A failed light fitting during a power cut is more than an inconvenience if people need to find an exit, negotiate stairs or leave a building quickly. That is why the question, “when is emergency lighting required?”, matters to landlords, business owners and anyone responsible for shared premises. The answer depends on the building’s use, layout, fire risk assessment and the routes people would use to get to safety.
When is emergency lighting required?
Emergency lighting is generally required where the loss of normal electrical lighting could create a risk to people leaving a building or responding to an emergency. In practice, this commonly applies to non-domestic premises, the common areas of blocks of flats, HMOs, workplaces, shops, offices, public buildings and buildings used by the public.
In England and Wales, requirements may arise through Building Regulations, fire safety legislation and the findings of a suitable fire risk assessment. For most occupied commercial and shared residential buildings, the responsible person must take reasonable steps to ensure occupants can escape safely if normal lighting fails. Emergency escape lighting is often a key part of that provision.
There is no single rule that says every room needs an emergency fitting. A small, straightforward premises with good daylight and a very short, obvious exit route may need less coverage than a multi-storey office, restaurant or care setting. The starting point is always the level of risk, who uses the building, and what could happen if the lights went out.
Situations where it is commonly needed
Emergency lighting is usually installed along escape routes and in areas where people may be disoriented or exposed to danger during a loss of supply. This can include corridors, stairways, lobbies, final exits, changes of direction, intersections, ramps and areas outside exits where people need light to move away safely.
It is also commonly required in larger open areas where occupants may need to identify an escape route, such as sales floors, function rooms and open-plan offices. Toilets, first-aid rooms, plant rooms and rooms larger than a small domestic bathroom can also require consideration, particularly where there is no borrowed light or occupants could be isolated during an emergency.
Higher-risk task areas need particular attention. If someone is using machinery, working near moving equipment, handling hot processes or carrying out work where sudden darkness could cause immediate harm, emergency lighting may need to provide enough illumination to stop the task safely before evacuation.
The main categories considered in a proper design are:
- escape-route lighting, helping people follow a defined route to a place of safety;
- open-area or anti-panic lighting, helping people avoid panic and locate escape routes in larger spaces;
- high-risk task-area lighting, allowing dangerous processes to be shut down or made safe; and
- illuminated escape signs, where signs are needed to make exit directions clear.
The rules behind emergency lighting requirements
For new buildings, extensions and material changes of use, Building Regulations guidance can require suitable emergency escape lighting as part of the fire safety strategy. The precise provision should be considered alongside the building design rather than added as an afterthought.
For existing commercial premises, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on the responsible person in England and Wales. That person may be an employer, owner, landlord, managing agent or anyone with control of the premises. Their fire risk assessment should identify whether a failure of normal lighting would prevent safe evacuation.
British Standard BS 5266-1 is widely used to guide the design, installation and maintenance of emergency lighting systems. It helps determine fitting locations, light levels, testing arrangements and system duration. It is not sensible to select fittings simply because they look similar to existing lights. The right system must suit the building and the documented fire safety arrangements.
For landlords, the position varies. A typical single private dwelling is not normally subject to the same emergency-lighting obligations as a workplace or shared building. However, common escape routes in blocks of flats and HMOs may need emergency lighting where the fire risk assessment identifies it as necessary. Landlords should also be aware that alterations, conversions and changes in occupancy can change the level of provision required.
Maintained or non-maintained emergency lighting?
This is one of the most practical decisions when planning a system. A maintained emergency light operates as part of the normal lighting scheme and remains illuminated when the mains supply fails. It is often used in public areas, entertainment venues and premises where exit signs need to be visible at all times.
A non-maintained fitting is normally off during everyday use. It switches on automatically when the normal lighting supply fails. This is a common choice for back-of-house areas, offices, stairwells and escape routes that already have normal lighting.
Neither option is automatically better. The choice depends on the use of the area, the need for permanent sign illumination, the existing lighting arrangement and the recommendations of the fire risk assessment. In some buildings, a combination of maintained and non-maintained fittings provides the clearest and most economical solution.
Most emergency fittings include a battery designed to provide light for a specified period after a power failure. Three-hour duration is common, but the appropriate duration should be selected as part of the overall fire safety plan. A building that is immediately evacuated and remains unoccupied may have different needs from a premises that could need to be re-entered by trained personnel after an incident.
Where should fittings and exit signs go?
A compliant installation is about more than placing a few bulkhead lights above doors. Fittings need to illuminate the route itself, including potential hazards such as stairs, level changes and changes of direction. Exit signs need to be visible from the approach to a decision point, so occupants are not left guessing which way to turn.
Positioning is especially important in buildings with unusual layouts. Long corridors, split-level floors, external escape stairs and areas with high shelving can all affect visibility. Decorative finishes, partitions and later fit-outs can also block a sign or reduce the useful light on an escape route.
An experienced electrician will assess the existing electrical installation, emergency circuits, mounting positions and likely cable routes before recommending a system. Where appropriate, modern LED emergency fittings can reduce ongoing energy use and maintenance demands, while providing clear light when it is needed. The priority remains safety, not simply fitting the lowest-cost unit.
Testing and maintenance are part of the requirement
Emergency lighting cannot be treated as fit-and-forget equipment. Batteries degrade, charging circuits can fail and building changes may leave once-effective lighting in the wrong place. A system that looks fine during normal trading hours may not work when the mains supply is lost.
Routine testing is therefore essential. Monthly functional tests are commonly carried out to confirm that fittings switch to emergency operation. A longer annual duration test is also normally needed to establish that the batteries can support the system for its intended period. Tests should be planned carefully so occupants are not left without suitable cover, particularly in premises open late or used continuously.
A logbook should record tests, faults, corrective work and any changes to the system. This gives the responsible person evidence that the installation is being managed and helps identify recurring faults before they become a safety issue. If a fitting fails its test, it should be repaired or replaced without unnecessary delay.
Common mistakes that create avoidable risk
One frequent problem is relying on borrowed light from adjacent rooms or street lighting. That light may disappear during the same power failure, be blocked by a closed door, or simply be insufficient in smoke or poor visibility.
Another is installing emergency fittings during a refurbishment but failing to review them after partitions, racking, displays or new furniture have been added. The original fitting may still work perfectly, yet no longer illuminate the real escape route.
Businesses also sometimes confuse emergency lighting with standby lighting. Standby lighting supports normal activity after a power cut, perhaps through a generator or battery system. Emergency escape lighting has a different purpose: helping people reach safety. Some premises need both, but one does not replace the other.
Finally, do not assume a recent EICR is proof that emergency lighting design and testing requirements have been fully addressed. An EICR assesses the safety of the fixed electrical installation. Emergency lighting needs its own consideration, inspection and test records.
Getting the right advice for your premises
If you are opening a new business, converting a property, managing an HMO, upgrading a fire safety system or questioning whether your current emergency lights are adequate, arrange a proper assessment before problems arise. It is usually more cost-effective to plan the correct coverage during works than to alter ceilings, decorations and cable routes later.
Goodwin Electrical can provide practical advice on emergency lighting installations, upgrades, fault finding and testing arrangements for properties across Plymouth and the surrounding area. The aim is clear: a tidy, dependable system that supports your fire safety responsibilities without adding unnecessary complexity.
If normal lighting failed at the busiest point of your day, could every person in the building see a clear route to safety? That is the right question to ask before an emergency makes the answer urgent.