Emergency Lighting: What It Must Do and How Often to Test It

Power cuts and fires have an unpleasant habit of arriving together. If the lights go out in a building full of people, the escape routes need to stay visible, and that is the job of emergency lighting. It is one of the most commonly neglected parts of fire safety, mainly because it sits quietly on the ceiling until the day it is needed.

What emergency lighting is actually for

Its purpose is simple. If the normal lighting fails, it lights the way out so people can leave safely, and it makes sure fire alarm call points, fire fighting equipment and exit signs can still be seen. It is not there to keep the business running. It is there to get people out.

Who needs it

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person has to make sure escape routes can be used safely at all times, including in the dark. In practice that means shops, offices, workshops, care homes, HMOs and the shared parts of blocks of flats will usually need emergency lighting, depending on the layout and how many people are inside. Your fire risk assessment is where this gets decided, and the guidance most assessors work from is BS 5266-1.

What good emergency lighting looks like

  • Lights positioned at exits, changes of direction, stairs and junctions along the escape route.
  • Enough light along the centre of the escape route for people to see where they are going.
  • Illuminated exit signs that stay lit when the mains fails.
  • Batteries that can keep the system running for its rated duration, commonly three hours.
  • Fittings that are clean, undamaged and not blocked by stock or decoration.

How often to test it

A short functional test is normally done every month. You simulate a power failure, check each light comes on and then reset it. Once a year the system needs a full duration test, running the lights for their rated time to prove the batteries can still do the job. This is best done by a competent person, and ideally at a time when the building is empty, because the batteries need to recharge afterwards.

Write it down

A test nobody recorded is a test an inspector will assume never happened. Note the date, who did it, what failed and what was done about it. If you do not already keep a record, my post on what a fire safety log book must record shows how to set one up, and my guide to what a compliant evacuation plan includes explains how the lighting fits into your escape strategy.

If you are unsure whether your property has enough emergency lighting, or whether what you have is working as it should, a proper assessment will tell you. You can look at Tony Carlyon's fire risk assessment service to get it checked.

Want a head start? grab the free UK landlord and small business compliance checklist and see where you stand.
This post is general guidance, not legal advice. Always check what applies to your own premises.

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