Light Towers: Why They Matter in Construction

Light towers may make you think of baseball diamonds, race tracks and football fields. But light towers can also be found on construction projects. Having light towers on construction sites has both health and safety benefits. Here is an explanation of what light towers are, why they matter, and what type of difference they make for construction. 

What is a Light Tower?

A light tower is exactly what its name suggests: It’s a tower with large lights or bulbs attached at the top. They are primarily used in outdoor spaces to provide a light source in dark or dim spaces. While they may be more popular during the winter months when daylight is shorter, they are used all year round. 

The type of light towers used in construction are often referred to as “Industrial light towers”. 

Choosing the Right Light Tower for Your Project

There are a few things you should consider when choosing a light tower for your project. 

Fuel Capacity

Fuel capacity is important for projects that are more remote. You can get additional fuel tanks for light towers if you want to reduce fuel trips. While you can get electric-powered light towers, ones that are powered by independent generators which run off of fuel are much more common.

Different Lamp Types

Lamp types can vary between metal halide or LED lamps. Metal halide lamps are cheaper upfront but can require more power to keep running over the long term. They also take up to 5 minutes to reach their full level of brightness. 

LED lamps cost less to operate but are more expensive to buy. They are usually brighter and can last longer in extreme elements such as rain, snow or wind. They are more popular for light towers since they have no delay in achieving their brightness and can provide a more concentrated light for illuminating specific areas of a job site.

Light Tower Size and Desired Location

Size and setup are two other incredibly important factors when choosing a light tower for your project. Depending on the size of the project you may want more than one tower. You also want to consider where you want to put the light and how big of a generator it needs to run. This may impact your planning when it comes to setting up of light towers for your project.

Benefits of Having a Light Tower on a Construction Site

There are many health and safety benefits to having lights on a construction site.

Increase Safety for Operating Machines and Tools

The essence of construction is using machines and tools to build things. Safety when it comes to operating machines relies on visibility. Having enough light to not only see what you’re doing but what others around you are doing is incredibly important. 

Making Contractors Visible to Other People

Especially for construction projects on roads and highways, making contractors visible to other people like drivers can save a life. Light towers not only help drivers see contractors as they move around, but it also indicates that there is a construction project going on at night before they even arrive at the construction site. Awareness from the community plays a big role in safety, especially when it comes to road work.

Keeping Projects On Time and On Budget

Relying on the sun as a sole source of light can cause major project delays. The Winter season has shorter days so it can drastically reduce the amount of work that can be done on a project in a day. During the summer months, overcast or grey days could make workspaces dimmer than is safe. Having a consistent and reliable light source can keep your projects on time and on budget.

Reduce Break-Ins, Vandalism and Theft On Projects 

Theft and vandalism on construction sites is way more common than it should be. Having lights that illuminate a construction site during the night or off-hours can deter any would-be vandals or thieves. They can increase the value of any type of surveillance or recording that is being done as well. Most thieves will abandon a potential break-in if there is a higher chance of being seen or caught than them getting away.

Light Towers for Construction

Light towers not only make working in the evening safer, but they can keep your construction project free from vandalism and on budget at the same time. 

If you need light towers give the DOZR team a call and we’d be happy to help find the right type and size for your project.