There are different types of emergency lights; some function as a normal light and others only as an emergency light. You should know what type of emergency light you need to install. For example; do you want a maintained emergency light (stays on constantly) or a non-maintained emergency light? For more information read our blog on maintained or non-maintained lighting.
As the responsible person it is your legal obligation to ensure that emergency lighting is installed. Covering all the escape routes and exits from every area of the building with a minimum backup duration of up to 3 hours.Emergency lighting is essential to light escapes routes for emergency evacuations when normal mains-power failure. Power outages are likely in a fire / flood due to electrical damage.
Emergency lighting lights the way to guide occupants to the nearest exit
When installing emergency lights, take into account any hazards along the evacuation route, such as corners, stairways or uneven flooring. You must also ensure that fire alarm call points and equipment used for firefighting, such as extinguishers or fire blankets, are adequately illuminated to be easily seen or located. Some areas will require continued operation (e.g. a chemical processing room, operating theatre etc); higher continued lighting requirements must be considered in these areas.
A sub-category of emergency lighting is fire exit signs, which are green ‘running man’ signs with arrows that guide people towards the nearest exits. These are either internally lit or if sufficient other lighting is available, they can be photoluminescent. These ‘glow-in-the-dark’ signs store energy from either natural or artificial light and releases this stored energy when the light source is no longer there, emitting a yellow / green glow to illuminate the text on the sign.
You should refer to your fire risk assessment to ensure that you have covered all the essential fire escape routes and addressed any hazards on your site that were highlighted in this assessment. It is a legal requirement to carry out a fire risk assessment and you should refresh this assessment if the activities within your premises change or if significant changes to the layout are made. You can find authoritative guidance in the government's fire risk assessment guides.
As with all fire safety equipment, regular testing of your emergency lights must be carried out to ensure that it is working correctly. You should test that the lights are triggered when the mains supply is cut, and also that all the lights are illuminated as they should be. This can be done with the use of a fish key.
You will need to test your lighting once a month and ensure that a full discharge test is carried once a year. Log the results as any other fire safety equipment tests in your fire safety logbook.
If you would like to know more about emergency lighting our emergency lighting guides can provide you with useful information.
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Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.
The installation of maintained or non-maintained emergency lighting should be decided based upon building type, its occupants and its usage.
What is the difference between maintained and non-maintained emergency lights?
Maintained Lights
Maintained emergency lighting is on at all times. These lights are mains powered and used as part of the normal room lighting system. However, should the mains power fail, it will stay lit for a specific duration powered by a back-up battery.
Maintained lighting could include lit fire exit signs, bulkhead lighting or recessed downlights.
This type of emergency lighting is generally used in non-residential places of public assembly such as leisure centres, cinemas, shopping centres etc. In public venues where the normal lighting is often dimmed e.g. cinemas, theatres or bars, maintained luminaries are always required.
Non-maintained Lights
Non-maintained lightingonly comes on for a specific duration when the power supply to normal artificial lighting fails. These light fittings are powered by a battery that is charged from a constant trickle of mains power. This battery should have enough charge to remain lit for a duration of 3 hours if the mains power fails. Regular testing of emergency lighting is required to ensure that it is working and will be effective in an emergency. Read more about testing and maintenance.
Non-maintained emergency lights are normally suitable for buildings which are usually lit when occupied, for example, workplaces, offices, and schools.
Can an emergency light fitting be both maintained AND non-maintained?
Yes. Maintained emergency light fittings or signs used as part of a normal room lighting system can also be wired to perform as a non-maintained fitting if required. This especially useful if your property has multiple uses, where you have a mix of maintained and non-maintained lighting requirements, only one type of light needs to be purchased. Many maintained fittings are available as switchable units, meaning they can be switched between maintained and non-maintained modes using an ordinary light switch. However, non-maintained light fittings cannot be wired for use in maintained operation.
