Quick Answer: Emergency lights testing in London checks that emergency lighting works correctly if the normal mains power supply fails. Regular testing includes monthly functional checks and annual testing to identify faulty lights, batteries or other defects. For businesses, landlords and responsible persons, these checks form an important part of maintaining emergency lighting and supporting fire safety compliance.
Emergency lights testing in London helps businesses, landlords and property managers confirm that emergency lighting will operate if the normal mains power supply fails. Regular emergency lighting testing should form part of a building’s wider fire safety arrangements, helping illuminate escape routes, exits and other critical areas when occupants may need to leave the premises safely.
For anyone responsible for an office, shop, restaurant, HMO or other commercial premises, however, knowing that emergency lights are installed is only part of the job. The system also needs appropriate inspection, testing, maintenance and record keeping.
This guide explains what emergency lighting checks involve, how often they should take place and what to do when a light or battery fails.
What Is Emergency Lighting Testing?
Emergency lighting testing checks whether an emergency lighting system activates and provides the necessary illumination when its normal electrical supply is interrupted. Depending on the test, this can involve simulating a mains failure, checking individual light fittings and exit signs, inspecting indicators and confirming that battery-backed fittings continue operating for the required duration.
Emergency lighting is different from ordinary lighting because it is intended to remain available when the normal lighting supply fails. Many emergency light fittings contain a rechargeable backup battery that is maintained while mains power is available.
If mains power fails, the emergency system should operate automatically.
Emergency escape lighting may be required around escape routes, stairways, changes of direction, exits and other areas identified by the building’s fire risk assessment. Appropriate lighting can help building occupants see where they are going and leave more safely during a power failure or fire-related emergency.
Testing establishes whether the system is actually ready to perform that role.
Are Emergency Lighting Tests a Legal Requirement in London?
Businesses and other responsible persons have legal fire-safety duties, but the precise emergency lighting required for a particular building depends on its circumstances and fire risk assessment. In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the principal legislation governing fire safety in relevant non-domestic premises.
Government guidance says that the responsible person must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment and put appropriate fire-safety measures in place and maintain them.
Depending on the premises, a responsible person can be an employer, owner, landlord, occupier or another person with control of the building, such as a facilities or building manager.
Emergency lighting should therefore be considered as part of the premises’ overall fire safety arrangements rather than as an isolated electrical fitting.
BS 5266 is also an important reference for emergency lighting. It provides guidance covering the provision and use of emergency lighting in relevant premises, while the electrical installation supplying the equipment also needs to comply with applicable electrical requirements.
The exact system and testing requirements should be established for the individual premises rather than assumed from a generic checklist.
How Often Should Emergency Lighting Be Tested?
Emergency lighting should undergo regular checks, including monthly functional testing and an annual test of the system. GOV.UK fire-safety guidance for offices and shops describes a monthly function test sufficient to establish that each emergency lamp illuminates and an annual full discharge test. Records of testing should also be maintained.
Monthly Emergency Lighting Test
A monthly emergency lighting test is primarily a functional check.
The test facility is used to simulate failure of the normal lighting supply. Each relevant emergency light should illuminate, and obvious problems with fittings or indicators can then be identified.
The test does not normally need to discharge the batteries fully. Its purpose is to establish that the emergency lighting switches over and functions rather than to demonstrate its complete rated duration.
The outcome should be entered in the emergency lighting logbook, including faults requiring further investigation.
Annual Emergency Lighting Test
An annual emergency lighting test is more comprehensive and involves testing the system for its required duration.
This is often described as a full-duration or full-discharge test. It checks whether the battery-backed emergency lights continue to operate for the period required for the particular installation.
The test needs to be planned carefully because batteries require time to recharge afterwards. Government fire-safety guidance notes that batteries can typically take 24 hours to recharge following a full discharge test. Testing should therefore be arranged so that fire safety is not compromised while the system recovers.
What Happens During an Emergency Lighting Inspection?
An emergency lighting inspection examines the condition and operation of the system rather than simply checking whether a light comes on. The appropriate process depends on the installation, but testing can include visual checks, simulated mains failure, inspection of emergency exit lighting and verification of battery-backed operation.
A competent person may check:
- emergency light fittings for visible damage or deterioration;
- charging and status indicators;
- emergency exit signs and illuminated escape-route signage;
- whether fittings operate following simulated mains failure;
- battery condition and duration;
- whether escape routes and relevant areas receive appropriate illumination;
- changes to the building that may affect the existing emergency lighting arrangement;
- previous defects and completed remedial work; and
- the emergency lighting logbook and available documentation.
Testing should reflect the actual building.
For example, alterations to partitions, corridors or escape routes can affect whether an existing emergency lighting installation remains suitable. A fire risk assessment can also identify changes in risk that require the emergency lighting arrangements to be reconsidered.
Which Areas Need Emergency Escape Lighting?
Emergency escape lighting is intended to help people leave safely when normal lighting fails, so its location should reflect escape routes and the risks within the premises. The precise layout depends on the building and its fire risk assessment rather than simply installing a standard number of emergency lights.
Relevant locations can include escape routes, corridors, stairways, final exits and areas where changes of direction or level need to remain visible.
