09/07/2020
The main purpose of emergency escape lighting is to illuminate paths and routes used for escape in the event of an emergency at a business premises. They form part of a safety plan that diverts staff, customers and clients away from the building and guides them to the correct assembly points to avoid hazards. All companies are required to have an emergency exit lighting installation, but what comprises of the system differs between businesses based on a few factors.
The Factors
The type and size of the building combined with the amount of risk the occupant’s face determine hoe complex an emergency lighting system needs to be. Typically, small and medium-sized buildings, such as an open plan hall or single-storey building, borrowed lighting from a reliable source can be used to illuminate escape paths where there is not a lot of traffic. Whereas high-risk areas such as kitchens or enclosed spaces where there is not a lot of light, single stand-alone lights must be installed together with exit or directional signs to guide individuals out of the building. In a more complex building such as a multi-storey or multiple occupancy building, a more comprehensive emergency escape lighting strategy is needed.
Types of Lighting
There are 2 main types of emergency escape lighting: maintained and non-maintained. Maintained is illuminated all of the time and non-maintained turns on when normal lighting fails. These run on a backup battery system which must have at least 3 hours of use to ensure that they stay lit when power fails. Emergency escape lighting can be in the form of standalone units or incorporated into the structure of the normal lighting. There are decorated versions of both of these units that are designed to be aesthetically pleased for areas that require.
For more information about emergency escape lighting call our team on 01782 595 600.