If you are unsure which emergency lighting is best for your environment, it is best practice to conduct a fire risk assessment. This must be conducted by a ‘competent person’. A specialist risk assessor will advise the most suitable option in line with the current regulations if your organisation cannot complete this in house.
Watch our video to learn the difference between maintained and non-maintained emergency lighting
Which type of emergency lighting do I need?
British Standards guidelines 5266-1:2011 requires emergency lighting to be installed in all high occupancy residential, public or commercial buildings. It outlines the duties of the ‘Responsible Person‘ and focuses on emergency lighting fixtures ensuring escape routes are illuminated when the mains power fails. There are often more specific requirements given by local authorities in each area; check your local government website for more information.
Whether maintained or non-maintained emergency lighting is needed is largely a question for fire risk assessors based on each individual property. If non-maintained lighting is deemed sufficient, it is also worth considering the reduced environmental impact and lower energy cost of using non-maintained lighting over time.
There are various British Standards that set out the regulations for emergency lighting where further guidance can be sought:
BS5266-1Code of practice for emergency lighting of premises sets out general guidance on what emergency lighting should be provided in each environment
BS EN 50172 / BS 5266-8Emergency escape lighting systems details minimum emergency lighting provision and testing for each type of environment
If you are the owner, landlord, employer or occupier of a business premises, including offices, you are responsible for fire safety under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and are known as the ‘responsible person’. Accordingly, as the responsible person in your office, you must:
Identify risks from the fire risk assessment, and put measures in place to reduce or manage them
Inform staff of the risks ,and of their responsibilities to ensure good fire safety is achieved
Ensure adequate fire safety measures have been put in place and maintain them
Have an appropriate fire safety procedure and communicate this to staff and visitors
Provide training to staff to ensure they know what to do in the event of a fire
Office Fire Risk Assessments
Office fire safety depends upon a comprehensive risk assessment
Fire risk assessments are mandatory for all offices. This must be followed up with the mitigation of identified risks and a comprehensive evacuation plan for the premises. Because risks can change, the FRA should be reviewed frequently and documented and reconducted if there is a change of use of the premises, or a fire safety incident occurs.
Fire risk assessments are important for the safety of employees and property. They provide a detailed review of your office space to identify fire risks and provide recommendations to either mitigate, reduce, or manage them.
Alternatively, you could instead, you can book a professional fire risk assessment for your office. Following this, you will receive a comprehensive fire risk assessment and detailed guidance should any recommendations for improvement be required.
What fire safety measures are required in an office?
To ensure that you are meeting all your legal obligations you will need to look at the following areas:
Are your emergency evacuation routes and exits clear from hazards and well signposted?
Do you have adequate means to detect a fire and warn others?
Do you have appropriate fire fighting equipment and is it in the right place?
Are any dangerous substances stored correctly?
Think about the people who are in your office (both staff and visitors), particularly those with mobility issues
Provide fire safety information and training
Evacuation and exit signage in offices
Photoluminescent fire escape route signs
Staff escaping a building must be visually directed to the safest and fastest route leading to the nearest fire exit., hence emergency lighting, is mandatory. Likewise, installing photo-luminescent (glow in the dark) fire escape route signs helps to ensure that the exit route is clearly visible. This ensures that even if the mains power fails, all escape route signs, stairs, and uneven floors are lit sufficiently for safe escape.
Carrying out regular fire drills in an office helps to ensure that all staff know what to do if the fire alarm goes off. Ensure that you also include practising alternative routes, so that staff are prepared in the event that their nearest fire escape is blocked by fire. Every member of staff must be made aware of where the nearest fire exits are and which routes to take when exiting the building. The induction of new staff members should therefore include a ‘fire walk’. This enables you to show staff all the fire escape routes and where firefighting equipment is located.
Further to this, your evacuation plan should include guidance for the evacuation of staff and visitors with reduced mobility. This could be due to a long-term condition such as low-sight or wheelchair use, or a temporary illness or injury. Evacuation chairs offer a safe and easy solution to ensure that everyone can escape safely in the event of a fire. Because these are considered to be medical equipment, staff who would be expected to operate this device in an emergency must recieve specialist training.
