Several routes to effective compliance

Few would argue against the installation of potentially life-saving evacuation systems in buildings where people congregate or work. What could be more alarming than having to leave a building quickly in total darkness without any indication of an exit route? In hospitals and other healthcare buildings, that prospect is even more horrifying. The solution to this nightmare scenario is emergency lighting (EL). Most of today’s EL systems are designed and manufactured to the highest standards of electronic reliability, and can be programmed to meet the most demanding requirements for safety, security, and convenience. Yet, despite the ready availability of information on all these systems, and the added incentive of specific legislation covering their correct specification and application, in some premises, emergency lighting is still completely disregarded and, even if it is installed, routine testing to ensure its correct operation is carried out only on an occasional basis.

Disregarding one’s obligations

This might appear even more surprising when you consider the consequences of not following the correct procedures as laid out in the legislation. A number of fines, and even prison sentences, have been handed down to persons responsible for premises for disregarding their obligations to provide and maintain fire safety equipment, including emergency lighting. Add to this the damage to one’s reputation, and there is every reason for anyone concerned with the management or running of an estate, or even a single building, to fully understand the scope of, and options for, emergency lighting equipment.