Guide
How often does emergency lighting need testing?
A plain English guide to emergency lighting testing under BS 5266, for building owners, managing agents and facilities managers.
The short answer
BS 5266, the code of practice for emergency lighting, recommends a short functional test of every emergency light each month and a full rated duration test once a year. Both should be recorded in an emergency lighting logbook.
01
The monthly test
Each month, every emergency fitting and illuminated sign is switched onto its battery for a short time, usually by simulating a mains failure with a test key switch, to check that it lights. The test only needs to be long enough to confirm each fitting works, so the batteries are not drained.
Keep the monthly test short: just long enough to prove each fitting lights, without draining the batteries.
02
The annual test
Once a year the system is tested for its full rated duration, commonly three hours, to prove the batteries can keep escape routes lit for as long as they are designed to.
Batteries can take many hours to recharge afterwards, so the annual test is best carried out when the building is empty or quiet.
03
Who is responsible
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places responsibility on the responsible person for a building, usually the employer, owner or managing agent. Keeping test records up to date is part of showing that emergency lighting is properly maintained.
04
What to record
Fire risk assessors and insurers may ask to see the logbook, so keep it somewhere easy to find.
✓
The date of each test
✓
Which fittings were tested, and the result for each
✓
Any faults found
✓
The action taken to put faults right
05
When to replace
Fittings that repeatedly fail their tests, or batteries that no longer last the full duration, are a sign the system needs replacing. Replacing emergency lighting across a whole site in one planned project is often simpler than chasing individual failures.
At a glance
Monthly
A short functional test of every emergency light and sign
Yearly
A full rated duration test, commonly three hours
BS 5266
The code of practice for emergency lighting
Did you know?
Batteries can take many hours to recharge after the annual test, so plan it for when the building is quiet.
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