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Safety lights are used in darkrooms to provide light without affecting light-sensitive materials. They come in different colors and types, and it’s important to follow recommendations to avoid damage. Filtered safety lights are recommended, and filters can be changed for specialized applications. Prolonged exposure can damage materials, and some materials require total darkness. Security filters fade over time and should be changed regularly. Color and wattage recommendations are included in packaging, and bulbs should be changed regularly.
A safety light is a lamp that produces light in areas of the spectrum that will not affect light-sensitive materials such as photographic film and paper. Safety lights are used in darkrooms to provide light for working without affecting the materials handled in the darkroom. While many people may associate red light with safety lights, safety lights actually come in a range of colors, and different types of photo materials come with different safety light recommendations. It is important to follow these recommendations to avoid tarnishing or otherwise affecting these materials.
Security lights can work in two ways. Some consist of a housing with a filter holder. Others consist of a bulb covered in a material that will act as a filter. Some photographic supply manufacturers, such as Kodak, specifically recommend working with filtered safety lights, because the filter blocks more potentially dangerous light. Both types are readily available from photographic suppliers, along with accessories such as swivel stands that allow people to turn on a safety light for better illumination of a specific area in the darkroom.
An advantage of a filtered safety light is that it is easy to change the filter for specialized applications. If someone regularly works with a red safety light, for example, and a particular brand of photo paper recommends amber instead, an amber filter can simply be inserted into the filter holder.
It’s not safe to work under a safety light indefinitely; prolonged exposure can damage photographic materials, mainly because light sensitivity doesn’t cut off abruptly in one area of the spectrum, meaning the light from a safety light will eventually lead to fogging and other problems. Also, some types of photographic material cannot be used in any type of light, requiring total darkness. Photographers and others who work with photographic materials such as lithographic printers and x-ray technicians should also be aware that security filters fade over time, which means they can start to let dangerous light through. Filter companies usually include recommendations on how often the filter should be changed, based on the level of usage, to ensure the filter is effective.
Amber and red are two popular colors for security lights. Packaging recommendations for photographic materials usually include a color recommendation and a wattage recommendation, to ensure that people are using bulbs of the appropriate brightness. It’s also a good idea to change your security light bulbs regularly, because bulbs can get dimmer over time due to the buildup of materials inside the bulb.
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