AS 1680 Lux Levels for Australian Workplaces: The Complete Reference Guide
Your electrician replaced the metal halides, the lights are clearly brighter, and everyone seems happy. Then a Work Health and Safety audit happens, or an insurance assessor walks through, or your new property manager asks for a lux report. Now you need to prove the lighting meets AS/NZS 1680, and the question of what number you actually need to hit becomes urgent.
This is the reference page for that question. It covers the required lux levels for every common workplace type in Australia, the maintained illuminance concept that catches most LED installs out, and a practical process for checking whether your existing lighting is compliant.
The values below are drawn from AS/NZS 1680.1:2006 and its application-specific parts. They are the numbers used by lighting designers, WHS inspectors, VEU assessors and IPART auditors across the country.
What AS/NZS 1680 actually is
AS/NZS 1680 is a joint Australian and New Zealand standard series that specifies minimum lighting requirements for the interior of buildings. It is referenced by the National Construction Code, by state Work Health and Safety regulations, and by the energy efficiency schemes (VEU, REPS) when assessing whether a commercial LED upgrade has maintained adequate light output.
The series has several parts. The two you encounter most often are:
AS/NZS 1680.1:2006 sets the general principles including lux levels by task type, uniformity requirements, glare limits and colour rendering requirements. This is the primary reference for the table below.
AS/NZS 1680.2 series covers specific applications: office and screen-based tasks (Part 2.2), industrial tasks (Part 2.4), educational facilities (Part 2.3), circulation spaces (Part 2.1), hospitals and medical tasks (Part 2.5) and sporting facilities (Part 2.6).
For most commercial LED upgrade work, 1680.1 and the relevant 1680.2 sub-part are what matter.
The lux level reference table
The values below are maintained illuminance levels in lux (lx). What that means in practice is explained in the next section. For now: these are the minimum numbers your lighting must sustain over its operational life, not just at first switch-on.
| Space / Task type | Maintained illuminance (lx) | AS 1680 part | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices & Commercial Spaces | |||
| Reception, waiting areas | 200 lx | 1680.1 | First impression areas; 200 minimum, 240 preferred |
| General office (reading, writing, data entry) | 320 lx | 1680.2.2 | Most common office requirement |
| Office with predominant screen use | 320 lx | 1680.2.2 | Not 500 lx; reduced to minimise screen glare |
| Conference / meeting rooms | 320 lx | 1680.2.2 | Consider dimmable to support presentations |
| Drawing office / CAD stations | 500 lx | 1680.2.2 | Fine visual task; UGR ≤19 required |
| Filing rooms, print/copy areas | 320 lx | 1680.1 | Task-level illuminance |
| Breakrooms, staff amenities | 240 lx | 1680.1 | |
| Corridors, stairs (primary) | 160 lx | 1680.2.1 | Minimum 80 lx; 160 lx strongly recommended |
| Lift lobbies | 200 lx | 1680.2.1 | |
| Warehouses & Storage | |||
| Bulk/pallet storage (no active picking) | 80–100 lx | 1680.1 | Low task requirement; safety still applies |
| General storage with occasional access | 160 lx | 1680.1 | Common standard for racked storage areas |
| Active picking, packing, despatch | 320 lx | 1680.1 | Task illuminance; often under-specified after LED swap |
| Small parts picking (labels, barcodes) | 400 lx | 1680.1 | Fine visual task; error rates rise below this |
| Loading docks | 160 lx | 1680.2.1 | Transition zone; also check AS 1680.2.7 for exterior |
| Weighbridges, checkpoints | 240 lx | 1680.1 | |
| Manufacturing & Industrial | |||
