Emergency lighting

Emergency lighting is required in premises to allow occupants to escape safely in an emergency situation. The requirements under BS 5266: 2016 state that a building must have adequate illumination for escape and identify firefighting equipment. In the UK, the legislation stipulates that all business premises, including offices and schools, must have emergency lighting.

The emergency lighting system must allow for safe movement of occupants walking out of a building, whether during a power cut or evacuation. It will prevent panic during evacuation if the occupants can see the directional signs for escape routes. All escape routes must be illuminated, which includes rooms, corridors and emergency exit route signage. The signage will be either luminescent or presented by illuminated signs showing directions.

In addition, the emergency lighting should illuminate firefighting equipment such as fire alarm call points and portable fire extinguishers, either on escape routes or elsewhere within the building, allowing the safe use and operation of such equipment to escape the building or fight the fire.

For this reason, the emergency lighting supply must stay illuminated for a continuous duration of one hour, and recharge within 24 hours, before occupants can return to the premise. This is three hours for higher risk premises that require early occupation which includes schools.

We install emergency lighting to industry standards. This industry standard promotes a deeper insight into the different types of emergency lighting systems and the correct application within different categories of building and environment. Our clients can be safe in the knowledge that we are always up to date on any new, amendments, additions or adaptions to industry standards set and ensure all our installations meet them.