emergency lighting design, installation, testing & maintenance
Emergency lighting is the lighting that automatically comes on in the event of an emergency, such as a power outage. When normal lighting systems fail, buildings that are plunged into darkness can cause panic and hinder evacuation efforts. Properly installed emergency lighting ensures that escape routes, exits and safety equipment are clearly illuminated.
Standards
Lighting Types
Lighting Types
The BS 5266 is a British Standard that outlines the necessary guidelines and regulations for emergency lighting systems in commercial buildings in the UK. This standard ensures that emergency lighting is properly installed, maintained, and functional during power failures or other emergencies.
The British Standard applies to most premise
The BS 5266 is a British Standard that outlines the necessary guidelines and regulations for emergency lighting systems in commercial buildings in the UK. This standard ensures that emergency lighting is properly installed, maintained, and functional during power failures or other emergencies.
The British Standard applies to most premises, including workplaces, public buildings, residential buildings, and communal areas in multiple-occupancy buildings. Depending on the application, a higher specification may be required.
Compliance with the BS 5266 Standard is not only a legal requirement but also a best practice for ensuring the safety of building occupants. The standard outlines specific requirements for installing, maintaining, and testing emergency lighting systems to ensure that all aspects of emergency lighting meet the minimum safety requirements and provide adequate illumination for safe evacuation.
This includes:
- Conducting a risk assessment to determine the appropriate emergency lighting needs.
- Installing emergency lighting that meets the specific lighting levels and coverage areas, and specifying the minimum duration emergency lights should operate during a power failure (usually 1-3 hours).
- Regular testing and maintenance to ensure the system is always fully operational.
- Keeping detailed records of all tests, maintenance activities, and any issues or repairs.
Lighting Types
Lighting Types
Lighting Types
- Standby Lighting: Provides lighting for normal activities to continue during a power failure.
- Emergency Escape Lighting: Ensures that all escape routes are illuminated, allowing occupants to find their way to safety. Emergency Escape Lighting can be broken down further into:
- Escape Route Lighting: Illuminates the identified escape routes c
- Standby Lighting: Provides lighting for normal activities to continue during a power failure.
- Emergency Escape Lighting: Ensures that all escape routes are illuminated, allowing occupants to find their way to safety. Emergency Escape Lighting can be broken down further into:
- Escape Route Lighting: Illuminates the identified escape routes clearly. It includes emergency lighting bulkheads and illuminated fire exit signs. A fundamental requirement of fire safety provision in all premises regardless of their occupany levels or use.
- Open Area (Anti-Panic) Lighting: Designed to prevent panic in larger open areas by providing sufficient lighting to guide people to the nearest exit. Typically used in larger buildings like shopping centres and museums that attract a large number of visitors who will not be familiar with the layout of the building, which may ensue panic should there be a fire alarm.
- High-Risk Task Area Lighting: Provides focused illumination in areas where hazardous tasks are performed, ensuring that these tasks can be safely shut down during an emergency. This type of lighting is only a requirement in certain types of buildings.
Where & Who
Lighting Types
Where & Who
The responsible person, fire risk assessor, and designer should decide and map out where escape lighting is required to cover the key areas, factoring in the type of building, occupancy levels, the layout of escape routes, and the duration of emergency lighting.
BS 5266 recommends placing sufficient emergency lighting in the following ar
The responsible person, fire risk assessor, and designer should decide and map out where escape lighting is required to cover the key areas, factoring in the type of building, occupancy levels, the layout of escape routes, and the duration of emergency lighting.
BS 5266 recommends placing sufficient emergency lighting in the following areas to allow them to be visible and usable:
- Escape Routes: Along escape routes like corridors, stairways, and exits, with a minimum of 1 lux on the centre line for routes up to 2 meters wide, and 0.5 lux for open areas larger than 60 square meters.
- Exit Doors: Near each exit door that might be used in an emergency.
- Stairs: So that each flight of stairs receives direct light.
