Whether you’re on a job site, camping in the woods, or navigating a dark loading bay, choosing the right torch or lighting solution is essential for visibility and safety. With so many options, LED torches, head torches, work lights, floodlights, safety lighting and hazard lights. It’s important to know what works best for your task.
New battery technologies and the increasing use of LED bulbs mean that new torches are designed to last longer and shine brighter. But with so much choice available, it can be hard to figure out which is best for you.
Lighting a Work Environment: Floodlights and Work Lights Explained
When it comes to illuminating a large area, flood lights and work lights are the best option.
For temporary or remote locations, such as construction sites, having a robust work light is the best option. Often quite flexible, these can be placed on the ground or a flat surface, with some others suitable for mounting on a tripod or having a magnet which makes it easy to attach to machinery.
Selecting one with a rechargeable battery also means there is no need for trailing cables.
In a permanent area which needs lighting, such as loading bays, floodlights are the best option.
Affixed to a wall with a mains power supply, then can be switched on and off as required, providing a reliable source of light which is powerful enough to illuminate a large area from one light.
Floodlights are also available with PIR motion sensors, which are a useful security device for workplaces and homes alike. These will shine bright when movement is detected at night, and are often enough to deter someone from criminal action.
Portable Torches and Flashlights: See Where You’re Going
Torches, flashlights and searchlights are a handheld solution for taking a bright light wherever you go. Available in a range of sizes, these include those small enough to attach to your keys and those large and powerful enough that they’re used by the emergency services for search and rescue operations.
As simple as pressing the button and pointing the light in the area you want to see, these are great at illuminating a dark pathway when walking the dog or for camping trips. Again, these are available with rechargeable batteries and can even double as a power bank, which is ideal for giving your devices an extra boost of charge while you’re out.
But if you need your hands free, then head torches are the ideal. These shine a bright light from your forehead, meaning wherever you look, there is light. Plus, they also make you easy to spot too.
Head Torches and Inspection Lights: Light the Job, Hands-Free
Head torches are also great for when you’re working and need your hands free while you carry out the task. Plus, they’ll light up a large area while spot beams are good for close-up work.
Inspection lights are also ideal for illuminating a small area while you work, hands-free. With magnets and hooks, they can be secured wherever you need them, and a bright light will allow you to see what you’re doing without dazzling.
Hazard and Warning Lights: Alert Others to Potential Dangers
When there is an obstruction or hazard, you want people approaching the area to use caution for their own safety. Hazard lights are a great way of doing this. You may find these on cones, skips and scaffolding by the roadside or footpaths.
There are various options available, all designed for different purposes and budgets.
