Emergency lighting

The introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 has brought together all the elements of fire safety under one roof.

Emergency lighting is primarily intended to provide sufficient illumination to enable people to see their way safely out of a building in cases of emergency and falls into five categories:

Emergency-lighting organogram

It is vital that emergency lighting comes on if the normal lighting fails. It needs to be sufficiently bright, illuminated for enough time, and the light sources so positioned that the occupants of a building can be evacuated safely in an emergency. BS 5266 Emergency Lighting, the Code of Practice for the emergency lighting of premises, offers simple guidance on the positioning of emergency luminaires, minimum height levels, acceptable glare levels, together with minimum routine testing schedules.

Emergency lighting requirements specify that luminaires are positioned:

Along escape routes
At every change in direction
Adjacent to any step or trip hazard
Over every flight of stairs so each tread receives direct light
Close to fire fighting equipment and call points
Close to any first aid points
Outside every final exit.

It is also recommended that some thought is given to providing external luminaires to guide evacuees away from the final exits. Additionally, BS 5266 puts additional emphasis on the importance of regular testing of emergency lighting equipment.