In the UK, there is a legislation that requires all occupied buildings to have satisfactory emergency escape lighting in case of power failure. Everyone in the building must be able to exit the building quickly and safely with the aid of emergency lighting.
Whether you are running a small or large business, the safety of your employees should always come first. Which is why emergency lighting is important to provide a safe working environment at all times.
Without it, it would be difficult to navigate out of the building, no matter how familiar you are with it.
What is emergency lighting?
According to the British Standard regulations, emergency lighting is the term used for all types of devices that provide lighting when there is a power failure or when the regular lights are not working.
You will usually find emergency LED lighting above exit signs such as fire exits, stairways and escape routes.
There are many different types of emergency lighting that suit various situations such as:
Standby Lighting – This type of lighting illuminates different areas of the building without interrupting daily business work
Emergency Escape Lighting – This lighting helps to guide people to safety outside the building if there is an emergency such as power failure or fires
High-risk Area Task Lighting – This specialist lighting is used when people are working on high risk jobs
Why your business needs emergency lighting?
One of the primary reasons why LED emergency lighting is important is to ensure the safety of yourself and your staff. With the correct lighting, buildings can be evacuated quickly and efficiently in the event of a fire or emergency.
Some of the advantages of installing emergency lighting are:
- Uses LED technology that light up quickly and are more energy efficient
- Environmentally friendly
- Cost-effective
- Ensures the safety of people in the building
- The building will always have lighting, even if there is a power cut
- Longer lifespan
Regular emergency lighting testing and maintenance
In order to ensure your emergency lighting system is functioning at all times, it will need to be checked and tested regularly. This needs to be done on a monthly and annual basis. Any issues that are discovered should be fixed as soon as possible.
In the event of an unfortunate incident in the building, most insurance companies will ask for electrical certifications, which is why it is important to only use professional electricians for testing and inspections.
At CJ Timms, we can help you get the correct electrical certificates you need to keep your business safe and compliant. Contact our team today to find out how.
