State of Emergency

Red Arrow’s technical and design support team share some
of their most frequently asked questions on emergency lighting design and
installation.
So, you’re looking into emergency lighting. What do you need to know? The truth is, a lot – far too much to cover here. Emergency lighting is, understandably, covered by strict rules and regulations designed to keep building occupants safe in the event of a fire, emergency or power outage, and exactly what is needed in any premises depends on how the building is used, its layout, the people occupying it and other factors.
In the meantime, Red Arrow’s technical and design support team take questions on emergency lighting from installers every day, as they navigate the complicated requirements of compliant emergency lighting design and installation. Here, they share some answers-in-brief to a few of their most frequently asked questions.
Does my customer’s building project need emergency
lighting?
Emergency lighting is needed in any building that can be
accessed by the public or where people are employed. In shared premises – such
as commercial buildings that house several businesses – exactly who is
responsible for the emergency lighting in different areas can vary, depending
on the lease. Changes to the premises that have been made by the leaseholder
(for instance, partition walls) can also affect who is responsible, so it is
worth advising your customers that they double check their terms and the date
of their last risk assessment to make sure they have the correct emergency
lighting in place. Emergency lighting is not needed in private dwellings or
privately occupied spaces, like flats, but is needed in communal areas and
escape routes.
Does emergency lighting need to be kept on at all times?
Is recessed better than surface mounted?
Not necessarily. Surface mounted emergency lights might make
you think of ugly, obtrusive fittings with bulky power packs, but battery
technology has changed in recent years and slim-line surface mounted emergency
lights are now available that won’t look out of place in most premises.
Surface-mounted can be convenient, cost-effective, reliable and
easy-to-install, especially if you want to minimise disruption to the premises
or you are installing in an awkward space, like a listed building.
How long do emergency lights need to stay on for?
This depends on the building’s purpose and how long it will
take to evacuate safely. In buildings where occupants may not be able to
evacuate immediately, like hotels, it must remain on for at least three hours.
In buildings that can be evacuated quickly and won’t need to be reoccupied
right away, it can be as little as one hour. A risk assessment will outline the
requirements for the project; your role is ensuring that the fittings you
install are up to the task.
Do I need to install emergency lighting in a small or
medium sized office or space?
Not necessarily, but it depends on more than just the size
of the space. Regulations state that small rooms (12m2 or under) or
medium sized rooms (60m2 or less) don’t need dedicated emergency
lighting, unless a risk has been identified such as equipment that needs to be
powered down safely. However, this changes if the office is used as part of an
emergency escape route from another occupied part of the building.
Can I be held liable for an emergency lighting design?
Every building will have a ‘Responsible Person’ who is
ultimately liable for the emergency lighting. This could be an individual –
such as building owner or facilities manager – or a limited company. The
‘person’ is then responsible for making sure competent persons have been employed
to carry out risk assessments, lighting design and installation. That said,
should an emergency lighting installation go wrong, the designer of the
installation could also find themselves at risk of being prosecuted for
non-compliance, so it is vital to make sure you are confident in your design
and that the right products are installed.
To find out more about our free lighting design service call our team on: 0800 195 0006