Now, with the passing of the new Building Safety Bill, it’s clear that the industry must do everything they can to make the buildings where we live and work as safe as possible. In addition, there must be clear evidence that they have strived to do so.

Within this renewed focus on consideration, emergency lighting’s role is being brought to the forefront. The scope of importance when it comes to lighting for safety cannot be understated.

In the event of a mains failure, the lighting system should provide adequate lighting levels and directional indication to allow the occupant to move safely around and exit the building without accident or injury. It is the responsibility of the building owner, occupier or manager to ensure compliance.

Breaking the spec

For too long, lighting has remained an aspect of building design where projects can often choose to go with low-quality solutions over high quality ones.

Now, with the emphasis on delivering safety, those involved with new and renovated buildings must always adhere to technical and legal requirements. With emergency lighting products, the installer should bear in mind the area itself and select the most appropriate solution to meet those requirements. Manufacturers are legally obliged to have key product data available.

While the new Bill will undoubtedly change the general approach, but industry leaders and electrical must also work in collaboration. This is so that they, alongside contractors, building managers are aware of the requirements of emergency lighting - ensuring that this vital building safety system is fit for purpose.

Lighting for safety

Emergency lighting must meet high standards set in four distinct aspects: legal requirements, risk assessments, product design and maintenance. Emergency Lighting is essential for the safety of occupants in all buildings where people meet. Under the Regulatory Reform Order (Fire Safety) 2005 it is a legal requirement and should be installed and tested in line with BS 5266:1 2016.

Across these aspects, considerations must be made to ensure that occupants of the building benefit from them. Emergency lighting is geared around the safety of human life. High output emergency luminaires must be put in place, all with proof of the evidence of the process.

Partnering with a specialist lighting provider such as Tamlite will provide the most direct route to achieving an emergency infrastructure that is fit for purpose. Together, we can all play a key role in constructing a culture of responsibility, providing the way forward to a brighter, safer future.

Tamlite - Lighting for Emergency

Tamlite understands that emergency lighting is a key priority for facility managers. As a result, we ensure that all luminaires and system designs are compliant with British lighting standards, providing sufficient illumination for building occupants in the event of a loss of mains power.

Discover our emergency product range on the website.