How Often Should Emergency Lighting Be Serviced to Ensure Safety?

When it comes to protecting your home or workplace, emergency lighting is a crucial factor in ensuring safety in the event of an emergency. But just how often should emergency lighting be serviced to ensure safety? With the right knowledge, you can ensure that your emergency lighting is up-to-date and compliant with regulations.

In this blog, we explore the answer to the question to ensure safety and compliance in your home or workplace.

What are Emergency Lights and Why are They Important?

Emergency lights tend to go on automatically when there is a power interruption. Everywhere from hospitals to office buildings and apartment complexes use emergency lighting in the event of a power failure, power outage, or blackout.

Still, emergency lighting is not limited to public and commercial spaces. Emergency lighting is important to commercial and residential property owners alike because they may require the lights to be functional in an emergency, and they need to offer safety to a property’s occupants. Therefore, both residential property owners and business owners can benefit from having emergency lights installed.

Fluorescent emergency lights on emergency pull boxes extend a short span of time when they are first activated. The most popular LED emergency lights have a life expectancy of twenty or twenty-five years. Emergency lighting kits can range from basic kits to high-end kits with additional functions. Commercial buildings additionally need their own emergency light testing plan since certain parts of a commercial building may include emergency exit signs as well as emergency lights.

There are many building codes that determine when emergency lighting must be used in a given space. Typical spaces include:

1. exit signs

2. emergency exits

3. utilized corridors

4. exit stairs

5. bulkheads

6. stairwells

7. ski lifts

8. emergency standby power

9. are subject to frequent power loss

10. blackouts 

Installing emergency lighting can provide a sense of security and safety to occupants in the event of an emergency. It also serves to reduce the risk of injuries during an evacuation. Additionally, emergency lighting is required in many public spaces to meet fire safety regulations.

In order to ensure that emergency lighting systems are properly installed and functioning, regular emergency lighting testing, and maintenance must be performed. Testing should include checking batteries, bulbs, and the wiring of the system. 

An Overview of the Different Types of Emergency Lighting Systems and Their Servicing Requirements

If your house or building doesn’t have emergency lighting installed, you’re at risk of falling foul of the 2005 Fire Safety Order. This legislation calls for all commercial buildings to be fitted with emergency lighting, and in recent years, it’s been extended to domestic situations. Places of worship, nightclubs, sports venues, skyscrapers, council housing, and other large buildings are all expected to be fitted with emergency lighting.

However, if you’re just looking to improve the quality of your home’s emergency lighting, or you’re concerned that your current systems are inadequate, we have the information you need. 

Types of Emergency Lighting Systems

There are five main types of emergency lighting systems, each of which has its own specific needs when it comes to servicing. They are:

 

• • Self-contained emergency lighting units. These are the most common type of emergency lighting found in most homes and buildings. They’re powered by a battery, and they’re designed to automatically turn on in the event of a power failure. They typically have a lifespan of around five years, and they should be tested and serviced regularly 

 

• •  Central battery systems. These systems are generally used for larger commercial buildings or for residential buildings with multiple stories. 

 

• •  Emergency lighting inverters. These systems are designed to provide backup power in the event of an emergency. They typically have a lifespan of around five years, and they should be tested regularly.

 

• •  Exit signs. These are typically found in public buildings, and they are designed to provide directional lighting that helps people find their way out in an emergency. These should be tested and the service should be checked on a regular basis. In addition to the battery systems, you may want to check your commercial standby generator and make sure that it is in good working order.  

 

• •  Emergency lighting panels. These panels are used to control the emergency lighting system and are usually found in the control room of a commercial building. (see also what is a fire alarm control panel). They should be checked and tested on a regular basis to ensure that they are working properly.

How Often Should Emergency Lighting Be Serviced?

When a catastrophe happens, life, as we have come to know it quickly, turns to crisis and confusion. In the aftermath, systems meant to leave us protected and safe have failed.

A fire, flood, earthquake, or even an explosion can occur without any warning. And without proper preparation, the people included in your emergency evacuation plan will be put in danger due to the lack of safety features. Emergency lighting needs regular checking and maintenance. Without proper checking and maintenance, your emergency lighting will not perform the way it was intended.

Emergency lighting is essential for the safety of those in your home. If your emergency and exit lights fail, an entire room will be left in darkness. Without proper emergency lighting, completing your emergency evacuation plan will be a futile endeavor. If all emergency lighting fails, rescue efforts become difficult, and people in your home are at grave risk of injury.

If your emergency lighting system fails to work properly, your emergency planning is useless. Your emergency plan will fail. Because your emergency plan will fail, all of your other emergency features will fail as well. 

Your emergency lighting must be checked and maintained regularly. It is essential to check all wiring, bulbs, and fixtures to ensure that they are working properly. If any part of your emergency lighting system is not functioning correctly, it should be repaired or replaced immediately. Routine maintenance and checking are the only way to ensure that your emergency lighting will perform the way it was intended. 

Understanding the Benefits of Regular Visual Inspections of Emergency Escape Lighting

Safety in the home is maintained through the regular visual inspection of emergency escape lighting. If there is a problem, repairs are started immediately. If the system requires maintenance, this is carried out. In addition, inspections make it possible to provide early warning of any potential problems, thus protecting a home from fires, floods, mold, and other common dangers.

