Emergency lighting is critical to building safety. Keeping property owners and businesses compliant and providing a safe route when people need to leave the building in an emergency.
However, to provide a high level of safety, emergency lighting must be properly installed, regularly maintained, and tested regularly. In fact, the Fire Safety Legislation in the UK requires premises to install and maintain suitable and adequate emergency lighting that meets the compliance standard BS 5266-1 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Our question to all commercial property managers and facilities managers here in the Northwest…
How confident are you that your building’s emergency lighting system is compliant, and how often do you, and should you carry out emergency light servicing?
In this post, we take a look at what is involved in checking emergency lighting and how often these maintenance checks should be carried out.
Emergency light testing requirements UK
Emergency lighting is a form of lighting that comes on during a power failure, lighting up designated areas (highlighted in risk assessments and outlined in fire safety guidance) and emergency equipment.
The British standard BS 5266 requires emergency lighting to be professionally installed, regularly maintained to an acceptable standard, and operational during power failures.
This standard is a legal requirement and applies to workplaces, schools, hospitals, residential letting buildings, communal areas, and more, ensuring best practice at all times.
When it comes to monthly emergency light testing or annual emergency lighting tests, BS 5266 states that a short, functional test should be carried out monthly, with a much longer 3-hour test carried out annually.
You may also be required, under the European Signs Directive, to have appropriate emergency signage in the most appropriate places throughout the building. Highlighting fire exits, fire extinguishers, emergency equipment, stairwells, and more.
All facilities managers and property owners must also comply with and follow the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which governs fire safety legislation, training, standards, and procedures for buildings in the UK.
Note:
- All emergency lighting must be installed by certified professionals.
- All documents must be kept up to date and provide accurate information.
- Emergency lighting systems must be regularly maintained.
Types of emergency lighting
Emergency lighting can include, but is not limited to:
Self-contained luminaires – here, everything is housed together, i.e., battery, charger, control unit, lamp, diffuser, and test facilities. This type of lighting system allows it to operate independently as an emergency light. This type of lighting system is great for smaller premises and is most common.
Centrally supplied luminaires – this type of lighting system relies on external central emergency power systems. Available in various shapes and sizes, this system is suitable for larger projects; however, it is more costly.
Maintained emergency lighting – here, lights are on all the time, for example, in cinemas, clubs, theatres, etc.
Non-maintained emergency lighting – suitable for buildings with artificial lighting, where emergency lighting only comes on during a power outage.
Placement of emergency lighting can include:
- Escape routes
- Exit doors
- Stairs
- Floor levels
- Safety signs
- Intersections
- First aid points
- Firefighting equipment
- Call points
- Disabled access.
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
Emergency lighting testing frequency can vary depending on the type of premises and industry; however, it is recommended:
- Functional operational checks are carried out every month, and full rated duration tests are carried out annually.
- Daily inspections can also be carried out, which include a visual inspection of appliances and checking that the system is operational.
- Monthly emergency lighting checks meet the requirements of BS EN 50177 and BS 5266.
The key difference between monthly functional tests and annual full-duration tests is that monthly tests are very quick checks, almost flick tests, testing that the emergency lights come on when the power goes out. Annual tests require actively stopping the mains power supply and running the emergency lighting system on its own for 3 hours.
All testing and repair information must be recorded in a formal logbook. Note: There are mandatory requirements on record-keeping, and following all tests, you must include:
- The ID and location of each emergency light
- The time and date the test was carried out
- Identifying if it is a monthly or annual test
- Results
- Issues identified (if any)
- Action taken
- Name of the person who carried out and signed off the test.
There are serious consequences for non-compliance, which include legal penalties, increased liability, insurance issues, and reputational damage.
Note: BS 5266 guidelines outline the types of suitable emergency lighting and the appropriate backup durations for each category of premises required.
Emergency lighting checks
There are various types of emergency lighting inspection checks that should be carried out on all emergency lighting systems:
Manual testing – this check involves using the designated key switch to disconnect the mains power supply from the emergency lighting. This will then push the emergency lighting to make use of the battery connections and allow you to manually check and inspect that everything is working as it should be.
Manual testing is good for small emergency lighting installations; however, complete and detailed records must still be maintained.
Self-test – the self-test involves no human intervention or the need for a key switch; this testing protocol operates entirely on its own with no communication from neighbouring fittings or central control points.
The LED lighting on the system will indicate if it is working, i.e., green indicates the system is fine, yellow indicates a fault in the system, and red highlights a potential battery fault.
Wireless testing – using wireless technology, all emergency fittings communicate with an app, with fittings tested and results recorded and sent within the app. The main benefits of wireless testing are the ability for routine testing schedules to be kept, the reduction in the need for manual testing, hence reducing the need for additional resources, it is an excellent form of record keeping (essential to ensure compliance), and the apps available are quick and easy to operate (when working with a professional team).
Wired testing – this form of testing is most suitable for larger sites where all emergency lighting elements are connected through a central controller. It is the central controller that is then used to start a test sequence, with all results reported back to the central controller for monitoring.
Emergency lighting maintenance
At B-Engineering, all of our engineers are diligent in our approach to emergency lighting. We carry full certification and can install and maintain all systems to ensure you continue to meet compliance and safety standards.
To find out more, speak to a member of our team today and see how we can help you.
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