Emergency Lighting Testing Services

Emergency lighting is required to assist the occupants of a building to escape to safety in case of emergency.

As an important part of your safety plan it is vital that your emergency lighting is regularly tested. All emergency lighting has to comply with British Standard BS 5266-1. If your building is hit by a fire or a power cut then the emergency lighting system will provide staff with the light they need to evacuate the building.

Imagine if your building was plunged into darkness and the people inside had no illumination. There would understandably be panic and the increased likelihood of physical injury or worse. The emergency lighting system must be bright enough and should provide illumination for long enough so that everyone can evacuate the building.

There are three main types of emergency lighting system that we can help you design and install for your business.

• First, there is the non-maintained emergency lighting system. Here the lights only illuminate if there is a mains failure.
• Secondly, there is the maintained system where the emergency lighting unit is lit up at times using the same lamps for both normal and emergency operation.
• Finally, there is the sustained system. This is fitted with two sets of lamps and one set operates on the mains supply while the other operates from a battery supply in case of mains failure.

An emergency exit lighting system should cover each exit door, escape routes, stairways, windowless rooms, fire alarm call points and lifts.

The exterior of exits should also be lit as well as the emergency exit signs, fire fighting equipment and any machinery that would need to shut down in a crisis. Whatever the type of emergency lighting system you have installed we will give your system a periodic inspection as part of our regular testing and maintenance service.

There are two main tests that are usually carried out.

• The function test in which the emergency lighting system is tested by breaking the supply to the lights and checking that they still work. This test should be performed monthly.
• Secondly, there is the discharge test where the system is tested to its limit to check it is operating as required. This should be performed annually.

We will test your system to make sure that should the need arise your emergency lighting system will lead your staff to safety.