When a fire occurs, and the power supply fails the first thing you need to do is evacuate as fast and safe as you can. This is why it is crucial to have strong emergency lighting. With no such lighting, the ability to locate a way out of a building, no matter how well you know its layout, will be far more difficult.

Further to that, not only emergency lighting is very useful, but also required by law as part of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

What is emergency lighting?

When emergencies result in a loss of power, emergency lighting remains on to guide you safely to the closest way out of the building.

Following a power cut, the emergency lighting will remain on until 3 hours to ensure that anyone in the building has long enough to find a way out. Once power has been restored, then the light will recharge itself so that they can continue to work should they be needed again.

You will find the above emergency lighting over exit signs, fire safety equipment, exits, escape routes and staircases. Emergency lighting is an important step in providing effective fire safety in your place. To find Groundwork companies Bristol to install emergency lighting, visit a site like Chew Valley Construction, a leading Groundwork companies Bristol

This is very important especially for commercial and industrial buildings. Examples include nursing homes, hotels, offices, and factories that have high numbers of people coming in and out of the building and the layout is more complex.

When fire breaks and the lights go out, it is natural to feel panic especially if thick smoke fills the room. Finding a way out of the building without effective lighting to guide you can be difficult. Without emergency lighting, is almost impossible.

The responsible person should also consider any possible obstacles and debris hampering evacuation. This is why the escape route should be checked regularly but it also highlights the importance of emergency lighting.

Without a clear view, this can cause real injuries and further impede your evacuation. Emergency lighting will illuminate the route, helping to highlight the dangers of this so that any injuries can be avoided.

Types of emergency lighting systems

There are four main types of emergency lighting to choose from:

Escape route lighting

Open area lighting

Task lighting in high risk areas

Standby lighting

Escaping Route Lighting

Escape route lighting is also known as bulkhead lighting and helps to provide the most secure and fastest way to get out in a fire. These lights are installed in the ceiling to light the way, helping you to avoid obstacles.

Open Area Lighting

In some countries, this is called anti-panic lighting. The main benefit is to reduce panic by providing more information for residents in the building so that they reach an exit safely.

High-Risk Task Area Lighting

For factories and other industrial buildings, high-risk area emergency lighting is essential. Workers who perform high-risk tasks, such as using a machine or working with tools, should have sufficient light to see what they are doing to allow for the safe shut down of equipment.

Standby Lighting

Lastly, in the case of a power outage, standby lighting can provide adequate lighting to ensure that normal activities can continue. This lighting, although not legally required like the above, is often powered by emergency generators but only needs to be considered depending on the type of building and its occupants.