A Comprehensive Guide to Emergency Lighting Installations

Safety is of paramount importance in all businesses, especially during emergency situations. Emergency lighting plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of occupants in various buildings and facilities during such situations.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the different types of emergency lighting, highlighting the key businesses that can greatly benefit from installing emergency lighting solutions at their premises. With clear explanations and practical insights, this guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to make informed decisions about emergency lighting installations, ultimately enhancing fire safety and safeguarding lives.

What is Emergency Lighting?

Emergency lighting refers to the LED lights featuring battery power back-up that are used in the event of a mains power outage. They are designed to offer illumination in the event of a power failure, with the primary purpose of illuminating escape routes (ensuring buildings can be safely evacuated) as well as areas where potentially dangerous procedures are carried out, so that activities in hazardous workplaces can be safely terminated.

Where Should Emergency Lighting Be Installed?

It is a legal requirement for many buildings to have emergency lighting installed to ensure that, in the event of a power outage, there is adequate lighting to safely guide occupants around obstacles and out of the building.

With this in mind, it’s best to have emergency lighting installed in areas such as:

●      Stairways

●      Steps & Ramps

●      Fire Assembly Points

●      Exit Doors (internal and external)

●      Large Open Areas (e.g. corridors)

●      Changes in Direction (e.g. intersection of corridors)

●      Lifts

Emergency lighting should also be installed near fire fighting equipment and fire alarm panels, ensuring these are visible and easily accessible in the event of a fire breaking out.

Types of Emergency Lighting Wiring

Emergency Escape Lighting

As its name suggests, emergency escape lighting refers to the part of an emergency lighting system that illuminates the safe routes for people to follow when evacuating a building. Equally, it also provides illumination in areas where potentially dangerous work processes occur (such as the operation of heavy machinery), so that these can be safely terminated before evacuation.

The type of emergency lighting used as part of emergency escape lighting solution can actually be broken down into separate categories, depending on which of the aforementioned purposes it is used for. These subcategories include:

●      Escape Route Lighting - Makes escape routes identifiable and keeps them sufficiently lit, including fire exit signs and emergency lighting bulkheads.

●      Open Area Lighting - Designed to sufficiently illuminate large open spaces, so that occupants of a building can safely reach a place where an escape route can be identified.

●      High Risk Task Area Lighting - Provides illumination for the safety of people involved in potentially dangerous processes or situations, enabling safe execution of shutdown procedures before evacuation.

Standby Lighting

Unlike emergency escape lighting, standby lighting is not a legal requirement. It refers to lighting systems that provide illumination in the event of a power outage so that activities can continue as normal. As such, this type of lighting may or may not be needed depending on the use and occupancy of a premises.

It is only generally required by businesses that are dependent on lighting to carry out their normal operations (provided there are no other emergency factors to be concerned about, such as a fire outbreak), or for those that require enhanced security, as it can also be used to detect suspicious activity or intruders.

Businesses That Can Benefit From Emergency Lighting

Hospitals

Healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics and nursing homes are legally required to install emergency lighting to ensure the safety of patients, staff and visitors during power outages or other emergencies.

This is critical for maintaining essential services, preventing panic and facilitating safe evacuation during an emergency.

Schools

Schools benefit from emergency lighting for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it ensures the safety of students and staff in the event of a power outage or other emergency situation. Emergency lighting can help to guide occupants to safety, prevent panic and reduce the risk of injuries.

Additionally, emergency lighting can be used to maintain essential services, such as medical equipment and fire alarms, during a power outage. Finally, it can provide a sense of security and peace of mind for students, parents and staff, knowing that everyone will be able to evacuate safely in the event of an emergency and according to the school’s evacuation procedure.

Hotels

Hotels greatly benefit from emergency lighting as it ensures the safety of guests and staff in case of power outages or other emergencies. It helps to prevent panic, guide occupants to safety and facilitate a safe evacuation.

Emergency lighting is crucial for maintaining essential services such as elevators and fire alarms during a power outage. It also provides a sense of security and peace of mind for guests and staff, knowing that they can evacuate safely in the event of an emergency.

Office Buildings

Emergency lighting is a critical safety feature in office buildings, which can house hundreds of employees from various companies. It ensures that occupants can evacuate quickly and safely during power outages or emergencies.

Emergency lighting is essential for illuminating escape routes during power outages, preventing panic and confusion, and enabling a swift and organised evacuation. This is especially crucial for individuals with disabilities who may require additional time and support to exit safely.

Maintained vs Non-Maintained Emergency Lighting

Maintained

There are two different types of emergency lighting configuration - maintained and non-maintained.

Maintained emergency lighting refers to emergency lights that always remain turned on, remaining lit up in the event of a power failure. Some maintained lights can also be switchable, meaning they can be switched on and off like an ordinary light, however if switched off they will come back on automatically if an outage occurs.

Maintained lighting is generally used in non-residential places of assembly such as theatres, cinemas and leisure centres, where normal lighting is often typically dimmed when these premises are occupied. As such, the emergency escape lighting prevents total darkness.

Non-Maintained

Non-mainted emergency lighting, on the other hand, refers to lighting that is made solely for emergency use and will automatically turn on in the event of a power failure, rather than remaining on all the time.

These lights use the battery back-up to make sure all emergency exit routes are clearly illuminated, but will not be active as a normal day-to-day lighting system. Non-maintained emergency lighting is typically used in places where the occupants of a building can be expected to be familiar with their surroundings, such as in offices and in residential flats.

End-to-End Emergency Lighting Solutions

Here at E K Fire Protection, we’ll ensure that your emergency lighting installation meets all relevant regulations and standards. We also offer emergency lighting testing to ensure your system is always operational, giving you peace of mind.

To keep your commercial premises safe and compliant with fire safety regulations, get in touch with us today for a competitive quote on our emergency lighting solutions today.