What is Emergency Lighting?

Every UK workplace, whether it is an office, production line, factory environment, school, hospital or entertainment venue, an emergency lighting system must be in place.

In the event of an emergency or mains power failure, emergency lighting will aid the safe exit for occupants.

BS 5266-1 states that a building must have adequate illumination to support the escape and identify firefighting equipment and exit routes clearly.

Emergency lighting is essential for several reasons:

• Safety: In the event of a power failure, occupants may be plunged into darkness, making it difficult to navigate the building and find exits. Emergency lighting provides the necessary illumination to guide people to safety.
• Legal compliance: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires businesses to install and maintain emergency lighting systems to ensure the safety of employees and visitors.
• Risk mitigation: Emergency lighting can help to reduce the risk of accidents and injuries during a power outage.

A Precaution Nobody Wants to Use

In the main, for the majority of facilities, the emergency system, will thankfully never need to be deployed. This, however, can lead to complacency.

Presuming your facility will never need to implement emergency lighting is a dangerous risk to take.

To ensure your business and premises are adequately supported, it is essential to regularly test the emergency lighting system. It is vital that the system remains fit for purpose and in full working order, ready when and if needed.

Not having your emergency lighting system in good working order is potentially placing lives at risk. A faulty system could lead to injury to personnel or worse.

How Often Should You Check Your Emergency Lighting?

The frequency of testing emergency lighting can vary depending upon your business operations, size and maintained and non-maintained facilities. As a typical guide a ‘flick test’ should be done every month.

A ‘full duration’ test, in accordance with BS 5266-1, should be carried out annually. The full annual check should be conducted by a professional, qualified person.

In accordance with BS 5266-1 emergency lighting should be tested as follows:

• Every month a functional ‘flick test’ to check emergency lighting is working
• Every year a full duration test undertaken
• Every month a visual inspection to check for wear and tear
• BS 5266-1 requires records are kept of all tests and repairs

Flick Test and Full-Duration Test

The flick test should be performed monthly. It is a general visual and functional test to ensure the emergency lighting correctly operates on mains failure.

A full duration test needs to be done annually, and this is a full scenario testing.

During a full duration test, the primary lighting circuit is switched off and the emergency lighting needs to remain on for a 3 hours. This is in line with BS 5266-1. During this time lights need to remain on and be in full working order and maintain an adequate lux level (brightness). At the same time as this test is performed, the location of all lights need to be checked and assessed.

In certain instances, 1 hour is permissible, but only if the building will be evacuated immediately in the event of a power failure and not re-occupied till the batteries have been fully recharged.

Emergency Lighting General Requirements

When emergency lighting is triggered, it is vital that it provides adequate illumination of safe exit routes. The minimum requirements are:

• Emergency exit routes should be illuminated to a level of not less than 1 lux along their centre line at floor level.
• Open areas should be illuminated to a level of not less than 0.5 lux at floor level.
• High risk areas, such as a factory or production line environment, should be illuminated to a level of not less than 10% of the average of the normal lighting provided in these areas.
• Clearly defined exit routes should be illuminated, to support the safe escape of people. Emergency lighting should illuminate exit routes and signage above all exit doors, stairs and fire-fighting equipment.
• External escape and assembly routes, need to have the routes and signage illuminated by appropriate emergency lighting.

Emergency fire exit sign being installed

Keeping People Safe

In the case of power failure, it is critical that people are protected and are safely guided to the quickest escape route.

When plunged into darkness, navigating around any facility has numerous dangers. This scenario is heightened in a manufacturing and industrial environment, which has a multitude of trip hazards and dangerous obstacles, which if not seen could have serious consequences to personnel trying to exit.

To ensure emergency lighting is in good working condition, it is imperative that the required checks and tests are carried out in accordance with BS 5266-1.

Delta Rock Provides the Professional Expertise

Whether you require an annual full duration test and certification to meet your BS 5266-1 obligations, or your facility needs an complete overhaul and update of the emergency lighting, or you need support with regular maintenance testing and control, Delta Rock has the qualified expertise to support your business remain safe and compliant.

Remember – it’s not a luxury!

Every workplace must have suitable and sufficient emergency lighting. Emergency lighting should be provided and maintained in any room where employees are at risk if the regular lights and power should fail.

Don’t let your emergency lighting fail you when your business and personnel need it most.

Book your emergency lighting testing today. Contact Us