Lighting systems play a critical role on Australian roads. Public street lights can be seen everywhere, from small residential streets to arterial roads and major highways. These lights illuminate travel routes for passing vehicles, while enhancing visibility for pedestrians and helping to maintain urban amenity. In Australia, roadway lights are designed and manufactured to strict standards of structural integrity and lighting performance. Poles are a central component of lighting systems, with a range of designs and configurations available depending on the types of street lights and their location.
Design Standards and Compliance
In Australia, public lighting systems need to comply with various standards. Street lights are often large and heavy, and safety protocols need to be followed carefully to ensure public safety. Two standards in operation are AS/NZS 1158 and AS/NZS 1170, which apply to structural integrity and lighting performance. Other aspects of outdoor lighting are also measured, based on illumination levels, energy efficiency, mounting dimensions, and other design characteristics.
There are many industry expectations surrounding public outdoor lighting. Most lights and poles are designed to have a minimum service life of 25-50 years, depending on their location and performance characteristics. For example, some lighting installations are built extra-tough to handle extreme wind or persistent corrosion. Roadway lights are designed and engineered based on wind loads, with regional speeds (Region A to D) specified in AS/NZS 1170.2. In a similar vein, coastal areas often require poles with hot-dip coatings based on the AS/NZS 4680 standard.
Street Light Types in Australia
Outdoor lighting systems are used all over Australia, from small country towns to large city streets and state highways. Lights are typically characterised according to the design of their poles, which come in various shapes and dimensions. The following street lighting types are among the most common:
Fixed Tapered Multi-Sided Poles
Tapered light poles come in various configurations to suit different streetscapes and lighting applications. Common designs include octagonal poles, circular hollow section (CHS) poles, and square hollow section (SHS) poles. Along with these basic shapes, 8, 12, and 16-sided variations are also available. Different geometries suit different aesthetic requirements, operating budgets, and longevity demands. A flanged base with anchor bolts enables surface or root mounting, and single or double outreach arms are available to suit the road geometry.
These poles are generally made from hot-tip galvanised steel. The strong construction and tapered design of these light fixtures is ideal for many Australian roads, and the material helps to reduce weight without impacting wind resistance. Tapered multi-sided poles come in various dimensions, with product heights varying from 3-35 metres depending on the application. Fixed tapered poles are widely used for residential and arterial roads, due to maintenance demands and accessibility requirements. Along with public road lighting, these installations are commonly used for commercial developments, stadium lights, sports fields, and recreational areas.
Mid-Hinged Tapered Poles
Mid-hinged poles are typically constructed with an octagonal shape. They’re also known as breakback, centre hinged, or seesaw poles. These poles are a popular alternative to fixed tapered multi-sided poles, and they’re commonly seen in residential and pedestrian-heavy areas. Mid-hinged octagonal poles are ideal for public street lighting, where ground-level accessibility is a major priority. They’re also made with galvanised steel, with a tapered octagonal cross-section combined with a hinge mechanism.
Mid-hinged poles eliminate the need for an elevated work platform, cherry picker, or safety climb system. This makes them ideal for a wide range of environments, and it also helps to reduce maintenance costs. These poles have a simple mechanical lowering device, so it’s easy to move lights, security, and communication devices up and down the pole. These products are available with tapered curved or straight outreach arms for standard street lighting applications. Along with road lighting, these poles are also seen in parking lots and public transport stations. Mid-hinged designs can be supplied with tamper-resistant fixings and vandal-resistant locks, so they are ideal as general flood lights.
Architectural & Decorative Poles
Along with fixed tapered multi-sided poles and mid-hinged tapered poles, architectural poles can also be used for street lighting. These poles focus on aesthetic considerations, so they are popular with shopping centres, sporting clubs, and other private installations. These poles are also common in roadway lights, however, as decorative lamp posts in suburban areas, solar street lights, intersection lighting, and other small-scale applications. Decorative poles come in all shapes and sizes to match the design considerations of specific projects. Common designs include tapered octagonal, hexadecagonal, stepped circular CHS, and square SHS pipe.
Architectural and decorative poles can be manufactured with straight or curved outreach arms, making them perfect for a variety of designer light fittings. From LED lights to high-pressure sodium, incandescent lamp fittings, and electric street lighting, decorative light poles suit any application. These poles are typically galvanised, and they can be painted or powder-coated in a variety of colours to suit different projects. For example, bright colours are available for sporting clubs and playgrounds, and neutral hues are available for residential neighbourhoods and car parks.
Why Choose G&S Industries?
At G&S Industries, we supply a wide range of quality poles and accessories. As one of the leading manufacturers of streetscape products in Australia, we have something for every application. Many of our designs are ideal for road lighting, with our client list including government departments, municipal councils, energy companies, builders, contractors, and more. Whether you’re looking for fixed tapered multi-sided poles, mid-hinged octagonal tapered poles, or architectural and decorative poles, we’re sure to have the perfect solution.
We are situated in Osborne Park, and our team has been servicing the Perth and WA market for over 50 years. We have long-standing experience delivering excellent products at highly competitive prices, from off-the-shelf designs to custom products and specialised components. If required, we also offer a complete turnkey package that includes erection and maintenance services. At G&S Industries, we continually invest in research and development to maintain our position as a trusted industry leader.
If you’d like more information on our poles or process, please contact our team today.