When did you last test your emergency lighting?
The purpose of emergency lighting is to provide adequate illumination when an incident occurs and the main power supply of the building can’t function, rendering all lights inactive. Loss of electrical services can be caused by a fire or a power cut and can plunge a building into sudden and total darkness putting any occupants at the time at risk.
Operating independently and automatically, emergency lighting provides sufficient illumination for anyone present during an incident to leave the building safely. However, these important systems must be rigorously tested at routine intervals to ensure they can be counted on when an emergency strikes.
Monthly emergency lighting tests
Once a month, the emergency lighting system installed on your site must be tested. This essential health check is a brief functionality test that should be carried out per the British regulatory standards BS EN 50172 / BS 5266-8.
While the duration of the simulated failure involved must always be adequate to get an accurate picture of equipment functionality, it must also minimise any harm to the different components of the emergency lighting system. In this time frame, all illuminated signs and lights must be assessed to ensure that they are present, clean, and working at optimum.
Yearly emergency lighting tests
Once a year, you must also carry out a more comprehensive three-hour test of your emergency lighting installation. When the “drain test” is complete, all the emergency lighting involved in your system must still be functioning.
Companies that service fire alarms commonly conduct yearly emergency lighting tests, while carrying out tests for fire alarm system maintenance. This approach lets electrical engineers use their time effectively testing alarm systems while the longer trial continues in the background.
The results of all emergency lighting tests should be recorded in a logbook. If any issues are identified, remediation should take place immediately with repair work handled by a certified engineer.
Expert electrical services on hand
At Brooktech Maintenance, our comprehensive selection of electrical services includes emergency and LED lighting tests. Checking your systems regularly allows you to make sure that the health and safety measures present on site can be counted on and ensure the lives of building occupants are not put at unnecessary risk.
Contact us now and arrange your yearly service.
