What are the legal requirements for emergency light testing?
Emergency lighting is required in premises to allow occupants to escape safety in an emergency situation. The requirements under BS 5266: 2016 state that a building must have adequate illumination for escape, and identify firefighting equipment.
Do I need to be qualified to test emergency lighting?
Annually – A full system inspection and duration test of the emergency lights should be performed by a ‘competent person’, this being a person with the necessary skills, training and knowledge to perform emergency lighting maintenance and servicing.
How long should you test emergency lighting?
three hours
Annual emergency lighting tests should be performed for the full duration of the emergency light(ie three hours). If the lamps do not last past the duration then they will fail the test.
How do you perform an emergency lighting test?
To test the emergency lights
- Insert the key and turn off the power to the lights, this should make them come on.
- Start a timer.
- Walk around where these lights are now illuminated and check that they are working correctly.
How often do you have to test emergency lights?
Emergency Light Testing Requirements Regardless of the size or type of your facility, you are required to perform a 30-second test every month, as well as a 90-minute test every year. The testing involves cutting the power to the facilities emergency lighting units as if there were having an actual emergency.
What are the requirements for emergency lighting?
The Code requires that emergency lighting be provided automatically in the event of a power failure resulting from power outages, blown fuses or circuit breakers, or manual acts that result in an interruption in normal lighting.
What is emergency lighting testing?
The testing involves cutting the power to the facilities emergency lighting units as if there were having an actual emergency. These testing requirements may sound simple, but they can be a challenge for many facilities to complete.
What happens if you don’t meet emergency light testing requirements?
If you fail to meet emergency light testing requirements, not only are you putting your building occupants at risk, but you are violating life safety codes that are intended to prevent emergency lighting failure.