What is Emergency Lighting Testing?
Emergency lighting testing is the process of verifying that your building's emergency lighting system will function correctly during a mains power failure. It is a legal requirement for all non-domestic premises and many residential buildings, and it needs to be carried out to a defined schedule set out in BS 5266-1.
What is Emergency Lighting?
Emergency lighting is a system of luminaires (lights) that automatically activates when normal mains power fails. Its purpose is to illuminate escape routes, exits, and safety equipment so that building occupants can evacuate safely in darkness. The system is battery powered, allowing it to operate independently of the main electrical supply. Emergency lighting includes exit signs, escape route lighting, and open area (anti-panic) lighting.
Why Testing is Essential
An emergency lighting system that looks functional may have drained batteries, faulty lamps, or inadequate coverage. Without regular testing, you cannot know whether the system will actually work in a real emergency. Testing identifies faults before they matter — a failed battery discovered during a routine test is a minor maintenance job; a failed battery discovered during a real fire evacuation can cost lives.
What Does Emergency Lighting Testing Involve?
Testing involves simulating a mains power failure to check that all luminaires activate correctly, running the system on battery power for the required duration (up to three hours), verifying that escape routes are adequately illuminated, checking that exit signs are visible and correctly positioned, inspecting the condition of all luminaires, and testing the battery charge and reserve capacity.
Types of Emergency Lighting Systems
Self-contained systems have individual batteries in each luminaire. Central battery systems have a central power source feeding all luminaires. Maintained systems keep the emergency light on permanently (using mains, switching to battery on failure). Non-maintained systems only activate on mains failure. Each type is tested in the same way — by simulating a mains failure and observing performance.
Who Should Carry Out Emergency Lighting Testing?
Monthly functional tests can be carried out by a competent staff member using the test key or switch. Six-monthly duration tests and annual inspections require a qualified emergency lighting engineer who can properly evaluate battery performance, coverage adequacy, and system compliance. The annual inspection produces the certificate required for compliance purposes.