Safety standards don't account for how lightbulbs fail.
Every fluorescent tube and cheap bulb wears out eventually, and many of them flicker for days or weeks before they go dark. That flicker often falls in the range of frequencies that can trigger seizures.
About 3% to 5% of people with epilepsy are photosensitive, and many more people get migraines or vertigo from flashing lights. That adds up to millions of people affected by an ordinary household item.
Regulators test whether a bulb is safe when new and whether it catches fire when it breaks. They don't test what it does to the people in the room as it wears out. A bulb can meet every safety code and still become a health hazard at the end of its life, which is a gap in product safety that deserves attention.
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About 3% to 5% of people with epilepsy are photosensitive, and many more people get migraines or vertigo from flashing lights. That adds up to millions of people affected by an ordinary household item.
Regulators test whether a bulb is safe when new and whether it catches fire when it breaks. They don't test what it does to the people in the room as it wears out. A bulb can meet every safety code and still become a health hazard at the end of its life, which is a gap in product safety that deserves attention.