Emergency lighting plays a critical role in building safety. It illuminates escape routes and safety equipment during a power outage or other emergencies, guiding occupants safely out of the premises. But ensuring these systems are working correctly isn’t a task left to chance. So, who checks emergency lighting? Let’s take an in-depth look.
The Critical Role of Emergency Lighting
Emergency lighting systems are a staple of modern safety regulations across a range of buildings – from residential complexes to commercial properties and public facilities. These systems kick into gear during a power failure, illuminating spaces to prevent panic, allowing for safe movement, and highlighting emergency exits.
It’s easy to underestimate the value of emergency lighting until an emergency occurs. Every second counts during a blackout or a fire, and confusion can lead to dangerous situations. Emergency lighting helps reduce this risk by guiding individuals to safety.
For this reason, maintaining these systems is not a mere recommendation but a requirement typically mandated by building codes and safety regulations.
Property Owners and Managers: The First Line of Defense
The property owners and managers are primarily responsible for checking emergency lighting systems. If you own a building, it’s your legal duty to ensure your property complies with all health and safety regulations. This duty involves ensuring your emergency lighting systems are in working order and regularly checked.
Property managers, if assigned by the owner, play a critical role in this process. Their duties include organizing regular inspections, conducting tests, maintaining logs, and coordinating repairs or professional inspections if needed.
Daily Checks
While it may sound like a daunting task, daily checks by property managers can be straightforward. These involve visually inspecting the emergency lighting fixtures to ensure they are in place, undamaged, and showing no signs of malfunction, such as an activated fault light. It’s a simple process, but catching issues early can be crucial in ensuring the system works when needed.
Monthly Testing
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and other regulatory bodies recommend a brief monthly test of the emergency lighting system. During this test, which should last about 30 seconds, the system is activated to confirm all lights turn on and function correctly. Property managers can perform this exercise and does not require professional electrical expertise.
Annual Testing
In addition to monthly tests, a full operational test is recommended annually. This test involves activating the emergency lighting system and letting it run for its full rated duration, usually 90 minutes, according to NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code. Given the longer duration and the need to confirm that all components of the system function correctly over this period, the annual test can be more challenging and time-consuming. Therefore, it is often best performed by a trained professional.
Professional Electricians and Inspectors: Safety Experts
While regular checks can be conducted by property owners and managers, professional electricians, and trained inspectors play a vital role in more comprehensive inspections and maintenance tasks.
Comprehensive Annual Inspection
An in-depth inspection of the emergency lighting system should occur at least annually. This inspection, often performed by a trained electrician or safety inspector, includes a full operation test and an examination of the system’s key components. These components include the batteries that provide power during an outage, the charging system that keeps the batteries ready, the bulbs, and the wiring connecting the system.
Qualified professionals are adept at spotting issues that may not be apparent to a layperson. They can perform necessary repairs or maintenance and provide guidance on enhancing system reliability and performance.
Certification of Compliance
In many jurisdictions, a professional must inspect and certify emergency lighting systems to ensure compliance with local codes. This process typically involves a detailed review of the system, including an operational test. Once the system passes this review, the inspector will issue a certification confirming compliance. This certification can provide assurance to property owners, occupants, and local authorities that the building is adequately prepared for power outage emergencies.
Fire Marshals and Safety Officers: The Enforcement Arm
Beyond property owners, managers, and professional electricians, fire marshals, and safety officers have a role to play in ensuring emergency lighting systems are up to code.
Regular Safety Inspections
Fire marshals conduct regular safety inspections for public and commercial buildings, checking various elements, including emergency lighting systems, to ensure they comply with local fire codes. These inspections help ensure building owners maintain safety standards and stay compliant with local laws.
Enforcement of Compliance
When a fire marshal or safety officer finds a violation during their inspection, including issues with emergency lighting, they have the authority to enforce remedial action. They can issue violation notices requiring property owners to correct any problems within a specified timeframe, ensuring the safety of the building’s occupants.
Importance of Maintaining Documentation
Proper documentation is essential regardless of who performs the checks—property managers, professional electricians, or fire marshals. Records of each check and test, including any problems identified and corrective actions taken, should be meticulously maintained. This documentation can serve as evidence of compliance during inspections. Plus, it can help identify recurring issues or trends over time, contributing to the system’s long-term performance and reliability.
Wrapping Up
Ensuring the proper functioning of emergency lighting systems is a collaborative task involving multiple stakeholders. It begins with the property owners and managers who perform regular checks and basic testing. It extends to professional electricians and inspectors who conduct in-depth inspections and certify compliance. It includes fire marshals and safety officers who enforce safety standards. Together, these parties work to ensure that when an emergency occurs, the lights stay on, guiding everyone to safety.
