All business owners will be familiar with the concept of emergency lighting – but when the responsibility falls on your shoulders to arrange for the installation of emergency lighting in the workplace, only then do you realise how vast the choice is – and just how do you start looking for the right emergency lighting for your workplace?
The majority of workplaces already have some form of emergency lighting already installed but how do you know if this is the best available on the market today. There are many considerations to bear in mind here and these key decisions are best taken care of by a professional such as an architect, consultant or local authority. However if you have a small business, an electrician who specialises in lighting design and installation would also be happy to help.
The first consideration for emergency lighting is to think about the buildings location, type of business carried out there and the type of building itself. By obtaining a picture of the buildings use an electrician will be able to achieve the best design at the right price and which, most importantly meets the required legalities such as legislations, standards and codes of practice. Whilst considering the design process the electrician will also consider the lifetime of the products to be installed and the type of maintenance that needs to be carried out in order to obtain the best solution for your small business.
There are 3 types of emergency lighting systems that are used in the vast majority of installations:
* Non-Maintained – This is where the lights only come on in the event of a power failure
* Maintained – This is where the same lighting is used for both normal and emergency use.
* Sustained – this is where each light fitting contains more than one lamp. One lamp is used for normal everyday use the other is a battery back up which is used in the event of a complete power failure. In recent years, sustained emergency lighting is becoming less common.
Once installed, the emergency lighting will need to be regularly tested and maintained to ensure they continue to be in full working order. An electrician will also compile a log book which details all the information about each emergency light fitting which then enables future testers to locate each emergency fitting. It is a requirement that the log book contains details of all emergency fittings in the workplace.
By following best practice when having emergency lighting designed and installed in the workplace, you will ensure that everyone in the building is able to evacuate safely.