The Different Types Of Emergency Lighting

It’s natural to take your electricity supply for granted but, as a business, it’s vital that you have backup systems in place in case of fire or an electrical outage. Without emergency lighting systems in place, you run the risk of having to operate in complete darkness, putting building occupants in potential danger.

Emergency lighting is beneficial because it works fully automatically and provides you with enough light to be able to evacuate the site safely. It is a legal requirement for businesses to have emergency lighting installed, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

The British Standard for emergency lighting is BS 5226, which outlines all the guidelines and regulations for commercial buildings in the UK, ensuring the proper installation and maintenance of the systems so you know they remain fully functional during power failures and other such emergencies.

There are different types of emergency lighting to be aware of as a business:

High-risk task area lighting

This kind of system ensures that places where hazardous tasks are carried out will be sufficiently illuminated so they can be shut down in the event of an emergency. Depending on the nature of your business and the type of building you operate within, you may or may not need this type of lighting.

Open area lighting

This kind of system is intended to provide enough light in bigger open areas so that people can easily find the nearest exit to them, thereby reducing the risk of panic breaking out. Museums, shopping centres and so on will benefit particularly, since large numbers of people may not know the building layout well.

Emergency escape lighting

This kind of system lights up all escape routes throughout a building so that people can make their way to safety quickly and easily. This includes illuminated fire exit signs and emergency lighting bulkheads.

Standby lighting

This kind of system ensures that there is sufficient lighting provided to allow people to carry out their normal routines if a power failure does take place.

When having your emergency lighting system installed, you need to carry out a risk assessment first of all so you can decide where the best places for the lights are, with your plan showing the areas that need to be covered, mode of operation, power supply, lighting duration, facilities and so on.

BS 5266 guidance is that lighting systems should be installed along escape routes like exits, stairways and corridors, near every exit door that could be used in an emergency, on each flight of stairs, on changes in floor levels, near safety signs and near other locations including call points, first aid posts and fire-fighting equipment.

If you’d like any further help or advice relating to these electrical installations, get in touch with the Volt East team today.