Emergency lighting is an essential aspect of building safety, providing illumination in the event of a power failure or emergency situation
24 March 2023
In the UK, the British Standard BS 5266 sets out the guidelines for the design, installation, and maintenance of emergency lighting systems. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2022 also outlines the legal requirements for ensuring the safety of building occupants in the event of a fire.
Annual emergency lighting inspection and test should be carried out to ensure that the emergency lighting system is in good working condition and will operate effectively in the event of an emergency. Here are the steps that should be taken during an annual emergency lighting inspection and test:1. Visual inspection of all luminaires: A visual inspection should be carried out on all emergency lighting luminaires to check for any damage or signs of wear and tear. Any defective or damaged fittings should be replaced immediately.
2. Check the charging system: The charging system of the emergency lighting batteries should be checked to ensure that it is functioning correctly. Any faults should be rectified immediately.
3. Battery capacity test: A battery capacity test should be carried out to ensure that the emergency lighting system will operate for the required duration during an emergency. The batteries should be discharged for the specified 3-hour period, period and the illumination levels should be checked. If the illumination levels are below the required level, the batteries should be replaced, this requires a full 3-4 hours onsite not a ten-minute flick test, let alone the paperwork and write-up required.
4. Upon re-energising the system, you need to wait and check each light individually for at least 30 mins to ensure that all lights are re-charging properly, which will give you normally enough time to get around the site and check a system of up to 30 fittings in close proximity, before attempting to leave the site.
5. Functionality test: A full functionality test should be carried out to ensure that all emergency lighting luminaires operate correctly in the event of a power failure or emergency situation. The system should be tested to ensure that all luminaires are illuminated, and any defective or non-functioning fittings should be replaced immediately, subject to the customer agreeing to the replacement, which may not be possible on the day.
6. Logbook update: After the inspection and testing, the results should be recorded in the emergency lighting logbook. Any corrective actions taken should also be noted in the logbook.
7. A small system can take between 8-10 hours of work including the paperwork if the work is being carried out properly by a competent engineer, please sense check what you are being offered as compliance, if it does not even meet the National living wage this should be a major red flag for you to go to somebody who is competent.
8. You need to ensure that the occupants of the site are aware that all lighting circuits that the emergency lighting system is connected to will be de-energised for the whole duration of the inspection.
9. Safeguarding of the site needs to be advised and put into place as it takes roughly 24 hours after the total discharge for the emergency lighting to totally recharge back to acceptable safe levels, if a situation occurs within the recharge period they will not operate for the required time.
Failure to comply with BS 5266 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2022 can result in legal consequences, such as fines or even imprisonment in some cases. Building owners and managers have a legal duty to ensure that the emergency lighting system is maintained in good working order and complies with the relevant regulations.
This also means they need to employ competent inspection engineers, if they don’t, they are responsible by LAW.
If an emergency situation occurs and the emergency lighting system fails, the building owner or manager may be held liable for any injuries or fatalities that occur as a result.
Therefore, it is important to ensure that the annual emergency lighting inspection and the test are carried out correctly and that any faults or defects are rectified immediately to ensure the safety of building occupants. It is also essential to ensure that the work is carried out in compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2022, as failure to do so can result in severe legal consequences.
