Impact Of LED Grow Light For Health: Is LED Grow Light Harmful To Humans?

LED lights have become the new norm for growing plants indoors since the 2000s. Have you ever thought of the effect of grow lights on health though?

The effect of LED grow lights on human health has become a hot topic by 2023. If you have ever accidentally looked at someone else’s bright lights while driving, you’ll understand why. 

Your eyes can hurt when looking directly at LED lights. Some of them can even blind you, so should you use LED grow lights for plants at all?

Aside from that, you also have to consider the plants when setting up lights because their leaves could burn if too close to the source too. 

Does the Risk of LED Light for Plants Outweigh Their Benefits?

LED lights for plants are in some ways like using the sun to grow your crops.  You can “see spots” if you look at LED lamps for too long. They can also burn your skin just like the sun may do. 

On the other hand, LED grow lights do provide similar benefits (Ultraviolet A and B rays) to plants as sunlight. Plants can use grow lights to activate photosynthesis for producing their own energy too. 

Unless you have a rare health condition, such as a sun allergy, you shouldn’t have to worry. The benefits of using LED lights will more than likely outweigh the risks. That being said, you should still use caution. 

Are LED Grow Lights Harmful to Humans? 

So much is at play when determining how safe or harmful your LED grow lights are. For instance, how intense are they, and what colors of the light spectrum do they represent?

For instance, green grow lights may seem easier on the eyes than blue or red. Of course, concentrated white lights probably provide the most chance of hurting or blinding your eyes and damaging your skin. 

Keeping in mind LED light danger, news sources refer specifically to exposure to light in the dark. That’s often the case with indoor plant growers who don’t have their supply near windows. Light with blue hues is also one of the most blinding, as it does affect the cornea. 

Are LED Grow Lights Harmful to Plants? 

Plants outside don’t have much of a choice in the matter. They live in the wild all the time, sometimes with little shade.

Plants designed to live in partial or full sun adapt to the most visible brightness levels. They can face the sunlight for at least 8-10 hours per day and not get dried out or burnt. Just like humans, not all foliage will last long in that direct heat and light though. 

With LED grow lights being closer to your crops than the sun, there’s a concern it could harm your plants. On the other hand, LED lights don’t have the brightness (lumens) of the sun by a long shot. It’s wise to give them a dark period, just like we have when we sleep at night. 

What Caution Should You Take When Using LED Lights? 

Some cautions about LED grow lights apply to any lighting, not just LED sources. All of it can harm your body, especially your eyes, to some degree. LED just seems more intense than other types, and it usually is. 

Keep a Safe Distance Working Near Them

Experienced growers recommend that you hang your LED light source about three feet from where you work. If not, they make sure you wear the right personal protective equipment (PPE) and don’t stay near the light for long. 

By the way, remember that distance can also prevent you from skin burns. In addition, it will stop you from starting accidental fires by being too close to a lighting source. 

Wear Protective Equipment (PPE)

Wear the right PPE anytime you work near blue UV lights that you can’t stay 3 feet away from. This includes sunglasses that block blue light, a helmet and face shield, long shirts, long pants, and close-toed shoes. Any covering you can put on your body to stop harmful light rays from entering is what you should wear. 

Avoid Looking Directly At The Lights

Again, some common sense applies to any light you may use for any purpose. This includes not looking directly at LED grow lights when around them. 

The eye and face shields you would wear will assist you in avoiding damage to your face and eyes when around lights. By the way, all your PPE should have a special UV protective coating too, when possible. 

Place LED Lights Far Enough Above the Soil 

You might see some experts suggest at least 24-36 inches above the soil. However, other experienced growers tell you to hang your lights as far as eight feet from the plants. That may depend on how strong your light source is. 

Install Interchangeable Grow Lights

Some grow lights have a “soft white” setting. Use that when you’re working around the plants instead of keeping the LED lights on. Otherwise, have a separate line running a standard light that runs at a lower wattage (ex: 60-80 watts instead of 200 watts). 

Is Grow Light Bad for Humans or Plants at Lower Intensities?

Visible light doesn’t pose as much harm to humans at lower intensities as it would at high intensities. However, prolonged exposure with no break from the light source could harm the eyes no matter how bright or dim it is. 

So far, most of the concern lies with blue visible light, which people have continued exposure to. However, Ultraviolet B and C lights, which you can’t see with your eye, could cause more damage than visible light. 

Are Grow Lights Bad for Humans or Plants if They’re Green?

Light frequencies range from red being the lowest to violet being the highest. Green lies somewhere in the middle of the rainbow light spectrum. 

Because of its position on the light spectrum, Green light causes less eye strain than blue light. However, there’s no exception to the damage that continuous exposure to lights can cause. We all need a break from light once in a while, even plants, let alone humans. 

What LED Grow Lights Should You Use With Plants? 

We at Bata Grow Light do recommend blue light because of its ability to activate photosynthesis. However, you would also benefit from the way red LED grow lights promotes stem growth, leaf expansion and flowering. 

To achieve the full benefit for your plant production, we recommend not just the blue light. It’s wise to have some plant grow lights ranging from about 400-700 nanometers. 

If you do use a full-spectrum light, your plant will have exposure frequencies of all seven visible light spectrum colors. 

You also need to make sure you stick to a safe level of light intensity though, which is measured in lumens per square foot (footcandle) or square meter (lux). You can also determine intensity by wattage per square foot. 

How Intense Should an LED Grow Light Be? 

Some sources recommend that your LED grow light be no more than 2000-3000 per square foot. If measuring in wattage, aim for 20-40 watts per square foot. 

Keep in mind, however, that it depends on the type of plant you’re growing. Tomatoes or carrots, for example, require a different amount of light than cannabis does.