Emergency lighting helps illuminate an escape path when normal lighting fails. Exit signs identify exits or indicate the direction to them. They work together, but a visible exit sign does not establish that the route leading to it has adequate emergency illumination.
For a review of coverage, fittings and maintenance needs, see GMB’s emergency lighting installation and testing service.
Illuminating the route and identifying the destination
Corridors, stairs and changes of level can be difficult to navigate when ordinary lighting is lost. Emergency luminaires provide light for relevant areas under the conditions they are designed for. Exit signs communicate where people should go, including where the next exit is not immediately obvious.
Some products combine functions, but the appearance of a fitting is not enough to confirm the design meets a building’s needs. A competent assessment considers the layout and system as a whole rather than counting illuminated signs.
Why a fitout can change the requirement
A new partition can obscure a sign or alter a path of travel. Storage, racking and changed room uses can also affect visibility and coverage. Include emergency and exit lighting in the planning stage of a fitout rather than leaving them until ordinary lighting is finished.
For a leased office, clarify responsibility between the tenant and building management. Shared corridors and base-building systems may sit outside the tenancy’s immediate work area but still affect the project. The contractor needs the relevant drawings and access arrangements.
Normal appearance is not a battery test
A fitting that looks normal while mains power is present may not perform as intended when that supply fails. Professional inspection and testing assess operation and identify defects; the results and any follow-up work need to be recorded.
The appropriate maintenance programme depends on the building and applicable requirements. Ask for a site-specific schedule and records rather than relying on a generic interval from an article. Testing arrangements should also consider how battery operation and recovery affect the building’s emergency readiness.
What a building manager should prepare
Provide existing plans, previous test records, defect lists and details of recent layout changes. Identify access restrictions and who can approve repairs. A list of failed fittings is useful, but so is knowing whether previously raised defects were actually rectified.
At handover, request clear identification of the fittings checked, results, unresolved defects and recommended next actions. Electrical testing records support maintenance management; do not assume one contractor’s visit resolves every part of a wider building approval or fire-safety process.
- Confirm the scope covers emergency luminaires and relevant exit signs.
- Flag new partitions, altered paths and obstructed signs.
- Agree how failures will be prioritised and authorised for repair.
- Keep updated plans and maintenance records accessible.