The team at Daintons Electrical has the expertise to carry out emergency lighting tests and ensure your commercial building is safe and legally compliant, all with the minimum of disruption.
Based in Ongar, we support a wide range of commercial and residential customers across Essex.
What is emergency lighting?
The main job of an emergency lighting system is to ensure that escape routes in your building are illuminated and all lights function properly.
Should an event happen that cuts the power to your building, the emergency lighting system must kick in immediately.
Without it, your staff face major safety problems, particularly if the building has to be evacuated. Emergency lighting ensures this can be done safely.
Different types of emergency lighting
There are two main forms of emergency lighting in the UK:
Standby lighting
This lighting kicks in when the everyday building lighting fails, for whatever reason. If there is no reason to evacuate, it allows staff to continue their working day as normal.
Whether you need standby lighting or not depends on what is happening inside the building. It is not always a legal requirement.
Emergency escape lighting
It is a legal requirement across the UK for commercial buildings to have emergency lights which activate automatically if the normal supply fails.
It should be enough to allow staff or residents to safely find their nearest emergency exit and prevent any tasks becoming dangerous.
Emergency escape lighting is a requirement of the Regulatory (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and is part of the fire safety provision required for a building.
There are various types of emergency escape lighting:
Escape route lighting
This directs building occupants to any emergency exits so they can safely leave the building. It must be bright enough so exits are immediately visible even in a high-pressure situation, and any hazards along the way can be clearly seen and avoided. It includes fire exit signs and emergency bulkhead lights.
Open area lighting
Often used in larger buildings, these emergency lights illuminate larger spaces so staff can find their way to the emergency escape route and the nearest exit.
High-risk task area lighting
Required in industrial or manufacturing settings, BS 5266-1 emergency lights are used to illuminate areas where tasks, processes or machinery can be turned off safely before staff are evacuated.
What is emergency light testing?
Emergency light testing in non-domestic properties is a legal requirement in the UK under Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Emergency light testing or inspection should be done at a time when the system is not likely to be needed, and preferably out of office hours.
During the emergency light testing period, both the batteries for the emergency lights and normal lighting levels may be reduced.
How often should emergency light testing happen?
Your emergency lighting system should be tested every month, to ensure it is working properly.
An annual check should also be carried out on the emergency escape lighting system to ensure compliance and that it works for the required duration, enabling us to issue a valid emergency lighting certificate.
Monthly emergency light testing
We will come every month and carry out the following:
- Turn off the mains supply via a single switch to simulate a power outage, ensuring that the emergency lighting activates as it should
- Assess all equipment for signs of disrepair
- After restoring the power, we will check to make sure each luminaire is charging
We keep a logbook of all inspection results from light testing, ensuring traceability of any repairs to emergency lights.
Annual emergency light testing
The annual emergency lighting assessment includes a duration test to ensure each emergency light remains clear and bright for around three hours. This covers:
- Emergency escape signs and routes
- Stairways
- Corridor intersections
- Floor level changes
- Windowless rooms and toilets bigger than 8m²
- Areas larger than 60m²
- Fire-fighting equipment
- Fire alarm call points
- Outside each final exit and external escape routes
We will also conduct a thorough assessment of the lighting circuit to ensure the correct shut-down procedures are in place for each emergency lighting unit.
Our team can carry out annual emergency lighting tests on weekends or evenings to minimise disruption to your business.
Common emergency light testing problems
Our comprehensive emergency light testing service will ensure any issues that could impact the safety of your property, employees and customers are dealt with quickly and efficiently. They can include:
- Lights that do not pass the duration test
- Lights that fail to illuminate
- Areas that are not illuminated but should be
- Damaged emergency lights
- Dim or flickering emergency lights
Our team will ensure your emergency lights remain BS5266 compliant via regular monthly checks, backed by an annual inspection and duration testing.
After emergency light testing
When the emergency lighting system has been thoroughly tested, either a Satisfactory Certificate (Pass) or an Unsatisfactory Certificate (Fail) will be issued.
If the emergency lighting certificate is Unsatisfactory, we will provide a list of issues that need to be rectified, as well as an itemised quotation for all repairs.
If they are not carried out swiftly and by a qualified expert, you may be in breach of Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. As well as the potential legal jeopardy to your business, your premises could pose a health and safety risk to staff and/or occupants.
Once we have made the repairs, we will issue a certification for them, alongside a Satisfactory Emergency Lighting Certificate.
How much does emergency light testing cost?
The cost of our emergency light testing service will depend on the size and complexity of your premises.
Why choose us for your emergency light testing?
Installing and testing of emergency lighting is a complex task best left to qualified professionals.
Our team of electricians have been in the industry for almost 20 years. They have the skills and expertise to ensure your emergency lighting system is legally compliant, efficient and works perfectly when it should.
Contact us
If you want a quote for the installation or testing of an emergency escape lighting system, fire safety or you have any other questions, drop us a line.
You can email us at info@daintons-electrical.co.uk or call us on
01277 592 183 or 07897 472 305
Alternatively, fill in this contact form and we’ll get back to you straightaway.