We have some small ofiices the main office is open plan , 6 staff.

[callum007]

We have some small ofiices the main office is open plan , 6 staff.
What defines if we reqire Emergency Lighting , I have read relevent BS , not clear !

[John Webb]

Basically, if the lights were to fail either due to a fire affecting the building's electrics or because of a power cut, could you see to get out of the building safely at 5pm on a Winter's evening? (You should not rely on light spilling in from street lights or adjacent buildings - they may be affected by the same power cut!)

If the answer is 'No, we cannot see adequately.' then you need emergency lighting. You will need to look at this area under the 'Fire Risk Assessment' you need to carry out soon under the 'Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005' - see elsewhere on this site.

[David Rooney]

I might add that you should already have been doing a risk assessment under the Workplace Regs for about the last 10 years !!

=)

[zimmy]

I would have to disagree with John on this. From a fire risk assessment point of view, a general power cut is irrelevant. There would be no fire situation and therefore no urgent need to vacate the building at all. The escape lighting is there to enable escape in a fire situation. For the lighting to be out due to such a fire, the fire must affect not only the electric circuits in the particular building but specifically the lighting circuits. This chance of this happening are rather slim. However, there is a risk of this happening and therefore this risk should be addressed in the risk assessment. Factors that would be taken into account would indeed be borrowed light, number of occupants, mobility of occupants, familiarity with building, size of building etc.

From a H&S point of view, escape lighting would be a great way of compensating for a power cut, but so would a couple of torches.

[John Webb]

Zimmy - I perhaps didn't express my intentions quite clearly enough. I was thinking along the lines that if they could not see their way out of the building under non-emergency conditions then clearly they would need emergency lighting to see their way out under emergency conditions. My suggestion was for Callum007 to actually try something out which would practically show that they probably do need to install emergency lights; groping one's way round a blacked-out office is more convincing than reading a BS for most people!
I must admit like David Rooney I am surprised they haven't looked at this before.

[greg]

Article 14(2)(h) of the FSO states that 'emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in the case of failure of their normal lighting'

I would assume then that if you reqire artificial illumination in the normal course of events then you must have emergency lighting.

[Ken Taylor]

In addition to the fire issues (such as being able to see the signs, the extinguishers and the way out), EL may also be needed for any other significant risk from the loss of normal lighting (such as work on certain machinery or equipment, with some chemicals, etc) which should also be considered within the risk assessment.

[jokar]

Greg, you missed out the important phrase, WHERE NECESSARY.  Please see by post in the Q&A section on this subject.

[greg]

I have got to say that if in the normal course of events an escape route or exit requires illumination then it follows that it would be deemed necessary in the event of power failure.

Looking at article 14 (2) 'the following requirements must be complied with in respect of premises where necessary (whether due to the features of the premises, the activity carried on there, any hazard present or any other relevant circumstances) in order to safeguard the safety of relevant persons'

I think that this would be covered by the other relevant circumstances bit, dont you?