Emergency Lighting Service
What is emergency lighting
Emergency lighting is a group of lighting units within a building that will turn on in the event of an emergency due to a backup battery contained within the unit. A small green LED within the unit will indicate which units are emergency lighting, allowing engineers to differentiate between an emergency and a normal lighting unit. It is a legal requirement that all residential and commercial buildings have emergency lighting.
Why is emergency lighting important?
Emergency lighting is critical in both public and private buildings. To begin with, when the emergency lighting unit is activated during an emergency, it allows residents and the general public within the building to safely exit. It also makes it possible for first responders to navigate the building with ease. It is critical that your emergency lighting units be tested. If the emergency lighting unit is not activated, the building will be plunged into darkness, posing a safety risk to those inside.
Emergency lighting at specialist electrical
At specialist electrical solutions, we instal and test emergency lighting systems. When testing emergency lighting, our team will turn off the power within the building and walk around to ensure that each light is working properly to keep residents safe in the event of an emergency. We worked with Osborne Property Services and Morgan Sindall to instal and test emergency lighting in Slough, Camden, and Hemel Hempstead.
How often should you service your emergency lighting
A full emergency lighting service is required annually, though in some cases it is recommended every six months. This service requires a trained engineer to check that your system is fully compliant and to turn off the main power supply to the lighting for 3 hours. The trained engineer will ensure that the emergency lighting remains on throughout. If any emergency lights fail this service, the battery backup or lighting unit may need to be replaced; this should be done as soon as possible.
Current emergency lighting standards & requirements
The current emergency lighting standards in the United Kingdom, BS 5266-1, state that all types of properties, including offices, hotels, nightclubs, hospitals, and others, must have emergency lighting. The BS 5266-1 standard requires that emergency lighting units be tested on a regular basis to ensure that they operate safely when called upon. It is a legal requirement to have an emergency lighting certificate; you can obtain one after testing the emergency lighting units. It is critical to keep all of your emergency lighting certificates, repairs, minor works certificates, and logbooks so that your compliance can be proven if necessary.
Testing your emergency lighting
Given the importance of emergency lighting testing and the severity of the problem, we recommend that you do not self-test the emergency lighting units if they do not work when needed. We recommend contacting a trained electrical contractor like us at specialist electrical solutions! When testing the emergency lighting units, our engineer will point out any flaws that must be fixed in order to keep your employees or residents safe.
