Types of Emergency Lighting Total Safe UK

There are different types of emergency lighting; maintained, non-maintained, and combined. When you have emergency lighting installed, you need to be checking that it remains in good working order. By doing so, you can ensure that everyone can safely exit a building in the event of an emergency. Any form of emergency lighting should also be operating at 1 lux and should last up to at least 90 minutes. Organisations are required to test their emergency lighting at least once a year for the full test duration to ensure that the emergency lighting lasts up to the required period of time. If any system fails the test, then a backup battery should be replaced.

What is the difference between maintained and non-maintained emergency lighting?

 

Maintained Lighting

Maintained emergency lights are always on and are powered by mains. If the emergency lighting is not needed, it can be turned off whilst the mains are still running. These types of lights are usually part of a room’s normal lighting system, but they always remain lit in emergencies for example, during a power cut. During events like this, the lights get powered by a backup battery which determine how long they’ll stay on before going off.

This emergency lighting system is mostly used in non-residential buildings like shopping centres, cinemas, schools, etc. In public buildings like bars, clubs, theatres, and cinemas where normal lighting systems are often dimmed, maintained luminaries are compulsory.

Non-Maintained Lighting

Non-maintained emergency lighting is designed to switch on when the buildings main power fails. The lighting is linked to a battery and to the buildings lighting circuitry, so these lights remain off while the mains power is working properly. This is purely for emergency use and it will only turn on when the power is lost.

Unlike maintained lighting, non-maintained lights are typically used in buildings well-lit when occupied, for example, in an office. The batteries should have sufficient charge to stay lit for a minimum of 3 hours or more in the event mains power fails.

What is combined emergency lighting?

This is maintained and non-maintained emergency lighting combined. This is where there are two or more lights – one is usually run on the emergency lighting supply, whilst the other is on the mains. This combination can be maintained or non-maintained and allows for emergency lights and exit signs to co-exist as one system.

For more information on different types of emergency lighting contact Total Safe UK.