Emergency Lighting

[Guest]

Please excuse my ignorance on this mater - Im not a fire safety orientated person.

With non maintained emergency lighting systems (ie the type that only illuminate if power fails) when they are tested are they left on by the maintenance engineer overnight just to make sure battery life meets British standards or atleast standards permitted by law?

Ive looked for the answer to this question myself but alas havent been able to source any definitive answer.

Thanks in advance for all your help and guidance.

Dennis Davies

[colin todd]

God, I hope not! You check them, at most, (ie in the annual full discharge test) only for the full rated duration.

[Guest]

If anyone knows the answer to everything that has been published about E/L then they are a better woman than me. I was flabergasted when I tried to work my way through the various BS, ISO's, Draft EN's CoP's, technical standards, etc. Do BS Committee members get paid hansomely or does the industry have an interest in making what should be a relatively simple issue as complicated as possible?

[AnthonyB]

Ignore the crap from contractors that says you only test EL quarterly (coincidentally the same times they come to do the fire alarm and twice as often as they need to if you have test switches for the monthly tests so you can do them yourselves)

Here it is (for self contained [the most common] units only, not central battery or generator powered):

Daily
An inspection should be made every day to ascertain
that:
a) any fault recorded in the log book has been
given urgent attention and the action noted;
b) every lamp in a maintained system is lit;
d) any fault found is recorded in the log book and
the action taken noted.

Monthly
An inspection should be made at monthly intervals
in accordance with a systematic schedule.
Tests should be carried out as follows.
a) Each self-contained luminaire and internally illuminated exit sign should be energized from its battery by simulation of a failure of the supply to
the normal lighting for a period sufficient only to ensure that each lamp is illuminated.
The period of simulated failure should not exceed one quarter of the rated duration of the luminaire or sign.
During this period all luminaires and/or signs should be examined visually to ensure that they are functioning correctly.
At the end of this test period the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp or device checked to ensure that it
is showing that the normal supply has been restored.

12.4.4 Six-monthly
The monthly inspection (see 12.4.3) should be
carried out and the following tests made.
a) Each 3 h self-contained luminaire and internally illuminated sign should be energized from its battery for a continuous period of 1 h, by simulation of a failure of the supply to the normal lighting. If the luminaire is rated as having a duration of 1 h, then the period of simulated failure should be 15 min.
During this period all luminaires and/or signs should be examined visually to ensure that they are functioning correctly.
At the end of this test period the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp or device checked to ensure that it
is showing that the normal supply has been restored.

During these periods all luminaires and/or signs
should be examined visually to ensure that they
are functioning correctly. At the end of the test
period the system should be restored to normal
operation and the charging arrangements for the
back-up and engine-starting batteries checked for
proper functioning. Any indicator lamp or device
should then be checked to ensure that it is
showing that the normal arrangements have been
restored.
The fuel tanks should be left filled and the oil and
the coolant levels topped up as necessary.

Three-yearly
The monthly inspection should be carried out and the following additional tests made.
a) Each emergency lighting installation should be
tested and inspected to ascertain compliance with
this code (see annex C).
b) Each self-contained luminaire and/or internally illuminated sign should be tested for its full duration.
At the end of the test period the supply to the normal lighting should be restored and any indicator lamp or device checked to ensure that it

Subsequent annual test
For self-contained luminaires with sealed batteries,
after the first three-yearly test the three-yearly test
should be carried out annually.

[Guest]

There is nothing complicated about EL or the codes pertaining thereto. Nor is there that many different docs to read. Its all in BS 5266 Parts 1 and 7.

[Guest]

If you use photoluminescent system including signs... the test is just turn the light switch off..No equipment, no engineer,just common sense. BS5266 Part 6

[Guest]

Whatever gave you the idea that BSI committee members get paid? I have served on BSI committees for 12 years and have never claimed or received a penny nor do I intend to do so. Some members claim travelling expenses from their associations and some are funded by their companies. If you are so interested, why not offer your services to sit on a committee that you are qualified for and contribute to the creation of standards

[JamesG]

Out of curiosity (and it is a serious question), how do you go about getting on the BSI Committees and how do you prove you are suitably qualified?

Regards

James

[Guest]

Speaking from a personal point of view I have always welcomed and co opted anyone as representative of a bona fide organisation with an interest in the subject matter.. similarly individuals that have experience in any of the technical aspects of the subject matter. My only demand is that they contribute, accept work items and deliver.

[wee brian]

Trouble with photoluminescents (its too late to check the spelling) is that whilst they can mark things that should be there, such as escape routes, they dont shed much light on the things that shouldn't.

Stuff lying on the floor could be invisible.

[Guest]

Out of curiosity (and it is a serious question), how do you go about getting on the BSI Committees and how do you prove you are suitably qualified?

Regards

James

For james G --If you are a member of an organisation e.g. Institute of Fire Prevention Officers, IFE, or a trade organisation (e.g. BFPSA, FETA, TRADA) and you sit on their associated committees then it is most likely that you have proof of your qualifications to sit on a BSI committee relative to, in your case being a Fire Engineer one of the FSH committees. Your best option is to first aspire to becoming a member of the council in either the IFPO or IFE and then, maybe, you can progress from there.

[JamesG]

Thanks FHT.

I'm not on the committee of the Institution of Fire Engineers, but am a Chartered Fire Engineer through them.  What do they look for in a BS committee member (and are they only made up from trade organisations?)

James

[Guest]

If you have a specific committee in mind write to the Chairperson or the Secretary they have an obligation to discuss your interest and wish to contribute.. It is most definately not just trade associations, if you take just look at any Standard you will find the diverse nature of membership representation. Its what makes the Standards work.

[JamesG]

Thanks for that (sorry don't know your first name, seems a bit odd to call you J)

James

[Nev Roberts]

as a newcomer and guest? to this forum, would someone kindly direct me, or at least offer an opinion on the following;

Provision of a means of simulating a circuit failure, on a system that is several years old and been out of use, and has now been brought back into use. Certification has been supplied confirming compliance with BS 7671 Scedule 6. I cannot reconcile this.

The Certificate also states that the designers recommend a periodic 3yr inspection.Whats that about?