The legislation
If you have 5 or more employees you are required by law, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, to carry out a fire safety risk assessment. Once completed you must keep a written record of the assessment.
This legislation exists to ensure that the correct emergency lighting is installed to cover any identifiable risks. Furthermore, it will correctly operate in the event of a failure of the main lighting supply.
BS5266 is the code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises… Additionally, the BS5266 code, and the BSEN1838 code, provide specifiers with information regarding areas that need emergency lighting. Typically this is the minimum levels of illumination, duration, and maximum brightness to prevent glare. Additionally, any points of emphasis which require particular consideration.
Failure to comply with these stipulations not only puts lives at risk and raises the possibility of prosecution but can also invalidate insurance policies. Since emergency lighting is seldom used every day you may be tempted to opt for cheaper luminaires. DON’T!
BEWARE! These are often supplied from distant sources and will pass through numerous intermediaries before installation. This can lead to confusion over the precise specifications and the claims made by manufacturers and sellers. problems may arise where these may not be independently verified.
Buying cheaply may also turn out to be a false economy since lower-quality components can shorten the lifespan of batteries and lamps. Potentially they may also have inferior optics, resulting in an increased number of fittings being required to meet the minimum emergency lighting levels.
As this is a life safety product you do need to consider whether a cheaper option might be more vulnerable to failure. If so, what is the additional risk you have as the Responsible Person? Remember, you may be held liable.
The easiest way to ensure that your emergency lighting is fit for purpose is to buy products approved by third-party certification schemes such as BSI Kitemarking and the Industry Committee for Emergency Lighting (ICEL) registration.
The BSI governs the implementation of strict European standards on the design and manufacture of emergency luminaires under regulations including EN60598-1 and EN60598-2-22.
Meanwhile, the manufacturers’ trade organisation ICEL provides a product auditing and approval process. If ICEL-approved luminaires are installed at the correct location, as per BS5266, using verified spacing data, the system will meet the minimum levels for the safety of people. However, this may need enhancement if specific risks are identified during the risk assessment.
Upon meeting these conditions, the installation would then be considered sufficiently safe to protect users of the building and reduce the likelihood of any legal action relating to non-compliance with the Regulatory Reform Order.
Using more expensive higher quality approved emergency lighting may initially seem more costly, but under-investment may be more costly.
For example, good quality products may have a higher output and better spacing performance. This may result in fewer units needed to achieve the required level of illumination. As a result, you may reduce the outlay on products and also the installation cost. It is also worth bearing in mind the total cost of ownership as energy costs may be reduced.