If the power fails during a fire, people still need to see their way out. Emergency lighting comes on automatically when the normal lighting fails, lighting up escape routes, exits and safety equipment, powered by batteries.

What the Law Says

Across the UK, fire safety law requires escape routes and exits that need lighting to have emergency lighting that works if the normal lighting fails. Your fire risk assessment decides where it's needed. The British Standard is BS 5266-1:2025, which replaced the 2016 edition.

Types of Emergency Lighting

  • Escape route lighting – lights corridors, stairs and exits.
  • Open area (anti-panic) lighting – for larger rooms, so people can find their way to an escape route.
  • High-risk task lighting – so someone can safely shut down dangerous machinery or a process.
  • Illuminated exit signs – part of the emergency lighting system.

Maintained or Non-Maintained?

  • Maintained – on all the time, and keeps working on battery if the mains fails. Used where normal lights may be dimmed, such as theatres and cinemas.
  • Non-maintained – only comes on when the mains fails. Common in workplaces.

How Long Must It Last?

Usually 3 hours. One hour is only acceptable where the building is evacuated straight away and not reoccupied until the batteries have recharged. Premises where people sleep need 3 hours.

Testing

  • Monthly – a quick functional test. Use the test key to cut the power briefly and check every light and sign comes on.
  • Every year – a full-duration test (usually 3 hours) by a competent person. Plan it for a quiet time – the batteries take about 24 hours to recharge.
  • Self-test lights test themselves automatically and log the results.
  • Record every test – see Fire Safety Log Books: What to Record.

Glow-in-the-Dark Signs

Photoluminescent signs are a great addition, but they're not a replacement for emergency lighting – they need light to charge and fade quickly in the dark. See Which Fire Safety Signs Do I Need?.

Worth remembering… your fire risk assessment is what decides what your premises need. This guide is general advice, not a substitute for it.

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