Emergency Light Testing

In many commercial premises, emergency lights are a legal requirement. In an emergency situation, these illuminate the exit points to help people to get out of immediate danger, so it is crucial to ensure that they are working correctly.

Under BS 5266:2016 standards, a building must have adequate illumination for people to escape and to identify the equipment needed to fight any fire, such as sprinkler systems, alarms, and fire extinguishers.

All business premises such as offices, pubs, clubs, and even outdoor marquees, must comply with the laws and this means that there needs to be an illuminated escape route.

When your emergency lighting system is designed and installed, a risk assessment will be carried out to identify the number of emergency lights required and their locations.

This will change over time as your business grows or wanes in popularity. It is important to ensure that you keep on top of these changes and test your emergency lights regularly. For Yorkshire-based businesses, Robinsons Facilities Services can help with all aspects of your emergency light system, keeping it up to professional and legal standards.

Types of Emergency Light System

You can use either self-contained (single point) systems or central battery source systems. This means that each of the lights will either have its own smaller battery, or there will be one larger battery running multiple lights.

The benefits of a self-contained system are that they are easier to install, maintain, and test. They are also more cost-effective for small businesses.

Central battery systems tend to be used in larger commercial premises as they can power more emergency lights from one central point.

How Often Should I Test My Emergency Lights?

You should test your emergency lights once a month to ensure that they are still working correctly. This involves turning off the main power supply to simulate a power outage and then checking that the emergency lights come on correctly.

Monthly checks should be carried out in accordance with BS EN 50172:2004 / BS 5266-8:2004.

It is also important to check that the batteries are holding their charge and have enough power to last.

Professional Checks and Maintenance

As well as checking your lights once a month (or more regularly) yourself, you should also have them checked by a professional at least once a year.

This is because emergency lights need to be certified to British Standards and you have a legal obligation to ensure the lights are working properly in line with BS 5266:2016.

A professional will also be able to check that the emergency lights are correctly positioned and installed as well as testing them for you.

If you are unsure about anything, or need help with emergency light testing, get in touch with Robinsons Facilities Services today. We will be able to advise you on the best course of action and ensure that your emergency lights are compliant with current legislation.

Commissioning Certificate and Logbook

Once your emergency lights have been installed, you will be given a commissioning certificate. This should be kept, along with a logbook so that you can keep track of when the system was last tested and by whom. This falls under the fire safety responsibilities of your business.

The emergency light testing process is important to ensure the safety of your employees and customers, so it is crucial that you make sure your system is working at all times. This is a matter of life and death.

Working across Yorkshire, we cover North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, East Yorkshire and South Yorkshire and offer a fast, efficient response time to testing requests as well as emergency lighting repairs. Contact us today for all planned, reactive maintenance or emergency call out. Call 01423 226578 or get in touch to see how Robinsons Facilities Services can help.