Emergency lighting is required in most non-domestic buildings and in the escape routes of many residential buildings. The legal duty comes from fire safety law, and the detail comes from British and European Standards.
The law
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires escape routes and exits to be indicated by signs and, where necessary, provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in case the normal lighting fails. Scotland and Northern Ireland have equivalent duties under their own fire safety legislation. Your fire risk assessment decides where emergency lighting is needed.
The standards
- BS 5266-1: the code of practice for emergency lighting design, installation and maintenance in the UK.
- BS EN 1838: sets the lighting levels.
- BS EN 50172: covers emergency escape lighting systems and their testing.
Where it is needed
Emergency lighting should cover:
- escape routes and every exit door
- changes of direction and changes of floor level
- staircases, so each flight receives direct light
- near fire alarm call points and firefighting equipment
- outside final exits, to a place of safety
- open areas above a certain size, to prevent panic
- high-risk task areas, where a process must be shut down safely
- lift cars, toilets for disabled people and plant rooms.
How bright and how long
- Escape routes: at least 1 lux along the centre line of the route.
- Open areas: at least 0.5 lux across the floor area.
- Duration: most premises need three hours, so people can leave and the building can be checked before reoccupation.
Maintained and non-maintained
Maintained fittings are lit all the time and stay lit when the power fails. They are common in places of entertainment and where exit signs must always be visible. Non-maintained fittings only light when the normal supply fails.
Testing and records
- Monthly: a short functional test of every fitting.
- Annually: a full rated-duration test.
- Records: keep a logbook of every test, fault and repair, ready for your fire risk assessor or an enforcing officer.
Our emergency lighting testing guide walks through the monthly and annual tests step by step.
This guide is general information about UK fire safety law and standards, not legal advice for a specific building. If you are unsure what applies to yours, ask us or a qualified adviser.