| Rough work: casting, forging, rolling | 200 lx | 1680.2.4 | |
| Medium work: general machining, fabrication | 320 lx | 1680.2.4 | Most general manufacturing floor requirement |
| Fine work: electronics assembly, fine machining | 500–600 lx | 1680.2.4 | Ra ≥80 minimum; Ra ≥90 preferred |
| Very fine work: instrument/precision assembly | 750–1,000 lx | 1680.2.4 | Often supplemented with task lighting |
| Inspection: general | 1,000 lx | 1680.2.4 | Ra ≥90 required for colour-critical inspection |
| Inspection: colour matching, surface defect | 1,500–2,000 lx | 1680.2.4 | Supplementary task lighting almost always required |
| Plant rooms, boiler rooms | 160 lx | 1680.1 | Gauge and instrument reading |
| Control rooms, switchrooms | 320–500 lx | 1680.1 | Based on panel complexity |
| Retail | |||
| General retail floor | 500 lx | 1680.1 | Ra ≥80 minimum; Ra ≥90 strongly recommended |
| Supermarket, hardware, trade retail | 500 lx | 1680.1 | |
| Display / feature areas | 750–1,000 lx | 1680.1 | Accent lighting typically supplements ambient |
| Checkout / POS | 500 lx | 1680.1 | Task-level illuminance |
| Fitting rooms | 500 lx | 1680.1 | Ra ≥90; vertical surface illuminance important |
| Stockroom (active access) | 160–240 lx | 1680.1 | |
| Food & Hospitality | |||
| Commercial kitchen / food preparation | 500 lx | 1680.1 | IP65 minimum; Ra ≥80 |
| Food inspection / quality control | 1,000–2,000 lx | 1680.2.4 | Ra ≥90; shatter-resistant lenses required |
| Bakery production | 500 lx | 1680.1 | |
| Dining / restaurant (table surface) | 100–200 lx | 1680.1 | Atmosphere vs task requirement; dimming common |
| Bar / service counter | 240 lx | 1680.1 | |
| Coolrooms / cool storage | 160 lx | 1680.1 | IP65/IP66; rated to −20°C for freezers |
| Education | |||
| General classrooms | 320–400 lx | 1680.2.3 | UGR ≤19; Ra ≥80 |
| Specialist art / science rooms | 500 lx | 1680.2.3 | Ra ≥90 for art rooms |
| Laboratories | 500 lx | 1680.2.3 | |
| Libraries (reading tables) | 320 lx | 1680.2.3 | |
| Lecture theatres | 320 lx | 1680.2.3 | With provision for blackout / AV mode |
| Healthcare | |||
| Ward / patient rooms (general) | 100–200 lx | 1680.2.5 | Night observation: 5–20 lx |
| Nursing stations | 320 lx | 1680.2.5 | |
| Treatment / examination rooms | 500–1,000 lx | 1680.2.5 | Supplementary procedure lighting additional |
| Pharmacy dispensary | 500 lx | 1680.2.5 | Ra ≥90 for label/colour checking |
| Car Parks & Circulation | |||
| Covered / basement car park (general) | 50–75 lx | 1680.2.7 / AS 4282 | Average maintained across driving lanes |
| Car park ramps / entry transitions | 150–300 lx | 1680.2.7 | Higher to manage daytime adaptation |
| Pedestrian paths (internal) | 80–100 lx | 1680.2.1 | |
| Stairwells | 100 lx | 1680.2.1 | Vertical surface illuminance also required |
These are minimum maintained values. Maintained means the average illuminance across the space at the end of the maintenance cycle, not at the time of installation. Your actual installation lux target needs to be higher. How much higher depends on the light loss factor. See the next section.
The number that catches most LED installs: maintained illuminance
This is where the majority of LED upgrade disputes start.
A new LED fitting straight out of the box emits its rated lumen output. Over time, two things reduce actual light levels. First, LEDs depreciate. A quality commercial LED fitting rated at 19,500 lumens will typically deliver 90% of that (17,550 lumens) after 50,000 hours of operation. This is the lamp lumen maintenance factor (LLMF). Second, dust, grease and general grime accumulate on lenses, reflectors and ceiling surfaces, reducing the light that actually reaches the work surface. This is the other light loss factor (OLF).
