Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, every employer is required to carry out a risk assessment to identify any risks to people who enter the employer’s premises. Having identified the risks, the employer is required to take action to safeguard the occupants of the building. These actions need to include the provision of safe means of escape, including where necessary, emergency lighting. If you are unsure of whether you need emergency lighting in your building, contact us to discuss your requirements.
If you do need to provide emergency lighting, there are different types of lighting depending upon the building and its design. It is important that the emergency lighting used is correct for the area, else its efficacy will be reduced. There are five main types of emergency lighting: emergency lighting, emergency escape lighting, emergency escape route lighting, open area (anti-panic) lighting and high-risk task area lighting.
Emergency lighting provides safety lighting, when normal lighting fails. It should provide prompt, automatic, and timely lighting in a specified area.
Emergency escape lighting enables safe exit from a building in the event of main power failure to the normal lighting system.
Emergency escape route lighting provides visual markers towards safe exits from the building, such as fire door, as well as, in some instances, indication of the location of firefighting and safety equipment.
Open area or anti-panic lighting is to assist with the safe movement of people through the building to the exits. This consists of items such as direction markers, to help prevent panic in certain areas of the building.
High-risk task area lighting provides support in hazardous areas during the evacuation process, as well as enabling shut down procedures in specific areas.
Most buildings require a combination of the different types of emergency lighting to make the evacuation process as safe as possible for the building’s occupants. It is important to understand how the flow of people will travel through the building, so that you can ensure that you have identified high-risk areas.
At Black Pear Electrical we understand the importance of correctly situated and fitted emergency lighting. We can also undertake testing of existing emergency lighting, and advise if upgrades are needed to your existing set-up. If you are unsure of the requirements for your building, contact us today for advice. To book your emergency lighting testing call us now on 01905 700490
