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is designed to simulate a failure of normal lighting for sufficient time to allow all emergency luminaires to be checked for correct operation and signs of damage or deterioration and the results recorded in a log book.
• Annually – a test simulating the failure of the normal lighting supply for the full emergency duration (typically 3 hours) to ensure that the emergency luminaires can function for the full duration whilst maintaining their declared emergency output or ballast lumen factor figures. During this test, the batteries will be discharged, and the luminaires will not be fully operational until they have had time to recharge. Therefore, this test is normally carried out whilst the building is unoccupied and at periods of low risk.
Maintenance
Traditionally industry practice has been to replace the whole emergency fitting if it fails the annual test as it was believed that this was more economical than isolating the circuit to replace the faulty component, usually the battery. This often results in emergency fittings being replaced every 3 to 4 years, but by choosing a fitting that allows for easy removal for repair and upgrade and an accessible battery drawer, the life span of the unit can be considerably increased, reducing long-term maintenance and replacement costs. Keeping emergency lighting luminaires
clean is vital to lighting efficiency. Over time dirt, grease and the build-up of insects inside the light fitting can reduce the light levels and can reduce the illumination by up to 30%, potentially falling below minimum lighting levels. This could mean a test failure and result in a non-compliance.
Monitoring Solutions
There are systems available which will make the testing process easier and less expensive, the upfront costs are similar to installing a standard emergency lighting system, but the payback is the long-term maintenance and testing cost savings. • Self-test Emergency luminaires provide simple ‘stand-alone’ automatic testing and the result of the test is indicated through a bi-colour LED on the luminaire. Monthly checks will still need to be carried out by the responsible person and the test results recorded and entered into the log book. However, the benefit of this type of system is that the person recording the information is not
30 fmuk
fire authorities discover that the emergency lighting system is not fit for purpose or non-compliant, and that the system has not been properly maintained, the company could receive a hefty fine, often in the tens of thousands of pounds. If neglect is
required to be qualified as they will not be testing the system manually.
• Automatic Test Systems connect the emergency luminaires to a remote- control panel that collects the results centrally. These systems provide 24/7 monitoring, self-testing and reporting, including remote access to the status of every fitting, automatic record keeping and fault notification. These systems use a low voltage communication signal via an interface such as DALI and can be easily retro-fitted, providing regulatory compliance with minimal effort.
Specification
Compromising on the specification of a fitting at installation can lead to long term maintenance issues, impacting on health and safety. It is a requirement that luminaires chosen for self-contained emergency lighting include a local indicator which is visible in normal operation. These indicators are a valuable aid to maintenance in the first instance, as they provide an immediate indication of the health of the emergency luminaire and that the battery is being charged. If the indicator is green, the luminaire is healthy. They do not, however, negate the requirement for regular safety checks. Emergency lighting systems should be maintained on a regular basis to ensure they are fully functional, the batteries are fully charged and that their light sources remain operational. These checks should be carried out by a suitably qualified responsible person as determined in the fire safety order and the fire safety log book should be updated subsequently to each test. This will ensure that all fire safety legislation is adhered to and that the emergency lighting system remains fully operational, meeting fire safety requirements.
Legal Imperative
Since the introduction of the Fire Regulation Reform Order in 2005, the legal imperative for installing emergency lighting systems is the same as for the fire-alarm systems. Failure to comply with the correct installation of emergency lighting and to maintain the system could cost a business dearly. If
proven in terms of the standard of the installation or maintenance of emergency lighting, and leads to injury or worse, the ‘responsible person’ could face a custodial sentence. The law is drafted to place ulti- mate responsibility squarely with the owner of the property, but it also
names in the act a “responsible person”, who the owner of the property can appoint and delegate that responsibility to. That per- son is then required to make the necessary provision for emergency lighting, including undertaking risk assessments and having a proper fire safety schedule mapped out. Even if the owner delegates the responsibili- ty, they are still responsible for ensuring that the “responsible person” has been properly trained. The person responsible tends to be the Facilities Manager. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)
Order 2005 requires the installation of emergency and safety lighting and Article 12 of the regulation stipulates 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.” Any breaches of the Order are likely to result in the person responsible facing fines or imprisonment. For too long, emergency lighting has
been viewed as the poorer cousin to the main lighting scheme. Necessary as a legal requirement but ultimately detracting from the general ambience, and interfering with the aesthetics of the design whilst incurring extra expense. It needn’t be like this, however. In an era
of discrete LED light sources together with slim-line control gear fixtures, architectural designs, and effective spacing tables, the emergency lighting luminaires, if used sympathetically, often end up complimenting the designed scheme whilst bringing comfort and reassurance to building operators. To compromise the emergency lighting is to compromise the health and safety at work act, the Fire Safety Order and ultimately, the individual. Yes, there is a financial impact, but what
price can be attached to a human life? Unless we change our attitude to this safety critical system, and give it the respect that it deserves, all too familiar, tragic events associated with non-compliant commercial premises will continue to occur.
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