Combined, these are the light loss factor (LLF). AS/NZS 1680.4 sets the methodology for calculating it.
OLF = Other Light Loss Factor (dirt, surface soiling; typically 0.83 for clean environments, 0.80 for normal, 0.80 for dirty)
Clean environment: LLF = 0.90 × 0.83 = 0.75
Normal environment: LLF = 0.90 × 0.80 = 0.72
Dirty/industrial: LLF = 0.85 × 0.80 = 0.68
The required installation lux is then:
Environment: normal (LLF = 0.72)
Required at installation: 320 ÷ 0.72 = 444 lx
⚠ The practical implication: If you install LEDs to exactly 320 lx in a normal warehouse environment, your lux levels will drop below the required maintained illuminance before the lights reach their rated service life. The installation is non-compliant from the day it falls below 320 lx. Install to 440+ lx and the system remains compliant through its maintenance cycle.
Uniformity: the other number most people ignore
A space can average the right lux level across the floor but still fail AS 1680 because the light distribution is uneven. A row of bright patches under each fitting and dark zones between them is a uniformity failure even if the average reads correctly.
AS/NZS 1680.1 specifies uniformity as a ratio of minimum lux to average lux across the space (Uo).
In practice, a Uo of 0.7 means the darkest point in the work area must be at least 70% of the average. In a warehouse where the average reads 320 lx, no picking aisle should measure below 224 lx.
The fix is fixture spacing. Reducing spacing-to-mounting-height ratio (S/MHR) improves uniformity. For most LED high bays at 8 metres mounting height, a spacing of 6 metres or less typically achieves Uo ≥ 0.7. Your lighting supplier should be providing photometric calculations (a DIALux or Relux report) that demonstrates both average lux and uniformity before you accept any commercial installation.
Colour rendering: what CRI actually means for your space
CRI (Colour Rendering Index, also written Ra) measures how accurately a light source renders colours compared to natural daylight on a scale of 0 to 100. For commercial lighting, AS 1680 sets minimum CRI requirements by task type.
Practical note: Most commercial LED products are Ra 80. Ra 90 products cost 10–25% more and are worth it in spaces where colour accuracy affects quality, productivity or sales. A clothing retailer with Ra 80 fitting room lights is actively degrading the customer experience. A food production line with Ra 80 inspection lighting is a quality risk.
Glare: UGR limits by space type
Unified Glare Rating (UGR) is the standardised measure of glare discomfort from a lighting installation. Lower is better. AS 1680 and the related CIE standards set maximum UGR limits by space type.
UGR is determined by the luminaire photometric data combined with room geometry and reflectances. The luminaire datasheet typically states the UGR value for standard room configurations. If you are replacing bare fluorescent battens with LED panels in an office, confirm the replacement fitting has a UGR ≤ 19 photometric rating. Many economy LED panels do not meet this.
How to check if your workplace is compliant right now
You do not need an expensive lighting audit to get a reasonable picture of your current lux levels.
Option 1: a calibrated lux meter
A decent digital lux meter costs $50 to $150 and reads to within 5% accuracy for most commercial applications. Take readings at the work surface level (typically 800mm above floor for desk work, floor level for walkways and car parks) at multiple points across the space and average them. Compare to the table above.
For a 10m x 20m warehouse bay, take at minimum 9 readings (a 3x3 grid across the bay), calculate the average, then check whether the lowest reading is at least 70% of the average. If the lowest reading is 198 lx and the average is 310 lx, you have a uniformity ratio of 0.64, which fails the Uo ≥ 0.7 requirement regardless of the average.
Option 2: a phone app
Apps like Lux Light Meter Pro (iOS/Android) use the phone camera as a lux sensor. Accuracy is typically 10–20% with most phone cameras, which is good enough for a quick assessment but not for a formal compliance report. Use it to flag obvious problems. Get a calibrated meter before telling a client or insurer everything is fine.
