What checks should you do on your emergency lighting?
Emergency lighting might not seem like the most dynamic type of fire safety equipment. And yet its role is crucial. If there was an emergency, and people had to evacuate the building quickly, emergency lighting provides vital illumination and information, helping them find the nearest way out and escape.
But it’s not simply a case of installing it then forgetting about it. Like other types of fire safety equipment, emergency lighting should be inspected and regularly tested. And whoever does the emergency lighting compliance checks must be competent to carry them out.
So what emergency lighting system testing should you be doing?
· The monthly emergency lighting test
This test goes by various other names too, including the flick test and flash test. It’s a short check carried out at least monthly that involves briefly cutting it off from the power supply to make sure the light continues to function.
It can involve switching off the building’s power but can also be done by simulating a power failure using a device key. If it must be a full power switch-off, ideally do it out of hours to reduce disruption. As well as making sure they’re working, do a quick visual check to ensure the lights are clean and there are no signs of damage.
Once power has been restored, check the lights are charging correctly. And record all findings in the log book, even if everything is functioning properly. If you identify any faults, report them quickly so that the light can be repaired (or replaced if necessary).
· The 3-hour emergency lighting test
Virtually all emergency lighting systems are designed to provide at least three hours of illumination. That’s because three hours is regarded as sufficient time to provide back-up lighting in the early stages of an emergency.
So the 3-hour emergency lighting test (or ‘full discharge’ or ‘duration’ test) should be done annually to make sure the lights are still capable of doing that. It involves turning off their power supply and effectively draining their battery power to make sure they turn on (if applicable – ‘non-maintained’ lights should be triggered by a power cut whereas ‘maintained’ should be constantly on anyway) and stay illuminated for the three hours.
The engineer doing the test will check the lights stay on and remain at the required level of brightness and inspect the lights to ensure there are no faults or concerns with them. They’ll make any necessary repairs at the same time although more serious faults might need further investigation. As with the monthly test, results should be recorded.
Once mains power is switched back on, the batteries will need time to recharge. This could mean that if there was an actual emergency during the recharging period, the lights might not be able to operate for the full three hours. So factor this in when deciding when to do the testing.
Don’t let emergency lighting compliance checks fall down your priority list…
Emergency lighting is a legal requirement and an essential part of your building’s safety systems. Neglect your emergency lighting system testing and you’re putting everyone using your building at risk. If a fire (or another emergency such as a flood) occurs and your emergency lighting doesn’t work, it could slow down the evacuation of the building. And that could have some extremely serious consequences.
Even if a fire doesn’t occur, you could still be caught out
Over the past few years, failings connected to emergency lighting responsibilities have been cited in several prosecutions. In 2020 a Cardiff care home was fined over £400,000 for a series of breaches including deficient emergency lighting. In 2023 an Oxfordshire hotel owner had to pay over £20,000 in fines for fire safety breaches which included emergency lighting not working. And in 2024 a Slough-based property manager was fined more than £22,000 for various fire safety failings including insufficient emergency lighting.
While fine levels vary, the message is clear: never be tempted to cut corners when it comes to installing and maintaining your emergency lighting systems.
Is your emergency lighting complying with legal requirements?
If you’re unsure about whether your emergency lighting is sufficient, we can carry out a full free survey of your premises to assess your requirements. We can also test and inspect your current system to make sure it’s working as it should. Please don’t hesitate to contact us to find out more about how we can help you comply with your legal obligations.
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