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Emergency lighting is designed for us to be able to evacuate our workplace or public venue safely in event of a power failure or event of a fire.
Once installed emergency lighting is often forgotten about. Yet it needs regular maintenance and will likely need upgrading if your building interior has changed.
It is vital that emergency lighting comes on if the normal lighting fails. It needs to be sufficiently bright, illuminated for enough time, and the light sources so positioned that the staff and visitors of a building can be evacuated safely in an emergency.
Regular maintenance of emergency lighting and fire alarms is essential, to ensure correct operation when an emergency occurs, and compliance with current regulations and insurance requirements.
Any faults discovered during maintenance should be recorded in an Emergency Lighting Logbook; this forms part of your Fire Risk Assessment.
BS 5266 is the British Standard for Emergency Lighting, all installations should be installed and maintained in line with these standards.
Emergency lights are a system that uses a battery backup, so when the power fails, the lamps illuminate from the battery, with this in mind, the batteries need to be tested and maintained on a regular basis.
Our engineers carry out work on emergency lighting systems on a daily basis; our services include providing advice on compliance with current regulations, risk assessments and servicing and maintenance visits.
Once a thorough and accurate emergency lighting risk assessment has been carried out, our team of installation electricians are able to install a range of traditional and LED emergency light fittings.
All installations are installed to comply with BS 5266 and BS 7671, certification is issued to comply with the appropriate regulations including Emergency Lighting Design Certificates, Emergency Lighting Completion certificates and Emergency Lighting Verification Certificates.
Our work is carried out by our ICEL accredited engineers.
BS 5266 recommends a test procedure.
The key points of which are shown below:
User Checks
DAILY:
Check indicator light and that all maintained luminaires are operating. Check that any previously recorded fault has been rectified. Record any faults.
MONTHLY:
In addition to the daily test procedures you must simulate a mains failure of no more than ¼ of the rated duration.
Engineer Service Visits
During an engineer visit all light fittings will be:
Ensure your emergency lighting system is safe, compliant, and fully operational.
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Ensuring your emergency lighting meets BS 5266 standards is crucial for compliance and safety. In this section, we answer common questions about emergency lighting requirements, maintenance, testing procedures, and legal obligations.
Whether you’re looking for guidance on installation, regular inspections, or best practices for keeping your premises safe, our FAQs provide clear, expert advice to help you stay compliant and prepared in the event of an emergency.
Emergency lighting is a backup lighting system that activates automatically when the main power supply fails.
It is designed to provide visibility in the event of an emergency, such as a fire or power outage, allowing occupants to safely exit the building and reducing the risk of accidents or panic.
BS 5266 is a British Standard that provides guidance on the design, installation, and maintenance of emergency lighting systems in the UK.
It ensures that emergency lighting provides adequate illumination for safe evacuation and compliance with legal safety regulations.
It consists of several parts, each focusing on different aspects of emergency lighting. Here are the key subsections:
Emergency lighting is required in most commercial, industrial, and public buildings, including offices, retail spaces, schools, hospitals, hotels, and multi-occupancy residential buildings.
Any premises where people gather and could be at risk during a power failure must have a compliant emergency lighting system.
UK regulations, including the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, require businesses to ensure their premises have adequate emergency lighting.
BS 5266 provides the industry standard for compliance, stating that emergency lighting must be installed, regularly tested, and maintained to ensure it functions correctly in an emergency.
The duration of emergency lighting operation depends on the type of building and its use. For most buildings, emergency lighting must remain operational for at least one hour, but in high-risk environments or buildings with overnight occupancy (e.g., hotels, hospitals), the requirement may be up to three hours. This ensures that people can evacuate safely and that emergency services have sufficient lighting if needed.
Emergency lighting must be installed by a qualified electrician or a competent person with experience in fire safety and compliance with BS 5266.
Proper installation ensures the system functions correctly in an emergency and meets legal requirements.
Our engineers are qualified to design, install and maintain systems to BS 5266. Our senior engineers hold ICEL Accredited Engineer qualifications.
Compliance with BS 5266 requires that emergency lighting is correctly designed, installed, tested, and maintained.
To ensure compliance, you should:
BS 5266 outlines several types of emergency lighting, including:
Emergency lighting should be strategically placed in all areas necessary for safe evacuation, including:
Emergency lighting does not need to be directly connected to a fire alarm system, but both should work together to ensure safe evacuation.
Fire alarms trigger alerts, while emergency lighting guides people to safety.
However, integrated systems can enhance safety by ensuring that emergency lighting activates in response to a fire alarm.
Emergency lighting should be tested regularly to ensure it functions correctly:
A ‘flick test’ is a quick monthly functional test where the power supply to emergency lighting is temporarily cut to ensure the lights activate.
The test should be kept brief to avoid depleting the battery.
If any lights fail to turn on, they must be repaired or replaced.
The full test should simulate a real power failure and last for the full required duration:
After the test, lights must be checked to ensure they have recharged correctly.
The Responsible Person (e.g., business owner, facilities manager, or designated fire safety officer) is legally required to ensure emergency lighting is tested and maintained in compliance with BS 5266.
Many businesses choose to hire a qualified professional to conduct annual tests and maintenance.
If any emergency lights fail a test, they must be repaired or replaced immediately.
Failed lights could put lives at risk in an emergency.
A qualified electrician should assess and resolve the issue to ensure compliance and safety.
Emergency lighting should be upgraded if:
Yes, many emergency lighting systems can be upgraded to LED technology, which provides longer-lasting and more energy-efficient lighting.
A qualified electrician can assess your existing setup and recommend suitable LED retrofits.
Warning signs that your emergency lighting may need maintenance or replacement include:
If you notice any of these issues, arrange for an inspection as soon as possible to ensure compliance and safety.
The Responsible Person (e.g., business owner, facilities manager, or designated fire safety officer) is legally required to ensure emergency lighting is tested and maintained in compliance with BS 5266.
Many businesses choose to hire a qualified professional to conduct annual tests and maintenance.
Emergency lighting does not need to be directly connected to a fire alarm system, but both should work together to ensure safe evacuation.
Fire alarms trigger alerts, while emergency lighting guides people to safety.
However, integrated systems can enhance safety by ensuring that emergency lighting activates in response to a fire alarm.
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