Option 3: a formal photometric report
For compliance documentation, a VEU or ESS upgrade, an insurance requirement, or a new fitout approval, you need a formal lux report. This is typically conducted by the installing electrician or a lighting designer using a calibrated instrument and documented in writing. The report records the date, time, fixture specification, number of readings, average, minimum, uniformity ratio and the AS 1680 requirement being verified. In Victoria, VEU ACPs are required to produce this report as part of commercial lighting upgrades.
- Identify the space type and required maintained lux from the table above
- Calculate the required installation lux (maintained lux ÷ LLF)
- Take a minimum 9-point grid of lux readings at work surface height
- Calculate average and compare to required installation lux
- Check uniformity: minimum reading ÷ average ≥ 0.7 for task areas
- Confirm CRI (Ra) rating of fitted luminaires for the space type
- Check UGR rating on the luminaire datasheet for office/precision spaces
- Document fixture type, wattage, CCT, CRI and lux readings for the file
The five most common AS 1680 failures after an LED upgrade
1. Installing to maintained lux, not installation lux
The installer hits exactly 320 lx on the day of installation in a warehouse. Two years later, after normal lumen depreciation and surface soiling, lux levels have fallen to 230 lx. The space is now non-compliant. The system was under-specified from day one.
2. Treating 1:1 wattage replacement as a lux guarantee
Replacing a 400W metal halide with a 150W LED does not guarantee adequate lux. Metal halide efficacy degrades rapidly; a 5-year-old metal halide at 50% of its original output gets replaced by a new LED at full output and the client assumes the numbers are fine. The beam angle and mounting height are the factors that actually determine lux at the work surface.
3. Wrong beam angle for the mounting height
A 90-degree beam angle LED high bay at 10 metres mounting height lights a roughly 10m diameter circle at 70% of peak intensity. Spacing fixtures 12 metres apart creates dark zones between them. The average lux may pass; the uniformity will not.
4. Installing Ra 80 product in a colour-critical space
Economy LED panels are almost universally Ra 80. Installed in a garment retail store, food inspection area or pharmacy, they create colour rendering that the standard requires Ra 90 to address. This is not just an aesthetic issue; it is a documented compliance failure.
5. No documentation
The lights look good, the client is happy, and nobody writes anything down. Eighteen months later the property changes hands, an insurer requests a lighting compliance report, or a WorkSafe inspector issues a notice. There is no record of what was installed, when, or what lux levels were achieved.
What colour temperature (CCT) should you specify
AS 1680 does not mandate a specific colour temperature (CCT) for most spaces, but it does require that CCT be appropriate for the task. The practical guidance:
2700K–3000K (warm white): Hospitality, restaurants, hotels, residential common areas. Creates warmth but renders colours slightly yellow. Not ideal for task-critical work.
4000K (cool white/neutral): General offices, retail, schools. The most common commercial specification. Good colour rendering without the harshness of daylight.
5000K–6500K (daylight): Warehouses, manufacturing, workshops, outdoor-adjacent spaces. High perceived brightness. Reduces melatonin slightly in sustained exposures, which matters for night-shift operations. The right choice where task accuracy and alertness matter more than ambience.
Avoid mixing CCT across adjacent spaces where there is a visible transition. The difference between 3000K and 5000K is jarring at a doorway.
When you need a lighting designer vs a sparkie with a calculator
A licensed electrician can specify and install commercial LED lighting to a product recommendation from a supplier. For most straightforward retrofit work (replacing like-for-like fixtures in well-understood spaces) this is fine, provided someone runs the photometrics.
Engage a qualified lighting designer when: the space has unusual geometry, very high ceilings, mixed task requirements, strict uniformity needs, or critical colour rendering requirements. Also engage one for any new construction fitout, any space requiring formal AS 1680 compliance documentation for a building permit, or any healthcare or education installation.
Photometric software (DIALux EVO and Relux are both free) produces the output your designer or electrician needs. A credible commercial lighting supplier will provide a photometric report for any installation above 20 fittings. If yours does not offer this, ask for it. If they cannot provide it, that is information worth having before signing off on the job.
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