Fire extinguishers installed in officed can be used to prevent small fires from becoming catastrophic, or to assist in safe escape from a building on fire. Staff should be encouraged to use these fire extinguishers only if they have been trained, and only if does not put them in any danger.
Water Mist fire extinguishers are safe for use on live electrical fires
It is paramount that you have the correct type of fire extinguisher or extinguishers to tackle every type of fire that could occur in your office. The types of combustible material that your office requires cover for will be identified by the fire risk assessment. If you are still unsure of which type of fire extinguisher you need in your office you can book a fire extinguisher site survey
In most office settings, only type A (solid combustibles) are a risk. Where this is the case, Water Mist Fire Extinguishers, which are suitable for use on fires involving electrical equipment, are a versatile solution. These units use deionised water to fight fires, meaning that they are non-toxic and safe for use indoors, while having just one type of extinguisher improves the confidence of staff to use the equipment in an emergency – they don’t have to make a decision about what type of extinguisher to use.
Installing extinguishers in offices
Ensure that your extinguishers are commissioned and installed by a service engineer at your premises. You will also need the correct signage and to ensure that they are hung in the correct location.
Fire Extinguisher maintenance
All extinguishers must have a monthly visual check to ensure that there is no visible damage to the unit:
Are there any signs of damage to the exterior?
Are there any blockages in the hose?
Are there any signs the extinguisher has been tampered with?
Is the extinguisher pressurised?
If you have steel extinguishers installed, you must also ensure that an annual service is carried out by a trained engineer in accordance with the British Standards.
By installing P50 Service Free Water Mist extinguishers in your office when your steel extinguishers reach the end of their life, this annual service is not required.
Instead, a yearly visual inspection by a competent member of staff is sufficient. This must be documented in your fire safety log book. Service-Free extinguishers therefore reduce costs and administrative work associated with booking servicing, as well as the carbon footprint of your organisation, because an external engineer is not required to travel to your site.
Fire alarms and manual call points in offices
The responsible person must ensure that there is an adequate fire detection systemin place. The size, configuration and use of your office will define what sort of fire alarm system you require.
Ensure that employees know to activate the nearest manual call point if they discover a fire. This activates the alarm system, which alerts all staff to the fire. New staff must be shown the call points during their induction period.
Generally, where multiple organisations share the same building, this has implications for fire safety. Therefore, you should ensure that there is a system in place to notify all building occupants to a fire.
Free fire safety log book for offices
We offer a free online log book, with custom reminders. Keeping an online log book will ensure that it is protected in the event of a fire. It is essential that you keep a record of all your fire safety checks and fire drills in a fire safety log book.
CO detectors, or carbon monoxide alarms, are essential for the detection of a deadly gas, carbon monoxide (CO). This gas cannot be seen, tasted or smelt and is only detected with the use of co detectors. It is produced through the incomplete combustion of fuel, such as gas, wood, coal and oil. If your carbon monoxide alarm is going off, do not assume it is a false alarm.
What to do when your carbon monoxide alarm is going off
You should assume that there is CO present and should follow these steps to ensure your safety.
Stay calm, open doors and windows to increase ventilation
Where safe to do so, turn off any fuel-burning appliance
Leave the premises and notify other occupants of the potential carbon monoxide leak (you should also notify any occupant of premises adjoined to your home as CO can seep through walls and floors
Call Gas Emergency Services 0800 111 999 or a local Gas Safe Registered Engineer to check for the source of carbon monoxide
The main symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are:
Persistent Headaches
Having persistent dull headaches and tension type headaches.
Dizziness
Having waves of dizziness or feeling light headed and off balance.
Nausea / Vomiting
Feeling like you need to be sick (nausea) and actually being sick (vomiting).
Stomach Pains
Pains in your stomach or lower abdomen, sometimes accompanied by diarrhoea.
