Emergency Lighting Testing Requirements

Emergency lighting testing is a mandatory requirement for compliance with the Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order 2005, to ensure safe means of escape is maintained. The occupancy and use of a building as well as the type of emergency lighting installation will dictate how and when emergency lighting testing should be carried out.

Testing can be carried out manually with key switch systems or automatically with self-testing systems. Whether carried out manually or automatically, the testing and results of the tests must be recorded and retained for inspection, if requested, by the fire authorities or building control.

Testing Frequency

Daily emergency lighting inspection is only required for centrally supplied emergency lighting systems. These types of system require a daily visual inspection of the indicators on the central control unit to identify that the system is operational. No daily test of system operation is required.

In accordance with BS EN 50172:2004 / BS 5266-8:2004 a brief (typically 2-3 mins) functional test must be carried out at least every month for all emergency lighting systems. The period of simulated failure should be sufficient for the purpose of the monthly test while minimising potential damage to the system components, e.g. lamps and batteries, caused by frequent operation.

During this period, all luminaires and signs shall be checked* to ensure that they are functioning correctly. After testing, all luminaires and signs shall be checked* to confirm that charging has been restored and that they are correctly indicating charging.

At least annually, a duration test must be carried out for the rated duration of the emergency lighting system. Duration testing must be carried out when the building is empty or at times of minimal risk OR on alternate fittings at any one time. During this period all luminaires and signs shall be checked* to ensure that they are functioning correctly. The emergency lights must still be operating at the end of the rated duration. After testing, all luminaires and signs shall be checked* to confirm that charging has been restored and that they are correctly indicating charging.

Testing Methods – Manually

An emergency lighting key switch may isolate all of the lighting circuits, individual circuits, groups of fittings or even individual luminaires. A simulated mains failure can be achieved using the test switch(es). After simulating the failure of the lighting supply to an area, it is necessary for the person testing to walk the entire area, to check that all of the emergency luminaires are operating correctly. If the test being conducted is a full duration test, it is necessary to check that all emergency luminaires in the area are still operating correctly at the end of the rated duration. Once the lighting supply has been restored, the area must be walked again, to check that all of the emergency luminaires are recharging and indicating correctly.

If each emergency luminaire has an individual test switch, only a single walk around the building will be needed. The switches will however need to be tamper proof. Adopting a key switch method of testing of all emergency lighting luminaires and signs in an area will mean that the emergency lights undergoing testing may not provide their rated duration for the following 24 hours, during which time the batteries will be recharged fully, so that they can once again provide the required duration of operation, This may cause major disruption for organisations. In addition to risking the safety and ability of occupants of premises to escape, the occupation of premises without compliant emergency lighting may invalidate insurance.

It is required that a record of each test of the system and the results are recorded. Any failures identified must be remedied as soon as reasonably practicable in order to restore the integrity of the system.

Testing Methods – Automatically

Self-testing emergency lighting enables individual emergency lights or systems to be automatically tested as required by the standard. Installation schemes are usually designed to cover the testing of alternate fittings, as it is considered an acceptable risk to continue to occupy premises whilst alternate emergency fittings or even individual fittings are tested and allowed time to recharge.

Testing of emergency lighting fittings must be carried out, such that no two adjacent emergency luminaires will be in test mode at the same time. Automatic testing reduces the disruption to building occupants and can drastically reduce the labour costs by decreasing the time required to test manually. It is required that a record of each test of the system and the results obtained are recorded. This can also be carried out automatically with the use of an addressable self-testing system. Again, any failures identified must be remedied as soon as reasonably practicable.