However if the fire has caused a power cut and the room is filling up with smoke, finding your way out may be a bit more tricky than you would have thought – regardless of how well you know the lay of the land.
And this is why emergency lighting systems are so important for the safety of your workforce, customers and on site visitors. We all pray that we never have to go through the dangers of a building fire but it can happen and this is when an emergency lighting system can become a truly priceless safety feature for your business.
Around a third of fire related deaths in the UK are because of gas, smoke and toxic fumes. So getting away from them as quickly as possible is so vital. So what does emergency lighting do?
Emergency lighting is as the name suggests, lighting to be used in the event of an emergency. There are different types of emergency lighting available that businesses can choose from.
Illuminated emergency exit lights glow green and are used to highlight emergency exit doors or point towards the nearest exit.
Bulkhead emergency lighting is a system of lights fitted in the ceiling that provides light to the emergency route. This system ensures that there is enough light so that people evacuating the building in the event of a fire can see where they are going. Studies have also shown that this can help to reduce the level of panic as people leave the building and cuts down the chances of other accidents as people rush to leave. Bulkhead lighting systems need to be placed along the centre line of an escape route. This is not about aesthetics, this is about ensuring that in the event of a fire, people can clearly and easily see where they are going as they head to an emergency exit.
In the UK, the Regulatory Reform Order of 2005 states that:
“Emergency routes and exits must be indicated by signs; and emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in the case of failure of their normal lighting.”
Emergency lighting needs to be checked on a regular basis to ensure that it is in good working order. Annual emergency lighting tests need to be carried out by trained Fire Alarm Servicing Companies like ourselves.
Emergency lighting test results need to be recorded and any faults in the system need to be noted and resolved as soon as possible.
Emergency exits need to be clear of any obstructions and passageways needs to be clear of objects that can slow people down or are deemed trip hazards during a building evacuation.
Our Fire & Security Services are backed up with NSI Gold and NSI Fire Gold accreditation so that HF Fire & Security can operate to the highest possible industry standard and guidelines across the UK. Combining this with the in house knowledge and service level capabilities means that trusting HF Fire & Security can take care of all your fire and security services throughout the year and throughout the country.
To find out more about Emergency Lighting Systems, please contact us today.
HF Group February Safety News Our Safety Priority At HF, safety is always at the core of everything we do. Each month, we spotlight a key safety concern to raise awareness and enhance safety standards across our divisions. For February 2025, we are revisiting and reinforcing the key themes of on-site safety with a continued […]