Emergency lighting is designed to come on when the power to the building is cut off. They are self contained units which are wired to the mains but have a separate battery pack, enabling them to power the lights in the event of a power cut.

Emergency lighting uses high-intensity brightness directed towards a fire exit. The lightes are genereally low voltage which prolongs the life of the battery and the bulbs.

Categories of Emergency Lighting

Emergency escape lighting – that part of an emergency lighting system that provides illumination for the safety of people leaving a location or premises. It is part of the fire safety provision of a building and a requirement of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Standby lighting– an emergency lighting system that enables normal activities to continue substantially unchanged.

Escape route lighting – ensure that the means of escape can be clearly identified and safely used by occupants of the building.

Open area lighting (anti-panic lighting) – provided to minimise panic and ensure there is sufficient illumination to allow the occupants of a building to reach a place where an escape route can be identified.

High risk task area lighting – provides illumination for the safety of people involved in a potentially dangerous process or situation and to enable proper shut-down procedures for the safety of the operator and other occupants of the premises.