Emergency exit signs may also need illumination so that occupants can identify the route out.
Emergency lighting can additionally have roles beyond conventional escape routes. Depending on the building and its activities, appropriate lighting may be needed in open areas or locations involving higher-risk tasks.
That is why the design of an effective emergency lighting system should start with the building layout, occupancy and risk assessment rather than the fittings themselves.
What Are the Most Common Emergency Lighting Faults?
Emergency lighting can fail because of problems with batteries, light fittings, charging arrangements, electrical supplies or physical damage. Regular testing helps identify these problems before a real mains failure places the system under demand.
Common problems can include:
- a backup battery that no longer holds sufficient charge;
- an emergency light that fails to illuminate during a functional test;
- a fitting that operates initially but cannot maintain illumination for its required duration;
- damaged or deteriorated light fittings;
- faulty charging or status indicators;
- damaged or incorrectly positioned emergency exit signs; and
- building alterations that leave escape routes without appropriate emergency illumination.
A failed monthly or annual test should not simply be recorded and forgotten. The cause should be investigated and appropriate remedial work completed.
Depending on the fault, the solution may involve replacing a battery, repairing a fitting, replacing an emergency light or modifying the emergency lighting installation.
Do Emergency Lights Need Regular Maintenance?
Yes. Emergency lighting maintenance is important because batteries, lamps, control equipment and fittings can deteriorate even when the system appears normal during everyday operation. Inspection and regular testing allow defects to be found and corrected before emergency lighting is actually needed.
Maintenance can also provide an opportunity to identify changes within the premises.
A commercial unit may have been refurbished, a corridor may have been altered or an escape route may have changed. In these situations, a system that was appropriate for the previous layout may need reassessment.
Emergency lighting maintenance should therefore be considered alongside the building’s fire risk assessment and broader fire safety compliance arrangements.
What Records Should Be Kept After Emergency Lighting Testing?
Emergency lighting tests and identified defects should be documented so that the responsible person has a clear maintenance history. An emergency lighting logbook can record routine tests, annual testing, faults and remedial action, helping demonstrate that the system is being monitored rather than simply assumed to work.
A useful record can include the test date, type of test, results, defects identified and subsequent corrective work.
Where professional periodic inspection and testing is carried out, appropriate documentation can provide further evidence of the system’s condition at the time of inspection. Depending on the work undertaken, this may include an emergency lighting test certificate or other relevant inspection documentation.
Documentation does not replace maintenance, however. A certificate records findings at a particular point in time; ongoing emergency lighting compliance still depends on continued inspection, testing and correction of faults.
Who Should Carry Out Emergency Lighting Testing?
Some routine checks may be carried out by a responsible person who understands the system and the correct testing procedure, while more comprehensive testing, fault diagnosis and electrical work should be entrusted to a competent person with appropriate knowledge and skills.
Government guidance for offices and shops notes that many routine tests can be performed by the person responsible for the premises depending on the installation, but recommends contacting the supplier or another competent person if there is uncertainty. Annual emergency lighting and other installed fire-safety systems should be tested and maintained by a competent person.
Professional assistance becomes particularly important where:
- emergency lights fail a test;
- batteries do not achieve their required duration;
- the installation has been altered;
- documentation is incomplete;
- new emergency lighting needs to be installed;
- the building layout or escape routes have changed; or
- the person responsible for the premises is unsure whether the existing system is suitable.
Electrical faults and alterations should be handled by appropriately qualified professionals rather than through DIY electrical work.
Emergency Lighting Testing for London Businesses and Landlords
London properties range from offices and retail units to restaurants, HMOs and large commercial buildings, so emergency lighting requirements can vary significantly between premises. Business owners, landlords, facilities managers and other responsible persons should base their arrangements on the actual building, its occupants, escape routes and fire risk assessment.
TNS Electrical Solutions provides electrical services for commercial premises across London. Its published services include emergency lighting setups, electrical installations, maintenance and testing, alongside wider commercial electrical work.
The company is based in Fulham and serves West and Central London, with coverage including areas such as Fulham, Chelsea, Kensington, Westminster, Wandsworth, Hammersmith, Wimbledon, Putney, Shepherd’s Bush and Battersea.
For premises with an existing system, testing can identify defective fittings or batteries requiring attention. Where a system needs alteration or replacement, an electrician can assess the electrical installation and carry out the appropriate work.
Arrange Emergency Lights Testing in London
A reliable emergency lighting system is only useful if it works when the normal power supply fails. Regular functional checks, annual testing, appropriate maintenance and accurate records help responsible persons identify faults and keep their fire-safety arrangements under review.
If you manage a business, rental property or commercial building in London and need emergency lighting inspection, maintenance or electrical work, contact TNS Electrical Solutions to discuss the system and arrange an appropriate assessment.
TNS provides commercial electrical services from its Fulham base across West and Central London and can assist with emergency lighting installation, testing and associated electrical work.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information about emergency lighting and fire safety and is not a substitute for a site-specific fire risk assessment, professional electrical assessment or legal advice. Requirements vary according to the premises, its use, occupants and risk profile. A competent professional should assess your building where you are unsure of your responsibilities or the suitability of an existing emergency lighting system.
