Baiyiled – Emergency lighting, activated during mains supply failures, serves as a critical safety measure, ensuring continuous on-site safety and protecting building occupants. Businesses are legally required to install emergency lighting in their premises under regulations such as NEN-EN 1838:2013, which specifies escape and standby lighting requirements during power failures.
What is emergency lighting used for?
Emergency lighting is crucial for illuminating areas leading occupants to the nearest fire exits. During power outages, these lights must remain on for one to three hours, ensuring safe evacuation for all occupants and enabling emergency services to access the building if necessary. Once power is restored, the lights should recharge automatically.
What are the different types?
There are four main types of emergency lighting:
- Escape route lighting: Illuminates routes to fire escapes and emergency exits.
- Open area emergency lighting: Assists occupants in finding escape routes, especially in open areas.
- High-risk task area lighting: Ensures visibility in workspaces with high-risk tasks.
- Standby lighting: Activates during power outages to maintain illumination until mains power is restored.
Why is emergency lighting important?
Emergency lighting is vital for fire safety, preventing panic and aiding safe evacuation by providing clear paths to exits and sufficient visibility to avoid obstacles.
Where do you need to place emergency lighting?
Correct placement of emergency lighting is crucial to minimize risks. Lighting and signs should illuminate escape routes, exits, stairwells, areas with floor level changes, intersections in corridors, and other critical areas identified in fire risk assessments. Regulations recommend using illuminated signs when final exits are not readily identifiable by occupants.
How long does emergency lighting need to stay on for?
Emergency escape lighting must remain illuminated for at least 1.5 hours in premises requiring delayed evacuation, such as hotels. Organizations should conduct annual tests to ensure lights can provide emergency illumination for the required duration.
How are emergency lighting systems powered?
Emergency lighting systems can be powered by self-contained/single-point or central battery sources. While self-contained systems offer quick installation, central battery sources are easier to test and maintain, albeit with higher capital costs.
How bright does emergency lighting need to be?
Emergency lighting guidelines recommend varying illuminations depending on the location, with minimum lux levels specified for floor level and anti-panic areas. Lighting should be sufficient to facilitate safe navigation during emergencies.
How is emergency lighting serviced and tested?
Organizations must follow a servicing schedule outlined in regulations such as NEN-EN 50172:2004, appointing a responsible person to oversee testing. Manual or automatic tests should be conducted daily, monthly, and annually to ensure compliance and proper functioning of emergency lighting systems.
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