🔦 Why Is Emergency Lighting Required?

Ryan O'Toole
Apr 25
2 min read

A Simple Guide for Business Owners

Imagine a sudden power cut in your building. It’s pitch black. People panic. They can’t see the exit. Now imagine the same situation—but this time, the emergency lights come on. Corridors are lit. Exit signs glow. People walk out calmly and safely.

That’s the job of emergency lighting.

Emergency lighting isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’—it’s a legal and life-saving necessity.

🚨 What Is Emergency Lighting?

Emergency lighting is a backup lighting system that automatically kicks in when the mains power fails. It’s designed to:

Guide people to safety (exit signs, stairwell and corridor lights),
Help emergency services navigate the building,
Reduce the risk of accidents in complete darkness.

It’s not there to light up every room—just the areas that matter most when people need to evacuate.

🛑 Why Is Emergency Lighting Required?

Let’s break it down in simple terms:

1. It Protects Lives

In emergencies like fire, flood, or electrical failure, people need to evacuate fast.Emergency lighting clearly shows escape routes, exit doors, and safe zones—even when visibility is poor or people are unfamiliar with the layout.

2. It’s a Legal Requirement

Emergency lighting is required in commercial and industrial buildings under:

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005
British Standard BS 5266-1

If you’re responsible for a building, you must ensure that emergency routes and exits are adequately lit at all times.

3. It Impacts Your Insurance & Liability

If someone is injured during an evacuation and your building lacks compliant emergency lighting, insurance may be void. Non-compliance opens the door to liability claims, prosecution, and damage to your reputation.

🔍 Where Is Emergency Lighting Needed?

Emergency lighting is essential in:

Warehouses
Offices
Retail spaces
Care homes
Schools and nurseries
Factories and industrial units
Communal areas in residential buildings

It should be installed in:

Escape routes
Corridors and staircases
Fire exit doors
Open-plan areas
Toilets and washrooms
Plant rooms and control rooms
Lift motor rooms and switch rooms

Wherever there’s a risk of darkness during an emergency, there should be lighting to guide people out safely.

💡 How Mech-Elec Building Services Can Help

At Mech-Elec Building Services, we design, install, test and maintain emergency lighting systems that keep your people safe and your building compliant.

We offer: