Warehouse aisle lighting should illuminate travel routes and the rack faces where workers identify goods, read labels and carry out picking tasks. A bright floor alone does not establish that the aisle is adequately lit.
Tall racks, changing stock levels and narrow passages can block light from ceiling-mounted fixtures. Planning therefore needs to consider the relationship between the luminaires, shelving and actual working positions.
This guide explains how to assess lighting between warehouse racks and what information to prepare when selecting equipment for a project in Saudi Arabia.
An open warehouse and a fully stocked racking area behave differently.
Once racks and pallets are in place, they can obstruct light and create shadows. Fixtures positioned primarily for an open floor may leave lower shelf levels or product labels poorly illuminated.
The planning process should identify:
This helps define the surfaces and tasks that need assessment.
Horizontal illumination describes light reaching surfaces such as the floor or a packing bench.
It helps assess visibility along routes and on horizontal task surfaces.
Vertical illumination describes light reaching upright surfaces, including rack faces and labels.
In a racking aisle, workers may need to identify products at several shelf levels. Assessing only the floor can overlook these tasks.
A lighting calculation should therefore include the relevant vertical surfaces as well as horizontal ones.
Prepare a layout showing the actual storage arrangement.
| Information | What to record |
|---|---|
| Aisle dimensions | Width, length and intersections |
| Racking | Height, depth and shelf arrangement |
| Stored goods | Typical and maximum stock profiles |
| Mounting positions | Available height and overhead restrictions |
| Tasks | Walking, vehicle movement, picking, reading or inspection |
| Working positions | Locations and heights where goods are handled |
| Operating conditions | Temperature, dust, moisture and cleaning exposure |
| Operating schedule | Occupancy, shifts and available daylight |
| Lighting criteria | Required maintained illumination, uniformity and glare limits |
Use the project’s applicable requirements to establish lighting targets. Different tasks should not automatically receive the same specification.
Review fixture positions against the planned racking.
Rows aligned with aisles can help direct useful light into working areas. However, final positions must be checked against the actual optical distribution and mounting height.
Avoid assuming that a regular grid designed before the racks were installed will remain suitable.
Assess the shelf levels where workers identify or retrieve goods.
A layout may illuminate upper shelves while leaving lower labels in shadow. Stock projecting beyond shelf edges can also affect visibility.
Include representative stocked conditions in the assessment rather than evaluating an empty building alone.
Warehouse lighting needs to support transitions between storage aisles, circulation routes and loading or picking areas.
Review changes in brightness and potential glare along these routes. An aisle should not be considered in isolation from the areas connected to it.
Round high bay and linear luminaires can both be considered, depending on the available mounting positions and required distribution.
The fixture’s shape alone does not establish whether it is suitable.
Compare:
The Alrouf Highbay Light is one available industrial lighting option. Request information for the exact configuration being considered and assess its performance in the aisle layout.
For broader equipment options, explore Alrouf’s industrial lighting solutions.
Fixture spacing should be evaluated using the selected luminaire’s photometric data and the actual aisle geometry.
The calculation should check illumination along the aisle and across the relevant rack faces. Review darker areas between fixtures rather than relying solely on an average value.
For the general relationship between installation height, optics and spacing, read our high bay lighting height and spacing guide.
Consider a hypothetical aisle with racks on both sides and workers picking goods from several shelf levels.
The assessment would proceed as follows:
This example describes a planning process. It does not prescribe a fixture quantity, spacing or wattage.
Workers may look upward when identifying or retrieving stock. Review luminaires from these viewing positions as well as from normal walking height.
Potential measures include selecting suitable optics, adjusting fixture positions or considering alternative equipment.
Do not reduce light output simply to address glare without checking whether the required task illumination remains adequate.
Controls can reduce unnecessary lighting operation in suitable applications.
For aisle-based control, assess:
Test the sequence under realistic operating conditions. Control settings should support visibility throughout the task, including periods when a worker remains relatively still.
Explore Alrouf’s smart lighting solutions and confirm equipment compatibility for the proposed arrangement.
It is lighting planned around the routes and tasks between storage racks. It should account for both circulation and visibility of goods on relevant shelf levels.
The rack face may receive insufficient vertical illumination, or shelves and stored goods may cast shadows. Floor brightness does not establish lighting performance on upright surfaces.
Their positions should be coordinated with the storage layout so that useful light reaches the working areas. Installing fixtures above stored goods can obstruct light; verify the final arrangement through calculations.
No. Compare the actual photometric distribution and calculated results for the aisle. Fixture shape alone is not enough to make the selection.
No. Requirements depend on the tasks, occupancy and project criteria. Simple storage, detailed picking and inspection may need different assessments.
Yes. Changes in rack height, aisle width or stored goods can alter shadows and light distribution. Reassess the affected areas.
For a warehouse project in Saudi Arabia, prepare a drawing showing aisle widths, rack heights, shelf arrangements, proposed mounting positions and operating activities.
Include site conditions, operating hours, existing equipment and lighting targets if available.
Contact Alrouf to discuss suitable lighting equipment and control options for your warehouse.
