When an emergency or power outage affects your business, it is important to have reliable emergency lights and clearly marked exits. Emergency lighting and exit signs are among the most important safety devices in commercial buildings. They are designed to help protect employees and customers by lighting the way toward a safe exit in the event of a fire or other emergency.
While it’s easy to see the importance of emergency lighting systems, it’s just as important to understand the installation, testing, and maintenance requirements to ensure all emergency and exit lights are continually in working order.
Emergency Lights Required in all Buildings
All buildings, where there are shared/common areas, are required to have emergency and exit path lighting.
Importance of Emergency Exit Lighting
When there is a fire or other emergency in a building, emergency and exit lights help guide people out as safely and quickly as possible. Emergency lights, exit signs, and panic doors are safety devices that are just as important as fire alarm systems. While the latter communicates an emergency and fire sprinklers extinguish flames, emergency pathway lights and exits work together to ensure everyone is evacuated to safety.
Where Should Emergency Lighting Be Installed?
Buildings that have occupants during any part of the day are required to have emergency pathway lighting and exit lights.
You must provide a safe way for people to leave using emergency lighting. If you are in doubt as to where you need emergency lighting, we can provide you with this information as part of a fire risk assessment.
When to Test an Emergency Lighting System
Since people rely on emergency and exit lights to safely guide them out of dangerous situations, it is important to ensure the system is functioning properly by testing it periodically. In fact, without following necessary testing guidelines, you are not only risking building occupants but also violating life safety codes intended to prevent emergency lighting failure. There are three options for conducting emergency light testing, including:
- Manually test and keep written records
- Automatically test with self-testing/self-diagnostic battery-operated lighting equipment
- Automatically test with a computer-based self-testing lighting system
Regardless of the option used for testing your emergency lighting system, monthly and yearly function test are required.
If you’re in need of emergency light installation or maintenance, do not hesitate to contact us on 0800 080 3045 or email us on info@legionellaandfiresafe.co.uk