Difficulty Breathing
Sudden shortness of breath or difficulty breathing (dyspnoea).
Tiredness
Having no energy or feeling tired, sleepy, lethargic and sluggish.
Sudden Collapse
Sudden collapse, seizures or loss of consciousness.
Confusion
Confusion, difficulty concentrating and becoming easily irritated.
What causes CO detector false alarms?
A false alarm is when your CO detector alarms and where no carbon monoxide is detected by your engineer. There could be several reasons for this, which can often be easily resolved:
Cause of alarm
What to do
The carbon monoxide detected did not come from your own appliances but may have seeped through the walls or floor from a neighbour.
Check if your neighbours have fuel-burning appliances that might emit carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide might escape from chimney stacks allowing the toxic gas to enter your premises via a joint loft space.
The replace-by date may have been exceeded.
Most CO alarms are only effective for 5-10 years. Once expired, they can sound erratically, or not sound when they should, The expiry date for each unit can be found on the information sticker on the back of the unit.
Excessive moisture from a bathroom may set off your CO alarm.
CO alarms can be corrupted by steam, and therefore shouldn’t be installed in bathrooms. If your CO alarm is repeatedly triggered by steam, it may become ineffective, and should be replaced.
Lead acid battery chargers produce hydrogen gas which sets off CO detectors.
If you are charging your caravan or boat battery at home, this could set off your CO alarm. Once you have made sure that the alarm is false, it is safe to ignore the alarm in this scenario, but remain vigilant for other signs. If this happens often, invest in a CO alarm with a digital display to assess the level of risk when the alarm sounds.
Freshly screeded floors emit a gas that sets off carbon monoxide alarms.
If your floors have just been screeded, and you have made sure that the alarm is false, it is safe to ignore the alarm in this scenario, but remain vigilant for other signs.
The carbon monoxide alarm that you have installed may not be suitable for the type of premises
For example if it is installed in a caravan, tent, boat or living quarters of a horsebox you will need to ensure that your alarm is Kitemarked to BS EN50291-2. Alarms tested to BS EN50291-1 are only for use in home environments and are not suitable for camping and caravanning.
Smoking indoors
A heavy smoker in a poorly ventilated room the CO from smoking may trigger an alarm. It is recommended to open a window if possible to improve ventilation. If this happens often, invest in a CO alarm with a digital display to assess the level of risk when the alarm sounds.
Homes that are adjacent to very busy roads may experience higher levels of CO in the home when windows are open as traffic fumes may enter the room and set your alarm off.
If this causes persistent false alarms, invest in a digital CO alarm, allowing you to see a live CO reading. You can then determine the level of risk. For example, if the reading is high, there is probably a leak. However, if it has just tipped over the threshold due to air pollution, the alarm can be ignored/silenced without having to get an engineer in to check for a leak.
The sound that your alarm is making may not be the alarm sound to alert you that there are dangerous levels of CO present.
Most alarms have several audible sounds to indicate things such as low battery warning or that there is a fault with the alarm. Keep the manual safe so that you can refer to it should the alarm go off.
Buying a CO detector
You should have a carbon monoxide detector in every room where there is a solid fuel burning appliance. Only chose CO detectors that have met the rigorous testing standards of the European standard EN50291. These alarms provide peace of mind that this vital alarm has been manufactured and tested to the highest standards. Moreover, investing in a CO detector with a digital display also provides peace of mind, as it allows you to assess the situation when an alarm goes off. This is particularly useful if you have had persistent false alarms due to pollution, smoking, or other external factors, as it allows you to check the reading to assess the level of risk before calling an engineer to check for a leak.
If you are unsure if you have the correct carbon monoxide alarm installed our customer care team are here to help. You can call them on 0800 612 6537 or email support@safelincs.co.uk.
Angie Dewick-Eisele is co-founder of Safelincs Ltd, one of the leading fire safety providers in the UK. Angie was Marketing Manager for many years and as Director is these days responsible for Content Management.
