Rank: New forum user 
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This is not a new problem and one that I have come across many times before however it has never caused me so much of a problem.
In an office of about twenty people I have four that are complaining of the glare from the lights at their workstation. The team work on proof reading.
1. I exchanged 4 840 lights for 827's - no improvement.
2. I changed the type of diffuser from a narrow strip to a full 600x 600 - some improvement but now a different problem from the side of the light. tried metal ones and a new egg box plastic design.
3. I tested an LED light today - which after 1 hour I have received an email asking for its removal as it has caused a headache. Should I remove it or keep it there for longer ?
They have asked for the bulbs to be removed but I am concerned at the low levels of light in their office, as there are three out of ten 600 x 600 that they want removing as a consequence other users are requesting desk lamps.
How far should I go ? This is causing a lot of issues in this office.
Chris
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Rank: Forum user
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Christine I had a similar issue in a large open plan office where the staff used VDU's, we carried out light readings on each of the workstations and found that they were within the accepted levels. We then looked for other issues. We established that the people who were suffering from headaches were from the lights that they were looking into, a strip light was in direct line with their sight when looking at their screens. We changed the desk arrangements and we were able to remove the problem. Sit in their seats and see if this is an issue. It may assist. Martin
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Rank: Super forum user
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Thinking outside the box, I recall few years ago that we had
a group of individuals who were convinced that they headaches etc was caused by
having a large printer/photocopier next to their desk which they claimed was producing
ozone, thus causing the ill effects. We did all sort of things starting with
monitoring for ozone, changing the printer etc. it then became obvious it was entirely
psychosomatic: they had a boss who was a hideous ogre who was causing stress which
caused the headaches which they rationalised as being due to the printer. I am
not saying that this is the case here but it pays to look at the border picture
sometime. In a happy office people rarely complain about things like poor
lighting, or mysterious draughts, peculiar smells. They just tend to get on
with it. Bear that in mind
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Maybe the key to this is the job they are doing i.e. proof reading which will require not only high levels of concentration but also extended screen work. Perhaps individual solutions will be needed for individuals.
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Rank: Super forum user
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I may be way off base here but when did the complaints start and what happened immediately before hand? If the employees have been in that environment for a long time and something changes they may well "feel" that there is a problem that needs changing or has not been resolved. So, did you change the lights design first or did someone complain first? What else changed before hand, new screens, new work routine or Hrs, has anyone been sacked? Just a thought
Jim
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Rank: New forum user
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Thank you for your replies.
The light changes and adjustments were in response to complaints of headaches.
it is not possibel to move the desks around unfortunately but I may be able to move the lights.
it is very interesting that you all have a theme of a bigger picture - and i have arranged a meeting to discuss this further with their managers today.
I am arranging light readings too - they should be done this week.
Interestingly , no body has moaned about the air con in a while - that used to be a hot topic.
I think I have exhausted all technical solutions, this morning one of them sent me an email about the health hazards of led lighting...
Thanks again
Chris
Just for the record I only tried one LED square and it was only on for two hours.
Thank again for your useful feedback
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Just a thought but have you changed the bulbs 'lamps' in the fitting recently, it could just be that the lamps were coming to the end of life and the LUX levels were low once the new lamps went in it brightened the place up and thats when they complained.
Have had this before.
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Rank: Forum user
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Daft questions here but are we talking about light coming from the ceiling fittings being reflected onto the monitors causing difficulty in viewing the screen? (can one see the fitting on the screen) What is the light level of the room taken at the workstation? Are the light fittings high frequency units?
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Rank: Forum user
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Love the line about air conditioning and hot topic - priceless.
Thanks
Graham
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 1 user thanked gt for this useful post.
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Rank: New forum user
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The old lights are a mixture 840 and 827, twin 55 w bulbs mounted in diffussers in 600 x 600
Yes we had recently changed some over as the clips had become brittle as that could have triggered the problem. As we have old 827 s and old 840s.
The problem is from users who see the light out of their peripherial vision causing headaches.
After our meeting to day with all managers we are considering changing all bulbs to led cool white and then assess again and move bulbs to new positions if issues persisit.
The LED on trial is 600 x 600 36 W in Cool White.
Im investigating now if there are other colour options
Thanks
Chris
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Rank: Forum user
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I think you would be well advised to rather than change the lamps to LED to change the whole fitting to LED. The conversions needed on the existing fitting would be overly expencive. I respectfully suggest that you call on the skills off a lighting specalist (free from major wholsales) to work out the layout and your needs. Gussing this is expencive and counter productive
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Rank: Super forum user
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Christine What you outline mirrors the conditons student in The Hawthorne studies carried out in the 1940s. There's plenty to indicate that as A Kurziel indicates the issue is much more likely to be successfully addressed through attention to the social identies of the employee group than to the physical environment. S A Haslam, M Platow and S D Reicher offer an update to the Hawthorne studies in 'The New Psychology of Leadership', published by the Psychology Press, 2011. It's a good read and ofers plenty of ideas to discuss with the manager(s) and other employees
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Keiran,
As a psychologist I’d be interested in your views on the comment that A Kurdziel made “it then became obvious it was entirely psychosomatic: they had a boss who was a hideous ogre who was causing stress which caused the headaches which they rationalised as being due to” Could you recommend further reading that doesn’t involve buying an expensive book
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Rank: Super forum user
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Walker Since you ask, and assuming you have a positive motive, my simple comment on the quotation you cite is that no evidence, of any kind, is referred to in support of the assertion and that this forum is hardly the place to expect anything other than an indication of how the evidence was gathered and evaluated. The cost of a book is related to the value which the reader makes of it. The book by Haslam, Platow and Reicher is well worth the £18.00 it now costs on Amazon, in the hands of thoughtful readers
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Rank: Super forum user
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Something else to know about LED lighting is that it works best when it is not the only light source. Daylight and other forms of non-LED lighting can balance out the impercebtible flicker that LED lighting produces. That's why it's a bad source to use with people who suffer from epilepsy. Proof reading 'what' has got to be asked, looking at paper or computer screens? If it's simply screens, perhaps having a different colour background, larger text size, different font, the size of the computer screen, using a rabit hutch desk design - giving some privacy for proof readers. Moving into better accomodation. Forced air in favour of air-conditioning (air is drawn from the top of the building down - see the RAC building in Bristol). Better seating.
You might also consider better pay and conditions as well as other welfare options. Your people are the greatest asset of any company or organisation - not the customers.
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