Emergency lighting does not need to stay on all the time but must always be connected to a power source. Maintained emergency lights are designed to remain illuminated continuously, while non-maintained lights only activate during a power outage. For building owners, safety managers, electricians, and anyone responsible for installation or compliance, that distinction matters because emergency lighting is critical for safe evacuation during power failures and other emergencies. This guide explains the main types of emergency lighting, how they operate, the regulations and installation requirements that apply, and what to know about testing, maintenance, battery life, and common compliance questions.
What Is Emergency Lighting?
Lighting Installation London is a safety feature designed to provide illumination during power failures or situations where normal lighting becomes unavailable. It ensures people can see and navigate safely in emergencies, such as a fire or blackout.
There are two main types of emergency lighting:
- Maintained Emergency Lighting: These lights are always on and serve as part of the regular lighting system. During a power failure, they continue to operate using a backup battery for a specified period, typically three hours.
- Non-Maintained Emergency Lighting: These lights remain off under normal conditions and only switch on when there is a power outage. They are powered by a battery that charges while the mains are operational.
Both types play a critical role in maintaining safety during emergencies.
Does Emergency Lighting Stay On?
Emergency lighting must always be connected to a power source but doesn’t need to be illuminated at all times.
- Maintained Lights: These are always active and function as part of the room’s standard lighting. In a power outage, the backup battery keeps them running.
- Non-Maintained Lights: These remain off during normal operation and automatically activate when normal lighting fails or mains power fails, providing temporary lighting to guide occupants to safety. Many fittings also have a small LED indicator to show the battery is charging.
Emergency lighting systems should switch on automatically within one second after a supply failure.
The key point is that emergency lighting is always ready to operate when needed, ensuring safety in critical situations.
Why Is Emergency Lighting Essential?
Emergency lighting is designed to provide illumination in the event of power failure. The installation and wiring of emergency lighting must comply with strict standards to ensure safety and functionality. Emergency lighting is vital for protecting lives during unforeseen events. It ensures:
- Safe Evacuation: In the event of a power failure, emergency escape lighting helps individuals safely exit the building by highlighting escape routes during an emergency evacuation. Emergency escape lighting should provide adequate illumination, including a minimum of 1 lux on narrow escape routes.
- Visibility During Low-Light Conditions: Whether due to smoke, fire, or power failure, emergency lighting ensures people can navigate their way out of dangerous environments effectively.
In the event of an emergency, this emergency illumination should typically last at least three hours to support safe evacuation.
By providing consistent lighting during emergencies, it reduces risks and improves safety for occupants in any building.
Regulations for Emergency Lighting
Several regulations guide the installation and maintenance of emergency lighting to ensure safety and compliance, and a fire risk assessment alongside wider risk assessments helps determine where it is required:
- BS5266-1 Standard: This provides guidelines for emergency lighting, specifying where and how it should be installed, such as in escape routes, stairwells, key areas like toilets and small offices, around fire safety equipment and fire fighting equipment, and at changes in floor level.
- Fire Safety Order 2005: This mandates the presence of emergency lighting in buildings used by employees or the public, ensuring a safe evacuation in emergencies.
Fittings should be positioned in such a way that escape routes and safety points are clearly visible.
Specific rules apply to various spaces:
- Small Offices: Rooms smaller than 12m² without specific risks may not require emergency lighting unless they form part of an escape route.
- Toilets: Facilities designed for disabled access or without natural lighting must include emergency lighting.
Compliance with these regulations ensures that emergency lighting provides effective safety measures and meets legal standards.
Testing Emergency Lighting
Regular testing is essential to ensure emergency lighting functions correctly when needed, and the steps below provide practical guidance. Testing includes:
- Monthly Functional Tests: A brief test is conducted to verify that emergency lights operate as intended when disconnected from the mains power. This check ensures batteries and light fittings are in working order. Some sites also carry out daily visual checks of power supply indicators.
