Proper lighting is essential on jobsites when work is done at night or during low-light or variable-light conditions. While portable light towers can provide bright illumination over acres of land, portable light stands such as LED light stands and halogen light stands are ideal for illuminating specific areas to allow crews to move around and perform tasks safely and productively.

Adequately lighting walkways, stairways, workspaces and zones can help prevent trips and falls and injuries such as lacerations, too.

Use this guide to choose the best light stand for your worksite and application.

What are the different kinds of light stands?

Light stands vary in terms of their bases and the number and types of lights they include. A stand with multiple lights provides more illumination and allows you to point the lights in different directions. LED light stands have become the industry standard. Other bulb types include metal halide, quartz, halogen and incandescent, which is being phased out.

Balloon light stands have an inflatable globe that encases the light source. They provide softer, diffuse, 360-degree light to reduce shadows and glare. This reduced-glare lighting often works well for nighttime road construction and detail-oriented work.

Light stand bases range from tripod bases, which are lightweight and easily adjusted for uneven surfaces, to weighted flat or circular bases, which support heavier lights and taller light stands and provide stability in windy conditions. Wheeled bases are best for use indoors and on smooth outdoor surfaces when the light stand needs to be moved frequently.

When looking at light stands, remember that OSHA dictates, in its Illumination standard, the amount of light construction contractors must provide based on the work environment. General construction area lighting calls for at least 5 foot-candles, or 5 lumens per square foot. A 100-square-foot area would require 500 lumens.

Light stand bulb types  

Here’s a closer look at the different types of bulbs available in light stands.

LED bulbs: The energy-efficient standard

There’s a reason LED light stands are popular. LED (light emitting diode) bulbs are highly efficient—as much as 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs—and have extremely long lifespans. They don’t get hot to touch and are ideal for spot lighting since they produce a directional beam.

LED light stands work well for nighttime roadside construction. They are also suitable for task lighting on construction sites and in large indoor facilities such as factories.

Metal halide bulbs: High-intensity light over a large area, after warm-up

Metal halide lamps are beneficial for applications that require high-intensity light over relatively large distances. Their lumen output is typically greater than those of LEDs, and the light color is neutral, which helps workers see colors clearly. They are typically mounted on heavy-duty stands that can withstand the elements.

Their main downside: They must warm up for five to 15 minutes before use. They are less energy-efficient than LED lights but more efficient than incandescent and quartz bulbs.

Quartz and halogen bulbs: Immediate bright light, less energy efficiency

Quartz and halogen lights use a filament suspended in a bulb filled with halogen gas. They emit intense light, making them ideal for areas that need floodlighting. Unlike metal halide bulbs, they turn on immediately.

The main difference between these two options is their construction. Halogen bulbs are encased in silica glass. Quartz bulbs have a fused quartz casing, which allows the lamps to burn hotter, since quartz is more heat resistant than glass and less likely to break due to stress or temperature. Both halogen and quartz bulbs emit bright, white light, but quartz lights are slightly brighter and produce a color that’s closer to daylight. They tend to last longer under harsh conditions, and the bulbs are more compact.

The cons: Quartz and halogen bulbs are extremely hot to the touch and less energy efficient than LEDs and metal halide bulbs. Because of the high temperatures they reach, they can shatter easily if they get wet or if someone touches them and leaves behind oil from their hands. They shouldn’t be handled with bare hands.

Explosion-proof light stands

Per OSHA and the National Electrical Code, hazardous locations require explosion-proof light stands, which are designed to prevent sparks, heat or electrical discharge from igniting nearby flammable substances. OSHA outlines Class I, Class II and Class III locations that require them.

Hazardous locations may include oil and gas sites, industrial facilities, factory floors, mining operations and tunnels and other confined spaces if flammable or combustible gases, dust, vapors or fibers are present. Even fine, food-based dust from a food processing plant can be ignited and cause an explosion.

On construction sites, hazardous locations may exist when painting, insulation work, flooring work or grinding or cutting work that could produce a spark is being performed near flammable substances.

To protect against explosion, explosion-proof light stands feature:

• Sealed casings that prevent hazardous substances from entering the light fixture
• Housing designed to contain and cool a bulb explosion
• Impact-resistant glass
• Heat-sink technology to dissipate excess heat
• Nonreactive, impact-resistant and weather-resistant materials such as aluminum or plastic to protect lights from the elements

Perfect placement: Where to place light stands on construction sites

Once you’ve acquired your light stands, you’ll need to decide where to place them. If the goal is to provide good coverage with no dim areas, you may need to overlap the light from at least two stands. Elevating the lights via a telescoping light stand illuminates a broader area and reduces shadows.

When you need to illuminate large areas as well as smaller workstations and high-traffic spots, you may want to rely on a combination of towable light towers for broad illumination and work lights with stands for more targeting lighting.

If you’re lighting a road work site, place lights so they don’t shine into oncoming traffic.

If you’re using a light stand outdoors, keep in mind the likely weather conditions. Flimsier light stands may blow over or blow away if winds gust. You can add sandbags to tripod bases or choose stands that have sturdier bases. Look for outdoor-rated or weatherproof LED work lights or, if you opt for a quartz or halogen light stand, be sure it’s rated for wet environments. 

When in doubt as to the best type of light stand for your worksite, talk with the portable lighting experts at United Rentals.

Visit our online marketplace to browse our selection of portable light stands.