Emergency Lighting Installations
Lara can ensure your Emergency Lighting System installation meets all regulatory requirements. It must be designed to illuminate designated escape routes for emergency situations in a development when the main power supply fails. Your emergency lighting system must supply adequate lighting levels along escape routes, clearly illuminating directional displays to the nearest designated exit, and illuminating all life safety systems such as fire extinguishers etc.
Types of emergency lighting
Most emergency light fittings fall into one of the following categories:
Non-maintained
The emergency light units only illuminate in the event of a mains failure.
Maintained
The emergency light units are illuminated at all material times using the same lamps for both normal and emergency operation.
Sustained
The emergency light units are fitted with two lamps or two sets of lamps. One of which operates on mains 240V AC supply, the other which operates from the battery supply in the event of mains failure.
Regulatory requirements
The requirement to provide emergency lighting systems is enshrined in various pieces of legislation:
- The Fire Services Act 1981-2003
- Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act 2005
- Building Regulations (TGD: B) 1997-2020
The National Standard for designing and installing emergency lighting systems is I.S.3218:2023 and is the minimum requirement for design purposes. Within this code, reference is made to a number of normative standards which must also be complied with.
Key requirements outlined in the standards include:
Minimum lighting levels:
Minimum light level of 1 Lux on all defined escape routes (e.g. Centre line of Corridor).
In areas of high risk the maintained illuminance on the task area plane shall not be less than 15 Lux
Minimum light level of 0.5 Lux on all undefined escape routes (e.g. Open plan area).
A minimum illuminance level of 5 Lux to the vertical (face of equipment/device) on all fire-fighting equipment, Manual Call Points, Fire Alarm Panels, First Aid Posts and Electrical Distribution Panels. In order to obtain the required lighting level an emergency fitting is required above locations.
Points of emphasis when locating
Emergency Fittings:
Exit sign above all exit doors
Near stairs so that each flight of stairs receives direct light. (Near is deemed to be within 2 meters)
Near any change of level
Any change of direction
At each intersection of corridors
Near each final exit and outside the building to a place of safety
A bulkhead near all exit signs
Near escape equipment provided for the disabled, disabled refuges, disabled refuge panels and call points
