There is a common misconception surrounding school buildings and emergency lighting requirements. Some people believe that a school doesn’t need emergency lighting as the building is only used during daylight hours, therefore if there was a power failure there would be adequate natural light to escape. This is not correct. As part of your legal requirements and duty of care, it is your responsibility to ensure that people will be safe in the event of an emergency, this includes emergency lighting.
Schools are not exclusively used during the hours of daylight. Many schools hold after school clubs which are well attended. Support staff including cleaners and maintenance often come in after the pupils have gone home to carry out their work. Teachers often stay late or come in early to plan lessons or attend staff meetings. Some school premises are hired out during the holidays for extended day courses and holiday clubs. There are many instances where the school building is used during the hours of darkness, so it important that emergency lighting is present.
Emergency lighting provides back-up lighting when the power failures. There are different types of emergency lighting including anti-panic lighting and emergency escape route lighting, and it is important that you understand the traffic flow of people in your building, so that the correct type of emergency lighting can be installed. For example, dark corridors leading to stairwells require different lighting arrangements to large sports halls.
So not only is it vital that your school has emergency lighting but also imperative that it is the right type of emergency lighting and that it is regularly tested. Emergency lighting must be tested monthly in accordance with BS EN 50172:2004/BS 5266-8:2004. This is a short functional test; a longer annual test must also be carried out.
When you come to Black Pear Electrical we will work with you to ensure that your testing is carried out at a time that is convenient to you, for example in the holidays or evenings. We can also provide you with an extensive emergency lighting consultation so that you can be sure you have the correct lighting for your requirements. With Black Pear Electrical you can be safe in the knowledge that your work will be carried out by a dedicated, competent, highly skilled professional. To book your emergency lighting testing and consultation contact us today on 01905 700 490