- Changes in Floor Levels: Near any change in level.
- Safety Signs: Near externally illuminated escape route signs and other safety signs that need illumination during an emergency.
- Intersections: At intersections of corridors and changes in direction.
- Final Exits: Near the final exit to the outside of the building and to a place of safety.
- Other Locations: Near first aid posts, fire-fighting equipment, call points, and escape equipment for disabled people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Depending on the use of the premises, you’ll need to decide on the mode of operation: maintained or non-maintained.
Maintained emergency luminaires are where the emergency lights are on at all times. This mode is generally used in places where people gather, including clubs, cinemas and theatres. When these venues are occupied, the lights are dimmed, preventing total darkness. Public spaces like these also use maintained fire exit signs to ensure that the escape routes are well lit even if there is a power outage.
Non-maintained emergency luminaires are usually found in workplaces or anywhere where there is artificial lighting. The emergency lights only come on when there is a power outage.
The evacuation time of a building depends on its size and complexity. Emergency escape lighting must last at least 1 hour, meaning luminaires should stay on for that time after a power failure. If the building isn’t evacuated immediately, such as in sleeping areas, or if it will be reoccupied as soon as power returns, the lighting should last 3 hours. The 1-hour duration is only acceptable if the building is evacuated immediately and not reoccupied until the batteries are fully recharged.
Regular testing and maintenance of emergency lighting systems are essential to ensure their reliability and compliance with BS 5266.
BS EN 50172 / BS 5266-8 (Emergency escape lighting systems) specify the minimum provision and testing of emergency lighting for different premises. Additional information on servicing can be found in BS 5266-1.
Discharge tests need to be undertaken outside normal working hours. In permanently occupied buildings, the test should be phased so that only alternate luminaires are tested.
Regular servicing is essential. The building owner should appoint a competent person to supervise the system’s servicing. This person shall be given sufficient authority to carry out any work necessary to maintain the system in the correct operational mode.
The following minimum inspections and tests shall be carried out at the recommended intervals. The regulating authority may require specific tests.
Daily emergency lighting inspection
This check only applies to emergency lighting systems with a central supplied battery system. In this case, indicators on the central power supply are visually inspected daily to identify that the system is operational. It is worth noting that this test does not apply to emergency lighting with self-contained backup batteries in each unit.
Monthly emergency lighting tests
All emergency lighting systems must be tested monthly. The test is a short functional test in accordance with BS EN 50172 / BS 5266-8. During this testing period, all luminaires and signs shall be checked to ensure that they are present, clean and functioning correctly.
Annual emergency lighting tests
A test for the full rated duration of the emergency lights (e.g. 3 hours) must be carried out. The emergency lights must still be working at the end of this test.
The result of the monthly and annual tests must be recorded and, if failures are detected, these must be remedied as soon as possible.
The BS 5266 Standard works in conjunction with other regulations and codes, such as the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Building Regulations 2010. These regulations mandate that adequate emergency lighting is in place and maintained to ensure the safety of occupants. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment, and can also invalidate insurance policies.
NO!
Non-compliance with the BS 5266 Standard can have serious repercussions, including:
- Legal Penalties: Businesses can face significant fines and legal action if their emergency lighting systems do not meet the required standards.
- Increased Liability: In the event of an emergency, inadequate lighting can lead to accidents or fatalities, resulting in increased liability and potential lawsuits.
- Insurance Issues: Many insurance policies require compliance with safety standards. Failure to comply can lead to the denial of insurance claims, leaving businesses financially vulnerable.
- Reputational Damage: Businesses that fail to ensure the safety of their occupants risk damage to their reputation, which can have long-term negative impacts on their operations and profitability.
YES!
Keeping detailed documentation of the emergency lighting system’s design, installation, testing, and maintenance is crucial for compliance and safety. Adhering to BS 5266 and other relevant regulations is essential for ensuring the safety of building occupants and avoiding potential legal consequences.