Emergency Lighting; Is it a Legal Requirement in the UK?
The short answer is yes. Absolutely. Emergency Lighting is a legal requirement in the UK.
We hope none of us has to experience using it, but in the event of an emergency, the reason we have legal requirements in the UK will become all too clear.
As you can imagine, in an emergency, there is every chance that the main power will no longer be working, and you will essentially be left entirely in the dark. From playing ‘Blinds Man’s Buff’ as a child, we all know how disorientating the darkness is, no matter how well you know your house, workplace or school, let alone if you are somewhere unfamiliar. That is why it is so important to have the correct Emergency Lighting and Emergency Lighting that can be relied on; that works.
So, what is the legal requirement in the UK for Emergency Lighting?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, The Building Regulations 2006, The Workplace Directive and British Standard BS 5266 are the primary relevant regulations and the ones your organisation needs to work to.
They lay out the Emergency Lighting requirements for residential buildings, shops, shopping complexes and places of assembly (and yes, as you might have guessed, they are all slightly different, which is why it’s so important you have fire and safety consultants who know their stuff).
Does every business need Emergency Lighting?
Essentially yes. The regulations state that Emergency lighting is required wherever people access the building or if they are employed to work there.
Residential is less regulated (although some still apply in HMOs and rented properties etc.), but commercial/public properties all fall under the category of needing Emergency Lighting.
Premises where the users are less familiar with the building, like schools, hotels, cinemas, care homes, shopping centres etc., are classed as more high-risk, so it is vital to take professional advice if you manage the health and safety in establishments like this.
Where should Emergency Lighting be used?
Emergency Lighting should be used strategically, and there are specific places where it must be used. At Saracen, we conduct a safety risk assessment, identify the critical locations for Emergency Lighting, and compile a list of recommendations to ensure you meet your obligations.
Critical places for Emergency Lighting include:
- Escape Routes, Exits and Lifts
- Trip Hazards, including any change in floor level
- Fire alarm trigger points, call points and power supplies
- Emergency escape signs and fire fighting equipment
- First aid and machinery that needs shutting down
- Enclosed spaces and areas over 60m2
It’s quite complicated. (this is just a summary; there are many other considerations we need to take into account)
Are there different types of Emergency Lighting?
Yes, to make it even more complicated, there are.
Emergency Lighting can be classified as:
- Maintained Emergency Lighting, which is where the lighting that is connected to your mains but flips onto battery power in the event of a malfunction.
- Non-Maintained Emergency Lighting purely for emergencies. The mains charge it and only come on if the mains-powered lights fail.
- Combined Emergency Lighting allows Emergency Lighting and exit lighting to be run as one system utilising the mains and battery power.
Why we choose the one we do is based on our safety risk assessment when we can view the whole building in context with its use and purpose.
Emergency Lighting is usually LED, which is much more long-lasting and environmentally friendly. There is an initial extra outlay, but this is more than paid for in savings over the years as the LED outlast alternative lighting.
Does Emergency Lighting need maintenance?
An utterly resounding YES! It is as vital as the fire alarms and fire extinguishers and requires several checks throughout the year.
What is the UK Legal Requirement for Testing?
You are required by UK Law to carry out the following tests on your Emergency Lighting:
- Monthly Tests – known as ‘flick tests’ where the LED tests are checked monthly. These checks must be recorded as well.
- Annual Test – as laid out by BS5266-1:2016, you must carry out a 3-hour emergency lighting test every year. Any issues must be reported and dealt with; a competent person must carry out this test.
A competent person can be the business owner or another staff member, but they must be confident in what they are doing and be doing it correctly. Our engineers are all classed as competent persons with the knowledge and expertise to conduct the checks and know what to do if something is wrong. Why carry such tremendous pressure on your shoulders when companies like us can lift that load for you?
What if you have Emergency Lighting but don’t know if it’s correct or up to date? Simple. Call Saracen Fire Protection today and let our friendly team support you so you can find out.
If you are all good, we will tell you so you can rest easy. If you aren’t, we can get you all sorted, and then you can rest easy too. Win-win!
Get in touch today, and let us handle your Emergency Lighting.
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Saracen Fire Protection – your local fire protection experts.
With over 30 years of experience and a growing number of highly satisfied customers in terms of service and savings, Saracen Fire Protection is one of the leading fire protection and security supply maintenance businesses, locally and nationally. We provide a comprehensive online service portal to ensure our clients have 24/7 access to their fire and security information. We are fully accredited, and our engineers are highly skilled and qualified.