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An emergency lighting system is activated automatically if the main power supply fails in a building, creating a path of lights to guide people to safety.
Loss of electricity might be due to power cut, electrical fault, or fire, all of which can create increased risk if the building plunges into darkness.
This is why a well-maintained emergency lighting system is essential for a safe evacuation and why it is crucial to have your emergency lighting tested regularly alongside frequent fire risk assessments. The two go hand in hand.
A fire risk assessment is an evaluation of what could cause a fire or how people could be harmed due to fire and what can be done to reduce that risk.
Emergency lighting testing services ensure that your emergency lighting system works correctly should it be activated.
BS 5266-1 outlines the requirements for emergency lighting in various premises, including hotels, offices, schools, retail spaces, and multi-storey buildings. This standard ensures that emergency lighting is designed, installed, and maintained to provide adequate illumination during an emergency.
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
In the event of a fire, or any other unexpected health and safety crisis, having well positioned, reliable lighting could be the difference between unnecessary injury or safe evacuation for all.
Regular testing ensures compliance with fire safety regulations to avoid any penalties or fines, but more importantly, it ensures safer environments for staff and visitors to your workplace or organisation.
Ensuring your systems are working correctly is a key part of a fire risk assessment. Here at Acorn Safety Servies, we offer a monthly flick test, which manually stops the main power supply briefly to activate the emergency lighting and check its functionality.
Additionally, we can also provide a more thorough annual drain down test, which simulates a longer power failure and gives our specialists the opportunity to assess what happens to the lighting after a three-hour outage. It is important to identify how long the emergency lighting will be operational for, should it be necessary.
If, for whatever reason, the emergency lighting is not working correctly, this will need to be investigated as a matter of urgency. Any faulty or broken bulbs should be replaced immediately.
Consequences of poor management
If emergency lighting is not tested regularly, it could be that it is rendered ineffective and unreliable in the case of emergency. Not only might this make it non-compliant with fire safety regulations, which could result in financial penalties, but, most crucially, could put lives in danger should an emergency occur.
Businesses and organisations must be accountable and take responsibility for the safety of their staff and visitors at all times. Our services can support this and ensure that your workplace or organisation has the best possible health and safety practices to avoid any unnecessary injuries or accidents.
For more information contact a member of our expert team today.
