| All places of work are required to provide | | | | time). This just needs to be a visual check to |
| adequate means of escape, and these routes and | | | | ensure they are all working, and deal with any |
| exits need to be properly covered by emergency | | | | which are not. |
| lighting, so that they are visible even in a power | | | | A monthly check should include cutting the power |
| cut. In the UK these requirements come under | | | | to all lighting, just to ensure that all non-maintained |
| the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, | | | | bulbs (ones which only come on in a power cut) |
| which places a duty on the ‘Responsible | | | | are working. If you do not have a testing facility |
| Person’ to ensure these measures are in | | | | with a fish key, you can do this through your |
| place. | | | | fuse box. |
| The nature and extent of emergency lighting will | | | | Every six months it is a good idea to cut the |
| vary with different premises, and the time that | | | | power for at least one hour to ensure the |
| the lighting is required to stay on for could be | | | | batteries last long enough. At least once every |
| between one and three hours. The basic | | | | year you have to carry out a ‘full discharge |
| function of this is so that there is enough lighting | | | | test’ which involves cutting off the power |
| to get everyone safely out of the building in an | | | | and letting the entire system discharge. It is |
| emergency, but the longer the lighting last the | | | | preferable to get a qualified electrical engineer to |
| better. In order to ensure that the lighting is | | | | do this and check the whole system at the same |
| functioning properly and able to last as long as it | | | | time. When you carry out a full discharge test, |
| needs to, the emergency lighting system must be | | | | you should time this so that your premises are |
| tested regularly. | | | | not in use for the following 24 hours, as the |
| Some of the more modern systems will be | | | | batteries will all be drained and the emergency |
| capable of testing themselves, but the majority | | | | lighting therefore not working. |
| of buildings will have older emergency lighting | | | | You should use a special form to record every |
| which requires manual testing. How this is done | | | | time you carry out a test. There are forms |
| will depend on the system in place, but the usual | | | | available online free which you can download. |
| method is to use a special switch with a | | | | The form should record the date of the test, the |
| ‘fishtail key’ to trigger the lighting. | | | | result of the test, any remedial action you have |
| The best way to organise your testing is to be | | | | taken, and a signature of the person carrying out |
| systematic about it and keep an accurate record | | | | the test. Your local fire authority has the right to |
| in a logbook. You should carry out different | | | | check whether you are properly testing and |
| tests at regular intervals, weekly, monthly, six | | | | maintaining your emergency lighting system, so |
| monthly and annually. Daily checking is | | | | keeping a logbook with these records in can be |
| recommended for premises with maintained | | | | very helpful when this happens. |
| lighting (emergency lights which stay on all the | | | | |