Problems with emergency escape lighting often occur down power lines, which extend excessively throughout a home. These lines commonly become damaged with age. They frequently sustain damage during hurricanes and other natural disasters. Issues may also occur as a result of improper installation.

Emergency lighting is often neglected by homeowners, who often fail regularly to inspect the lighting systems. This can lead to serious problems.  Regular visual inspections of emergency escape lighting can ensure that the system is functioning properly and is up to code. For example, the National Fire Protection  Association (NFPA) requires that emergency escape lighting be inspected at least once a month.

Inspections should include checking that the emergency exit lights are working correctly,  that all the fixtures are securely mounted to the walls, and that all of the wirings is in good condition.  Additionally, all emergency exit signs should be fully visible, unobstructed, and adequately illuminated.

Finally,  it’s important to make sure to regularly test the system to ensure that it is working properly. 

Exploring the Different Types of Emergency Lighting Tests and How Often They Should Be Conducted

The emergency lighting requirements of different buildings can be quite varied, so it’s important to have a clear understanding of how the specific regulations apply to your building, as well as any investigation practices that should be undertaken outside of your normal routine.

We have investigated remotely a wide variety of emergency situations, and the results of our customers’ tests have allowed us to produce the following guide to understanding lighting inspections. When performing or conceptualizing your emergency lighting tests, it’s crucial to perform all of the tests listed.

Only by carrying out these tests, you will have heard the electrical system you’re lighting react to the following scenarios:

Power Failure

A power failure is potentially very dangerous for occupants of your premises since it can result in a number of potentially dangerous scenarios, including:

• • Backup generators failing.

• • Loss of external emergency lighting.

• • Failure of CCTV equipment.

• • Failure of elevator equipment.

• • Failure of IT equipment.

• • Failure of air conditioning systems.

• • Failure of fire alarm systems. (see also the important element of fire alarm systems)

• • Failure to power emergency luminaires.

• • Failure of emergency exit signs.

• • Failure of emergency internal signage.

In the event of any of the above, occupants of your premises may be left confused or unable to find the safety exits, and this can lead to a number of serious and potentially fatal situations.

This is why it is crucial to test all of the emergency lights in your building to ensure that they will light correctly in the event of a power failure, as they will enable occupants to utilize all emergency lights at all times.

The other key test you need to complete is to test each and every luminaire to confirm that it is in good working order and fully compliant with all electrical and emergency lighting legislation. Testing your emergency lights to ensure they are all in working order means any issues can be identified before there is a crisis, and that will depend on the facilities manager to conduct these tests as required.

Water Leakage

Emergency lighting is a crucial component of any building since due to its condition it is susceptible to the effects of water damage, which can render the equipment useless. It is vital to make sure that your emergency lighting system is waterproofed and waterproof signage is installed since this will permit occupants to find their way around in an emergency. The reason to test that emergency lighting is waterproof is to prevent water from entering the system and causing an electrical hazard.

The best way to check for water leakage is to inspect the wiring and seals for any signs of water damage or corrosion. Additionally, the luminaires should be checked for water ingress and any signs of water leakage. If any water damage is found, the emergency lighting should be serviced immediately to prevent further damage and ensure the safety of occupants. 

Battery Testing

Battery testing is another essential aspect of emergency lighting maintenance. This test helps to ensure that the battery is in proper working order and is able to provide the required power for emergency lighting. Battery tests can include load testing, which involves measuring the current and voltage of the battery, as well as measuring the battery’s capacity.

The most important part of battery testing is to monitor the battery’s voltage and current while it is in use. If the voltage drops too low, it could mean that the battery is failing and needs to be changed, which could result in an insufficient supply of power to the emergency lighting. Additionally, if the current is too high, it could indicate a short circuit. If either of these issues is found, the battery should be serviced or replaced immediately.

In conclusion, emergency lighting maintenance is essential for providing a safe environment for occupants. This includes regular inspection, cleaning, and battery testing. If any issues are found, the battery should be serviced or replaced immediately. Proper maintenance will help to ensure that emergency lighting will continue to operate in the event of a power outage.

What to Do If the Emergency Lighting Fails to Respond?

Find a fire extinguisher and make sure that the extinguisher is fully charged. Ensure that the fire extinguisher does not leak or have any cracks in it.
Once the fire extinguisher is fully charged, test it by discharging the extinguisher in a safe place away from the electrical panel. If all the fire extinguishers are charged, the ones closest to the electrical panel will be the ones examined.

Note the location of the fire extinguisher and remove it. Examine the extinguisher closely and look for any signs of leakage. In case you find any signs, replace the fire extinguisher. Make sure that the extinguisher is inspected regularly. For more information, contact an electrician near you. 

Conclusion

Emergency lighting is an essential part of any safety system. It’s important to make sure these devices are serviced regularly to ensure they are functioning properly and in the event of an emergency, they are ready to go. Go Safer Security is a trusted provider of exit and emergency lighting services in Maryland, USA. With our expertise and experience, you can be sure you’re in safe hands.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Invest in your safety now and contact our team at Go Safer Security to get your emergency lighting serviced. Take the first step to creating a safe environment and ensure your business is prepared in the case of an emergency.