Originally posted by: KKCC
As for heat, would't it be the same as a 500 watt heater?
Yes, a 500 watt bulb creates 500 watts of heat. Some of the heat will escape through windows by conduction, convection (if they're not air tight), and radiation, but the same can be said for a plain nonluminous heater.
The bulb in this work light probably does get very hot and should be kept away from children. The light could be a fire hazard if it's designed improperly. The torchere lights were a fire hazard because of the high bulb temperature coupled with the design of the shade which allowed items like curtains, paper airplanes, etc., to get caught on the shade in close contact with the bulb. On a standard room lamp the bulb is cooler and the shade allows most foreign objects to fall through or at least be far enough away from the bulb to keep them from catching on fire.