Emergency Lighting

Emergency exit signs are probably the most recognisable piece of emergency lighting in any building. They sit above doors and along escape routes so people can find their way out when visibility drops.

Our exit signs are LED powered, which means they run cooler and last much longer than the old fluorescent versions. Most come with both maintained and non-maintained options, so you can choose whether the sign stays lit all the time or only fires up during a power cut. If you're fitting out a new building or swapping old signage, make sure your exit signs meet BS 5266 and are positioned at every change of direction along your escape routes.

Emergency bulkheads are compact, wall or ceiling mounted fittings that give you general illumination when the power goes out. You'll see them everywhere in corridors, stairwells, lobbies and communal areas. They're the most common type of emergency light in commercial buildings.

Our LED emergency bulkheads are low profile, tough and built to take a beating. Most are IP65 rated so they can handle damp and dusty conditions without any trouble. That makes them well suited to car parks, external walkways and anywhere that's exposed to the weather. If you want your emergency lighting to match your existing bulkhead lights, the same style of fitting is available with or without the emergency function.

Twin spot emergency lights have two adjustable spotlights on a single wall mounted unit. The two heads throw light in different directions, which makes them handy for covering open plan areas, wide corridors or spaces where one light source wouldn't reach far enough on its own.

You'll find twin spots in warehouses, factories, workshops and large retail units. The heads angle independently so you can point light exactly where it needs to go. They're simple to fit, easy to test and the battery tops itself up when the mains is running. If you're lighting a bigger industrial space, twin spots paired with high bay LED lights give you decent coverage for both day to day use and emergencies.

BS 5266 is the British Standard that tells you what you need to do with emergency lighting. If you're responsible for a commercial or public building, this is what you need to follow. It covers where your emergency lights go, how often you test them and how long they need to stay lit during a power cut.

Under BS 5266, you need emergency lighting along all escape routes, at every exit door, at changes of direction, near fire alarm call points and fire fighting equipment, and in any toilets bigger than 8 square metres. Your emergency lights also need to put out at least 1 lux along escape routes and stay on for a minimum of 3 hours.

If you're not sure whether your building is up to scratch, get a qualified electrician or fire safety consultant to have a look. Non-compliance can land you with fines and more importantly it puts people in danger.

This comes up a lot, and it's worth getting your head around before you buy.

A non-maintained emergency light only switches on when the mains power fails. The rest of the time it just sits there. These are the most common type and they do the job in most commercial spaces where your normal lighting handles everything during the day.

A maintained emergency light stays on all the time, mains power or not. When the power drops, it carries on running from the battery. You need these in places like cinemas, theatres and entertainment venues where the house lights get dimmed or turned off during normal use. If people can't see the exits when the room goes dark, maintained fittings are what you need.

Some of our products let you switch between maintained and non-maintained, which gives you a bit of flexibility depending on the setting. Check the product specs on each listing for details.

Where you put them matters just as much as what you buy. Emergency lights need to cover your escape routes so people can see where they're going and find the exits without any confusion.

At a minimum you'll need emergency lighting at every final exit door, along escape routes and corridors, at every change of direction or level including stairs, near fire alarm call points and fire extinguishers, in open plan areas bigger than 60 square metres, and in toilets and washrooms over 8 square metres.

For bigger buildings with multiple floors, it's worth getting a professional lighting design done. It makes sure you've got proper coverage everywhere and helps you sail through your fire risk assessment.

Fitting emergency lights is only half the story. You need to test them regularly to make sure they'll actually do their job when it counts.

BS 5266 says you need a quick functional test every month. That means simulating a power failure and checking each fitting switches on and the indicators are showing green. Once a year you need a full duration test where the lights run on battery for the full 3 hours to prove the batteries are still holding up.

Every test has to go in a logbook. If the fire service turns up and you can't show your records, you've got a problem. Some of our emergency fittings have self-test built in, which takes the hassle out of monthly checks. Have a look for the self-test feature in the product specs if that sounds useful.

We keep a full range of LED emergency lights in stock and ready to ship across the UK. Orders over £75 get free delivery, and if you're buying in bulk for a commercial fit-out we can sort trade pricing.

If you're upgrading your general lighting at the same time, have a look at our LED panel lights, LED tube lights and LED batten lights for a complete commercial lighting setup.

Link 1: /commercial-lighting/led-panel-light/ Link 2: /commercial-lighting/led-tube-lights/ Link 3: /commercial-lighting/led-batten-light/

Not sure what you need? Give Simple Lighting a ring on 0333 443 2465 or drop us a message and we'll help you figure out the right fittings for your space.

What are emergency lights?

Emergency lights are battery backed fittings that come on automatically when the mains power fails. They light up escape routes and exits so people can get out of a building safely during a power cut or an emergency like a fire.

How often should emergency lights be tested?

Every month you need a quick functional test to check each fitting switches on. Once a year you need a full 3 hour duration test to make sure the batteries still hold charge. All tests have to be logged. This is a BS 5266 requirement.

What is the difference between maintained and non-maintained emergency lighting?

Non-maintained lights only come on when the power fails. Maintained lights stay on all the time and keep running on battery during a power cut. You need maintained fittings in places where the lights are dimmed during normal use, like cinemas and theatres.

What is BS 5266?

It's the British Standard for emergency lighting. It lays out where emergency lights need to go, how long they need to stay on, and how often they need testing. It applies to every commercial and public building in the UK.

How long should emergency lights stay on?

3 hours minimum under BS 5266. That gives people enough time to evacuate and for the building to be made safe. Some higher risk environments might need longer, so check with your fire safety assessor if you're not sure.

Do emergency lights need to be hardwired?

Most commercial emergency lights are hardwired into the mains so they can detect a power failure and switch on automatically. Plug-in options do exist but hardwired is the standard for compliance in commercial buildings.