- Annual Full-Duration Tests: Emergency lighting should be tested for its full rated duration, typically three hours, to confirm the battery can sustain illumination throughout the required time. This duration test confirms that most systems are designed for a three-hour minimum duration and helps identify any issues with battery capacity or the fittings.
The responsible person should record each test in a log book.
Both tests must be performed by a “Competent Person**,”** as defined by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, with the responsible person overseeing testing and compliance. This ensures testing is thorough and complies with legal standards.
Battery Maintenance
Emergency lighting relies on batteries to operate during power outages. Proper maintenance ensures they remain reliable:
- When to Replace Batteries: Batteries should be replaced:
- If they fail to maintain the required minimum duration, such as one hour or, where occupants are not evacuated immediately, three hours.
- At the end of their manufacturer-recommended lifespan.
Emergency lighting must last a minimum of one hour, and premises not evacuated immediately commonly require at least three hours.
- Lifespan of Common Battery Types:
- Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd): Approximately 3 years.
- Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH): Similar to NiCd, around 3 years.
- Lithium: Longer-lasting, with lifespans varying by manufacturer.
Replacing batteries promptly reduces the risk of lighting failure during emergencies.
Common Questions
Do emergency lights work as regular lights?
Yes, if installed as maintained emergency lights, they function as normal room lights and switch to battery power during a mains power failure. Non-maintained lights, however, are only active in emergencies.
When is emergency lighting required in toilets or small offices?
- Toilets: Emergency lighting is necessary for facilities used by disabled people or where there is no natural light. Single-user toilets do not usually require emergency lighting unless otherwise specified.
- Small Offices: Rooms under 12m² without significant risks may not need emergency lighting unless they form part of an escape route.
How to Ensure Compliance
Ensuring compliance with emergency lighting standards involves correct installation and ongoing maintenance:
- Installation Requirements: Emergency lighting must be installed in escape routes, stairwells, and areas like corridors, exit doors, and high-risk zones, including high risk task areas where high risk task lighting is used as a separate type. High risk task lighting has a faster response time than standard emergency lighting. Regulations such as BS5266-1 and the Fire Safety Order 2005 outline specific requirements.
- Recommendations for Compliance:
- Use appropriate light fittings for the building layout and usage.
- Install lighting in areas critical for safe evacuation, placing each emergency lighting luminaire at least 2 metres above the ground and near changes in floor level.
- Regularly test and maintain lighting systems as per legal guidelines.
Adhering to these practices ensures the safety of occupants and compliance with regulations. Good emergency lighting design and emergency lighting installation should also consider whether emergency light fittings are self contained or supplied by a central battery.
FAQs About Emergency Lighting
Should emergency lights always be on?
No, emergency lights don’t need to be on all the time, but they should always be connected to a power source. Maintained emergency lights stay on, while non-maintained units activate when the normal lighting supply fails.
Do emergency exit lights stay on all the time?
Not always. Maintained emergency lights, which are part of regular lighting, stay on constantly. This type is distinct from escape lighting, while standby lighting is intended to support continued occupancy rather than evacuation. Non-maintained emergency lights, however, remain off during normal conditions and activate only in emergencies.
What are the rules for emergency lighting?
Emergency lighting must comply with regulations like BS5266-1 and the Fire Safety Order 2005. These rules require emergency lighting in areas such as escape routes, stairwells, and high-risk zones to ensure safe evacuation during power outages.
Are emergency lights supposed to be on?
Emergency lights are not always illuminated unless they are maintained lights. Non-maintained emergency lights remain off until a power failure triggers their operation.
Why is my emergency light on all the time?
If your emergency light is always on, it is likely a maintained fitting. Maintained emergency lights function as part of the normal lighting system and are designed to stay illuminated.
What happens if I leave my emergency lights on all night?
Leaving maintained emergency lights on overnight is normal, as they are designed to operate continuously. Non-maintained lights, however, only activate during power failures and won’t stay on unnecessarily.
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