Monthly Emergency Lighting Testing

Testing your emergency lighting is an essential aspect of complying with health and safety legislation. At Wells Electrical Contractors, we support businesses across the country in protecting their employees and customers.

We’re a Construction Line and CHAS-affiliated supplier of electrical systems, and we know what it takes to reach the highest standards of health and safety. When it comes to emergency lighting, monthly testing is the key to ensuring readiness and preparedness in the event of an emergency.

Guarantee your compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 with the testing provider that brings 65 years of collective experience by contacting us today.

What is the monthly test for emergency lighting?

Emergency lighting testing schedules cover daily visual checks and full-duration tests conducted annually. In the middle are the “flick tests”, short functional tests performed every month under BS 5266-8.

These tests are conducted by switching off your business’s primary power source and verifying that each of your emergency lighting fixtures properly activates. You should inspect the light casings for any visual obstructions or damage before restoring the power and confirming that your lighting fixtures are recharging.

Businesses are also obligated to record each monthly test within a logbook, mentioning any failures and taking any remedial action in short order.

Find out more about how often emergency lighting should be tested.

Six-monthly emergency lighting test

The six-monthly emergency lighting test isn’t a mandatory part of complying with emergency lighting regulations in the UK, but it’s an opportunity to elevate your safety standards further.

As the name implies, these are biannual tests. During one of your monthly tests, you will conduct a test lasting for at least one hour. This is a healthy compromise between the short monthly tests and the annual full-duration test.

At Wells Electrical Contractors, our contractors can also conduct this voluntary test to give you peace of mind that your emergency lighting is fully functional should the worst happen.

Monthly inspection requirements for emergency lighting

BS-5266 is the framework governing emergency lighting requirements in the UK. It covers installation, testing, design specifications, and maintenance. All business owners are required to conduct monthly flick tests to simulate mains power supply failure. You need a responsible person for emergency lighting.

Unlike the full-duration test, the only requirement is to check that each lamp switches on and provides sufficient illumination. Each luminary should be undamaged and clean to avoid emergency lighting falling below the minimum lighting standards.

Beyond these basic visual and functional inspections, businesses are required to document each monthly test, including whether any necessary action was taken to correct faults. Note that monthly inspections may be carried out by a designated person within your organisation.

Despite this, we strongly recommend that you hand over this function to a professional, such as Wells Electrical Contractors. We handle everything from start to finish, mitigating disruption to your business, carrying out maintenance, and preventing you from slipping into non-compliance.

Penalties for non-compliance with monthly emergency lighting testing

Businesses can be and are fined all the time for failing to comply with their inspection requirements. Not carrying out monthly tests, documenting the results, or acting when there’s a problem can lead to penalties like:

·  Enforcement notices

·  Fines of up to £5,000

·  Insurance coverage voided

·  Closure of your business

·  Imprisonment of up to two years

Fire and rescue authorities may carry out routine inspections of UK businesses. However, even without inspections, if someone is injured or killed in an emergency and it’s later found that your emergency lighting failed, you could find yourself in serious trouble.

Check out our emergency lighting inspection checklist to help you stay compliant.

Our monthly emergency lighting testing services

Wells Electrical Contractors has served businesses of all sizes, especially in the northwest, with Dennison Trailers and Smyths Toys among some of the more prominent names we’ve supported in keeping their teams and customers safe.

Our team of electrical technicians can carry out not just your monthly tests but also annual tests on behalf of your business. Here’s how we support businesses like yours in complying with emergency lighting regulations.

Monthly flick tests

Your monthly tests are mandatory under British health and safety regulations. Although non-professionals can conduct these tests, enlisting a licensed professional guarantees more rigorous testing standards and reduces the health and safety risk incurred by your company.

Detailed emergency lighting reports

We’ll fill out all the paperwork, ensuring not only that you’re in full compliance but that you’ll pass any surprise inspection or audit. Additionally, we provide complete breakdowns of your results from every test, including our recommendations (if any) for future action.

Support for your compliance

Maintaining emergency lighting is more than a box-ticking exercise. That’s why we act as your expert advisor in compliance support, helping you to set up the testing and maintenance schedule that minimises disruption to your firm.

Emergency lighting maintenance

We follow through with tangible action following every monthly test. This includes making all the necessary repairs and replacements if we detect a problem. Additionally, we believe in proactive maintenance, empowering you to prevent minor issues from growing into a future catastrophe.

Other testing services

Monthly tests are only the beginning of your compliance requirements. We can also perform your annual full-duration test, allowing you to manage everything to do with your emergency lighting infrastructure under one roof.

At Wells Electrical Contractors, we’re proud to serve the UK’s business community in elevating health and safety. Let our NICEIC-approved contractors give you the peace of mind you deserve.