Reading or working near to an energy-saving light bulb could be harmful to your health, experts have cautioned.

Certain types of fluorescent light bulbs - where the shape of the coil is clearly visible - may emit ultraviolet (UV) radiation that can damage the skin, new research suggests.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) issued a “precautionary” warning that the bulbs should not be used for long periods at distances closer than 30cm (one foot) away, such as in a desk or bedside lamp.

Tens of thousands of people suffering from medical conditions that make them sensitive to UV light and those who work with their hands under a light bulb, such as jewellery makers, could also be affected, it said.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) are gradually replacing traditional “incandescent” lighting as part of the Government’s strategy to tackle climate change.

Lighting is responsible about 14 per cent of electricity consumption across the European Union, and the bulbs have the potential to reduce energy use by 80 per cent.

But the study by the HPA found that up to one in five energy-saving bulbs emitted UV radiation, which at the closest ranges — about 2cm away — could be equivalent to sun exposure on a hot summer’s day.

People should not use an exposed fluorescent light bulb closer than 30cm to the body for more than one hour a day or should switch to an “encapsulated” style of bulb, with an outer layer of glass that looks more like a traditional design, it said.

The CFLs have been available since the mid-1980s, but the HPA believes it is the first research body in the world to spot the problem and called on the EU, manufacturers and regulatory bodies to tighten rules regarding their creation and use.

But it said families should not remove CFLs from their homes, adding that there was no risk of skin cancer.

Justin McCracken, the agency’s chief executive, told a briefing in London: “At the exposure levels we are talking about the worst effect that we believe there is as result of our investigation is that people could have some short-time reddening of their skin.”

The study found that people would have to spend four hours a day at almost 20cm from the bulb before they went over existing guidelines on radiation exposure. At distances of more than 30cm, the UV level from the bulbs was regarded as safe, equivalent to sunlight on a sunny day in winter.

Explore Health

• Expert Advice

• Health Features

• Mental Health

• Alternative Medicine

• Child Health

• Health Club