Emergency Lighting
Emergency lighting is installed to meet fire safety legislation and all employers are now legally obliged to comply with the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997. All emergency lighting should be installed to comply with BS 5266-1 - the British Standard for emergency lighting in premises.
The purpose of emergency lighting is to ensure that lighting is provided promptly, automatically and for a suitable time in a specified area when the power supply to the normal lighting fails.
The installation shall ensure that emergency escape lighting fulfils the following functions:
a) To indicate clearly and unambiguously the escape routes
b) To provide illumination along such routes to allow safe movement towards and through the exits provided
c) To ensure that fire alarm call points and fire fighting equipment provided along escape routes can be readily located
There are three main types of emergency lighting systems:
Non-maintained
With a non-maintained emergency lighting system, the emergency light will only illuminate in the event of a failure to its mains supply.
Maintained
With a maintained emergency lighting system, the emergency light is permanently illuminated and will stay illuminated in the event of failure to its mains supply.
Sustained
With a sustained emergency lighting system, the lights have two lamps. One lamp is illuminated by the mains and the other is illuminated by the backup batteries in the event of failure to its mains supply. Sustained emergency lights are meant to be illuminated when the building is occupied then turned off at all other times.
Cintrix Systems can supply and install a range of non-maintained, maintained and intelligent addressable systems.
Servicing and Testing
Regular servicing is essential. The occupier/owner of the premises should appoint a competent person to supervise servicing of the emergency lighting system. This person shall be given sufficient authority to ensure the carrying out of any work necessary to maintain the system in correct operation. In summary, BS 5266-1 recommends:
Daily
Indicators of central power supply shall be visually inspected for correct operation.
Monthly
Each luminaire and each internally illuminated exit sign should be tested from its battery by simulation of a failure of the supply to the normal lighting for a period sufficient to ensure that each lamp is illuminated.
Six-monthly
Each 3 hour self-contained luminaire and internally illuminated sign should be energised from its battery for a continuous period of 1 hour. If the luminaire is rated as having a duration of 1 hour, then the period of simulated failure should be 15 minutes.
Three-yearly
Each emergency lighting installation should be tested and inspected to ascertain compliance with BS 5266-1.
Each self-contained luminaire and/or internally illuminated sign should be tested for its full duration.
Cintrix Systems offers flexible maintenance packages to suit your business needs. Our emergency lighting maintenance package will ensure that your system is serviced in accordance with BS 5266-1.
We cover all areas of South Wales including Caerphilly, Cardiff, Newport, Bridgend, Merthyr Tydfil, Swansea, Neath, Port Talbot, Monmouth, Cwmbran and Chepstow. If you are based in South Wales and require a survey or wish to discuss any requirements then please call Cintrix Systems on 02920 864 821 or visit our contact page.