Is your smoke alarm beeping in the night and keeping you awake, or disturbing your day? Whether you have mains powered, interlinked smoke alarms, or battery powered smoke alarms, follow our guidance below to troubleshoot the beeping.
First check there is no smoke or fire in your property
Make sure the beeping is definitely coming from your smoke alarm. Other alarms in the property such as a carbon monoxide alarm or burglar alarm could be responsible for the noise.
Clean the alarm if it is dusty or dirty. Vacuum around the alarm or use a hairdryer to blow out dust on a cool setting.
Replace by date on back of smoke alarm
Check the replace by or manufacture date on your alarm. Smoke alarms usually last for a maximum of 10 years, so if the manufacturing date is approaching 10 years or more than 10 years, it’s time to get a new smoke alarm. Sensors inside the alarm deteriorate after this time causing the alarm to be less effective.
Check the position of your alarm. There are different types of smoke alarm suitable for specific locations in your home. Find out more below about positioning your alarm.
Your smoke alarm may be damaged or have developed a fault. Exposure to water, fire, grease and certain types of paint can cause a fault to develop. If there is a fault, replace your smoke alarm immediately to protect your home and family.
Smoke alarm chirping intermittently
Replace the battery* in your smoke alarm. Ensure you are using the correct battery type and are inserting it the correct way around. If the battery is low, it is more likely to sound at night as a drop in room temperature can impact the battery’s ability to power the alarm.
Check the manufacture date on your alarm. Smoke alarms usually last for a maximum of 10 years, so if the manufacturing date is approaching 10 years or more than 10 years, it’s time to get a new smoke alarm. Sensors inside the alarm deteriorate after this time causing the alarm to be less effective.
Your smoke alarm may be damaged or have developed a fault. Exposure to water, fire, grease and certain types of paint can cause a fault to develop. If you suspect a fault, replace your smoke alarm immediately to protect your home and family.
How to stop wired alarm chirping intermittently
* All new or recently extended homes should have mains powered, interlinked alarms fitted which also have a back-up battery. Intermittent chirping in mains-powered alarms is often caused by low power in the back-up battery.
Replacement batteries for smoke alarms
Smoke alarms usually require either Alkaline AA batteries, an Alkaline 9V battery or a Lithium 9V battery. Buy replacement smoke alarm batteries as soon as possible to ensure that your family would be alerted to a fire in your home.
Mains powered smoke alarm need replacing?
Whether your smoke alarms are mains powered or battery powered, they should be replaced after 10 years due to a deterioration of the sensors. Battery alarms are easily changed and installed, but how do you replace a mains powered alarm? Most mains powered alarms can be replaced without the need for an electrician if you purchase the exact same model, if still available, or an Easichange® replacement where applicable.
Discontinued smoke alarm need replacing?
If you need to purchase a replacement alarm, but find that your existing model has been discontinued, we have a dedicated collection of replacement smoke and heat alarms. This range consists of models specifically chosen to be the simplest, most direct replacement alarms that can often be installed without the need for an electrician.
The type of sensor an alarm has determines where it should be positioned in the home. False alarms may be due to the wrong alarm type being used in or near a steamy, dusty or smoky environment.
Heat alarms are more suited to areas such as the kitchen or garage that are often smoky or dusty. Other types of sensors would be prone to false alarms in these areas.
Optical smoke alarms are ideal for bedrooms, living rooms and ground floor hallways.
To avoid causing false alarms or affecting the performance of an alarm, it is good practice to avoid installing alarms in the following locations:
Next to a door, window, air vent or fan that would create a draft
Outside
Anywhere that airflow would be obstructed by curtains or furniture
Locations that are steamy or humid such as a shower room
Always ensure you act as quickly as possible to change or replace a defective smoke alarm to keep your home and family safe. If you require any further assistance, contact our customer service team on 0800 612 6537 or email support@safelincs.co.uk.
