EMERGENCY LIGHTING
Servicing your emergency lighting system is vital for ensuring safe evacuation during power outages or fire emergencies. In the UK, the importance of maintaining emergency lighting is backed by fire safety legislation and British Standards that define the legal and technical requirements for system upkeep.
💡 WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO SERVICE EMERGENCY LIGHTING SYSTEMS?
🛡️ 1. Legal Compliance – Fire Safety Legislation
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO), the “responsible person” must:
“Ensure that emergency routes and exits requiring illumination are provided with emergency lighting... and maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”
Failing to comply can result in:
Enforcement notices
Legal prosecution
Increased liability if an evacuation fails due to poor lighting
📘 2. British Standards for Emergency Lighting Maintenance
✅ BS 5266-1 – Code of Practice for Emergency Lighting of Premises
The key UK standard for emergency lighting systems
Requires routine inspection and maintenance to ensure lighting:
Operates automatically upon mains failure
Illuminates escape routes, signs, and safety equipment
Provides adequate duration (typically 1 to 3 hours depending on risk)
BS 5266-1 recommends:
Daily visual checks (for central battery systems)
Monthly function tests (short duration)
Annual full-duration tests (to simulate power failure)
✅ BS EN 50172:2004 / BS 5266-8 – Emergency Escape Lighting Systems
Specifies testing regimes and logbook requirements
Ensures:
All luminaires function correctly
Battery back-ups are reliable
Test records are available for inspection
🚨 3. Ensures Safe Evacuation in Emergencies
Emergency lighting helps:
Guide people safely out of a building during fire, power failure, or smoke conditions
Prevent panic and injury in corridors, staircases, exits, and high-risk areas
If emergency lights fail, people may:
Trip, fall, or get trapped
Be unable to find exits
Delay evacuation, increasing exposure to danger
⚙️ 4. Verifies System Reliability and Performance
Regular servicing checks:
Battery capacity and charging
Lighting duration and brightness
Control units, wiring, and test switches
Positioning and visibility of luminaires
📑 5. Protects You from Legal and Insurance Risks
Fire inspectors may review emergency lighting test logs
Insurers may refuse claims if poor maintenance contributed to injury or property loss
Employers and landlords have a duty of care under UK law to provide safe evacuation routes