-07, a blue light photo-biological hazard is described as "the potential for a photochemically induced retinal injury resulting from radiation exposure primarily between 400 nm and 500 nm."

Who Uses LED Technology

• LED technology has become extremely popular due to its longevity and crystal clear illumination quality. This type of light source is quickly replacing older technologies and can now be found in standard household bulbs, car headlights, safety signals, small electronics and television monitors. Due to LED's widespread usage, potential safety hazards from direct and indirect exposure are being examined closely by companies such as Orb Optronix. Company president David Jenkins recently stated, "It is clear from our testing that SSL products exist that exceed the ANSI standard's limits." Orb Optronix assists industries and lighting manufacturers in testing their SSLs to ensure they pass ANSI safety standards.

Additional Insights

• According to Coolon Lighting, "LEDs are getting brighter...many of today's LEDs are so uncomfortably bright that even a momentary glimpse of the source can leave a strong after-image on the retina that persists for several minutes in many cases." Although LEDs have passed current safety standards and are considered "safe," there is still a great deal of research that needs to be done to reach an accurate conclusion as to what the long-term effects will be.