Emergency Lighting Regulations – What Are The Requirements In The UK?
Emergency lighting is an important part of building safety and all businesses should pay close attention to the regulations and requirements surrounding it. Not doing so could land you in significant financial trouble, or worse yet, at risk of causing serious injury or even death.
Let’s take a look at whether emergency lighting is a legal requirement and what other rules your systems need to follow.
Is Emergency Lighting Required by Law?
Yes. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and BS 5266-1:2016 require that emergency lighting systems are installed and maintained to ensure the safety of all occupants within a building.
These requirements apply to a wide number of businesses and building types – without them the building just isn’t safe enough should a fire incident occur.
System Requirements
There are certain thresholds that your emergency lighting system must meet in order to be deemed safe and effective. Even if you have a system in place, failing to meet these requirements could still land you in trouble.
How Long Do They Need To Stay On For?
All emergency lighting systems must be designed to provide at least 3 hours of light. This is considered a suitable and safe amount of time to provide backup lighting in emergency situations.
Brightness Requirements
In order to be an effective light source in emergencies, your lighting systems should have a minimum brightness of 1 Lux. This applies to escape route and any other floor-level lighting. In high risk task areas (such as first aid stations, stairways, laboratories, and firefighting equipment areas) however, the minimum brightness levels must be 10 Lux and above.
Testing & Maintenance Requirements
To make sure that your emergency lighting systems are in working order at all times, you are required to have them tested and maintained on a regular basis. Use the post below as a reference for testing requirements in the UK.
Emergency lighting is an essential fire safety element that many businesses often fail to consider with as much attention as needed. Using this guide, you should be able to determine whether or not your emergency lighting system fulfils the requirements in the UK.
It is important to bear in mind that certain regulations apply differently to different types of building and organisation. If you would like to understand more about the regulations that apply specifically to your business, get in touch with us today. We can help you to remain safe and compliant at all times.
