Emergency Lighting

Specification, installation and maintenance of Emergency Lighting to support the safe and timely escape of occupants during a fire or power interruption.

Emergency lighting is a mandatory compliance requirement for commercial buildings to enable safe exit should mains power fail. Exit and escape routes in the UK must be lit to a minimum of one lux during an emergency. Different types of lights require predetermined spacing which is linked to the unit, location and illuminance.

Relevant Regulations

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 Article 14 states “Emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in the case of failure of normal lighting”.

Ace operates in accordance with The Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 & BS 5266 Part 1, BS EN 1838, BS EN 50172. This requires building owners to test emergency lighting systems regularly and maintain it in proper working order.

Maintained and Non-Maintained Luminaires

Non-maintained luminaires remain off during daily operation, only illuminating when mains power fails. Maintained luminaires operate as normal lighting equipment during the day and can be controlled and configured with other luminaries. They automatically switch to a back-up (battery) power system in the event of mains power failure. Building owners can choose between either or have a combination on site.

Self-Test (AutoTest)

These systems eliminate the need for manual testing by automatically testing and signalling remedial action in line with relevant standards.

1 or 3-hour requirement

The following recommendations apply:

3-hour emergency lighting requirement is for;

Commercial premises used as sleeping accommodation
Non-residential premises used for treatment or care
Non-residential premises used for leisure and recreation
Non-residential public premises
Common areas in blocks of flats and multi-tenant dwellings
Sports stadia

1-hour emergency lighting requirement is for;

Non-residential premises used for teaching, training, research, offices
Industrial premises (manufacturing, processing, storage)

Maintenance

Maintenance and testing should be incorporated into your Fire Protection SLA. Modern luminaires are available with lighting control that can provide an additional 44% luminaire energy saving.

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