Energy Saving Light Bulbs and Ultra Violet

[bernardgreen]

Energy Saving Light Bulbs

There is an advisory from Health and Safety Executive / Local Authorities Enforcement Liaison Committee (HELA)

New research* by the HPA has shown that some energy saving compact fluorescent
lights can emit ultraviolet radiation at levels that, under certain conditions of use, can
result in exposures higher than guideline levels.

* M Khazova and J B O’Hagan, Optical Radiation Emissions from Compact
Fluorescent Lamps. Radiation Protection Dosimetry

http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/60-8-appendix2.pdf

 

[ColJack]

and?

of course they emit UV.. the light inside is UV.. it's only the phosphor coating incide the tube that glows white..

same as the office with its rows and rows of 4ft quad fluorescent lights in the ceiling.. 9 hours a day, 5 days a week..

that's why your eye's hurt sometimes after sitting in the office all day..

 

[^woody^]

Does this mean I could end up looking like David Dickinson after spending 15 minutes on the toilet?

Should I use a candle or eat more bran

 

[ColJack]

depends on how hard you strain..

 

[tim west]

Does this mean I could end up looking like David Dickinson after spending 15 minutes on the toilet?

We're talking about UV light not straining.

 

[bernardgreen]

Should I use a candle or eat more bran

If you choose the candle use plenty of lubricate,

 

[Steve]

that's why your eye's hurt sometimes after sitting in the office all day..

actually thats the flickering. Clearly HF fittings eliminate this with their flickering at several thousand Hz, but I did work in a shop with old 50Hz fittings and I always went home with a headache. Most CFLs are HF, in fact I think all new ones are.

The phosphor coating on the outer of the tube converts the vast majority of the UV into visible light. CFLs and T5 tubes have 3 or more coatings of phosphor, to convert even more light (hence "triphosphor").

The tubes you put inside pond filters etc, they are UV without phosphor, the light they give is nearly invisible but quite harmful.

 

[ColJack]

and what about blacklite tubes in clubs?

I wasn't talking about headaches, I'm talking about sore eyes.

 

[Steve]

blacklights also have a coating on them, I expect it does the same job as the phosphor on normal white tubes, but filters a different area of the spectrum.

Sunbed lights also have a filter on them. Or they wouldn't glow blue.

Pure UV lights in pond filters have no filter on them. Hence when off they are clear.

I'd be interested to see the stats on HID blacklights, as used in flares (but have all been removed now, strangely)

 

[^woody^]

I'm talking about sore eyes.

Get some prettier girls for the office