UV Light
There are some light bulbs that emit Ultra Violet radiation, with exposure to this UV radiation it can cause premature ageing and even skin cancer. Other effects include eyestrain and headaches. With LED‘s they do not emit UV radiation so therefore much safer to use.
Light Flickering
Light systems that run on Alternating Current (AC) tend to flicker, although this flickering isn’t always noticeable it can lead to health problems, with common complaints that include headaches, eyestrain and general discomfort. Strobing effects from the light source can also cause a danger to people who work with moving machinery as the flickering can make it appear that the machines are running slower than they actually are. As LED’s use a Direct Current (DC) this results in very little flickering or no flickering at all.
If you want to learn more about what causes LED flicker, and how to stop it being problem, we’ve got a helpful blog-post on the subject!
Noise
With Fluorescent lights they emit a humming noise, this can be very distracting as well as causing fatigue and irritability. LED’s however do not suffer with this humming as they are completely silent making them much more pleasant to work with.
Fragile Parts
Traditional lighting tends to use fragile parts that can break easily (i.e. glass), but LED’s are much more robust and less likely to break and are unlikely to cause anybody any injuries.
Heat
With incandescent light bulbs they can get very hot indeed as they are inefficient at converting the energy into light as most of it is turned into heat. This can be a fire hazard and handling a bulb after it has been on could cause burns. LED’s do not get hot so if you need to handle them while they are on you will not be burnt and they are less of a fire risk.
Mercury
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) do contain Mercury which is a toxic substance and is harmful to your health and the environment (when it comes to disposing them). LED’s however do not contain any harmful substances and they are easy to recycle and much more environmentally friendly.