Under the Fire Safety Order 2005 which became law on the 1st October 2006 it is now mandatory to undertake a written fire risk assessment. As part of this legislation the risk assessor must consider Emergency Escape Lighting and appropriate Signs and Notices.
All persons in your premises must be able to safely find their way to a place of total safety using escape routes that have sufficient lighting. Escape routes without windows or escape routes in the premises that are used during the hours of darkness (including winter afternoons) are likely to require backup lighting i.e. emergency escape lighting.
Emergency Lights come in two forms maintained emergency lighting and non-maintained emergency lighting. Both are designed to provide illumination during an emergency through backup battery power. The Emergency Lighting Systems must conform to BS5588 Emergency Lighting 1999 and BS5266 Defined Escape Routes 1988.
Maintained Emergency Lighting works normally while the mains power is on. In the event that the mains fails these lights will remain illuminated powered by the batteries.
Non-maintained lights are not normally illuminated but automatically illuminate if the mains fails powered by the batteries.
Both types of emergency lighting do need to be maintained by under a maintenance contract.
Signage must be used where appropriate to help persons in your premises identify escape routes and locate fire fighting equipment and emergency fire telephones. These signs are required under the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 and must comply with these regulations.
This signage may be a combination of Photoluminescence signs and signs lit by emergency lighting.
