Learn more about the required emergency light levels in different settings as stipulated in BS 5266.

If halogen lighting forms part or all of the emergency lighting systems you manage or maintain, you need to be aware that these fittings will begin to be phased out of the UK market from October 1st. For the full LIA response to the government's announcement, click here.

In order to comply with regulations emergency lighting is required in a number of specific escape-route and non escape-route areas. You need to ensure that your escape route is lit correctly and in the right places such as at every exit door or at any change of direction - but you also need to ensure certain equipment is also covered, such as fire manual call points and fire extinguishers. 

Our checklist graphic illustrates where emergency lighting in toilet facilities is and isn't recommended under BS 5266-1 2016.

BS 5266-1 states that toilet areas exceeding 8m2 or without borrowed light and those for use by disabled people, shall be provided with emergency lighting. 

Emergency lighting is lighting provided in the event of an emergency situation where a loss of power results in the failure of the normal illumination.

The loss of power to the normal illumination could occur due to fire or a power cut.  This could potentially lead to sudden darkness and pose a potential danger to the occupants of the building.

Emergency lighting is required to operate fully automatically and give illumination of a sufficiently high level to enable all occupants to evacuate the premises safely. Most new buildings now have emergency lighting installed during construction; the design and type of equipment being specified by the architect in accordance with current Building Regulations and any local authority requirements.

The British Standard provides the emergency lighting designer with clear guidelines to work to. BS 5266-1: 2011 embraces residential hotels, clubs, hospitals, nursing homes, schools and colleges, licensed premises, offices, museums, shops, multi-storey dwellings, etc.

Although this standard recommends the types and durations of emergency lighting systems relating to each category of premises, it should be remembered that the standards are the minimum safety standards for these types of building and that a higher standard may be required for a particular installation.

Emergency Lighting is a general term which can be split into five main distinctions.  

1) Emergency Escape Lighting is the lighting which provides sufficient illumination so that all occupants can evacuate in the event of an emergency situation, or attempt to terminate any potentially dangerous processes before evacuation.  Emergency Escape Lighting is part of the fire safety provision of a building and a requirement of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

2) Standby lighting is lighting which enables normal activities to continue substantially unchanged.  We won't cover standby lighting much more than this, as it is not a legal requirement and is a feature which may or may not be needed, and is dependant on the use of the premises.

3) Escape Route Lighting is lighting which ensures the means of escape can easily be identified.

4) Open Are or Anti-Panic lighting is part of the escape lighting system and provides enough illumination to allow occupants to reach an area where the means of escape can be identified.

5) High-risk Task area lighting is lighting which will provide sufficient illumination so that an operator can terminate a potentially dangerous process or carry out proper shut-down procedures before evacuating the premises.