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BS 5266-1:2005 - emergency lighting is the Code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises:
BS 5266-1:2005 is applicable to all types of premises, except for domestic dwellings. However, it is also applicable to common access routes in multi-storey dwellings, such as blocks of flats. This edition, which also covers emergency lighting in cinemas (and replaces CP 1007:1955 - maintained lighting for cinemas), incorporates changes necessitated by the publication of BS EN 50172, but does not represent a full revision of this standard.
BS 5266-1:2005 also covers electrical emergency lighting systems as well as giving guidance and recommendations on the design, installation and wiring of emergency lighting systems to meet the requirements of the European standards BS EN 1838 and BS EN 50172.
BS 5266-1:2005 gives information and guidance on the categories of emergency lighting systems and their suitability for premises with different types of occupants. The characteristics of emergency lighting systems and the lighting levels that they have to deliver are now covered by BS EN 50172 and BS EN 1838, respectively.
Who should use BS 5266-1? They are:
- Designers
- Installers
- Building owners
- Emergency services
- Builders
- Contactors
- Architects
- Town planners
- Luminaire manufacturers.
BS 5266-1:2005 (ISBN: 0 580 46820 8) is available from www.bsi-global.com
BS 5266-10:
The current BS 5266-1 is not changing. However, to cover the application of emergency lighting in premises needing to comply with new fire safety legislation, BS 5266-10, which gives specific application guidance, is being published.
The main subjects covered are:
- Advice on the light levels response times and appropriate light levels of emergency lighting to cover specific application hazards that occur in a supply failure (BS 5266-1 concentrates mainly on the values needed just to evacuate the building). Typical areas covered are those such as kitchens, in order to provide sufficient light for the cooks to put down hot dishes safely and make sure that all cooking supplies are off before they evacuate the building.
- Answers to frequently asked questions to BS 5266-1 that may be useful to others.
- A checklist and guide for engineers, in order to assess an existing installation to provide a report on whether it meets current standards. This item has been requested by fire officers and building control departments.
With regard to 3) above, in the past, once a building passed inspection and was granted a fire certificate under the Fire Precautions Act, it did not need to be updated. Now, that Act has been revoked and fire certificates are not valid under the new Fire Safety Order (FSO). Under the FSO, the 'responsible person' has to ensure that his fire safety precautions compensate for the risks in his premises. To do this he/she needs documentation on the state of the emergency lighting concerned.
Ideally, when the emergency lighting has been installed, he/she will have design, installation and verification certificates signed by the competent engineers who did the work - supported by current test records. However, because many older installations will not have this documentation available, the new Part 10 provides a report form for a competent engineer to complete, so as to assess the systems compliance with the Government's guides. This also enables them to advise on any upgrades needed. The responsible person should then use this report as part of the supporting data for their risk assessment, and its implications need to be considered in the production of an associated fire safety action plan.