Emergency Lighting Installation, Testing and Maintenance in Hampshire, West Sussex and the South Coast

Emergency lighting systems must be tested regularly to confirm they will operate correctly in an emergency. BS 5266-1:2016 sets out the following minimum testing requirements:

Monthly Flick Test

Every month, a brief functional test - commonly known as a flick test - must be carried out on the emergency lighting system. This involves using the emergency lighting test key to simulate a mains power failure, allowing each unit to operate on battery power for a short period. The purpose is to confirm that each unit activates and that the indicator lamps function correctly. The result of each monthly test must be recorded in the emergency lighting log book.
The monthly flick test does not require a specialist engineer - a competent member of staff with the correct test key and brief training can carry it out. We will show your team how to complete and record the test correctly when we install or first service your system.

Annual Full Discharge Test

Once a year, a full rated duration test must be carried out by a qualified engineer. This involves allowing the emergency lighting system to run entirely on battery power for its full rated duration - typically three hours - to confirm that each fitting maintains adequate illumination throughout. Any units that fail to sustain illumination for the rated duration must be replaced.
The annual full discharge test must be documented and certified by the engineer who carries it out. This certificate serves as evidence of compliance for insurance purposes and fire officer visits. Our engineers carry out annual emergency lighting tests for businesses across Hampshire, West Sussex, Chichester, Portsmouth, Southampton, Guildford and the wider South Coast.

Overdue an annual emergency lighting test? Call 01903 716445 to check availability and book your visit.

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When specifying an emergency lighting system, one of the key decisions is whether to use maintained or non-maintained fittings:

• Non-maintained emergency lighting: the fitting is only illuminated when mains power fails. This is the most common type in commercial premises such as offices, warehouses and retail units, where normal lighting is adequate during operation and the emergency lighting only needs to activate in an emergency.
• Maintained emergency lighting: the fitting is illuminated at all times - both under normal mains operation and during a power failure. Required in premises where people may be present in darkness, such as cinemas, theatres, nightclubs and certain areas of care homes. Also used for illuminated exit signs in many premises.

Your fire risk assessment will determine the appropriate type of system for each area of your premises. Our engineers will advise on the correct specification during your free site survey.

Houses in multiple occupation and rental properties with common areas have specific emergency lighting requirements. Under HMO licensing conditions and the Housing Act 2004, landlords are typically required to ensure that shared escape routes, corridors and stairwells are equipped with compliant emergency lighting. Requirements vary depending on the number of storeys, the number of occupants and the local authority licensing conditions.

We provide emergency lighting installation, inspection and annual testing for HMO and landlord properties across Hampshire and West Sussex. If you manage a portfolio of properties, we can arrange a scheduled programme of visits to manage your compliance obligations efficiently.

Houses in Multiple Occupation have specific fire risk assessment requirements under the Housing Act 2004, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and local authority HMO licensing conditions. An HMO fire risk assessment examines fire detection and warning systems, escape routes, fire doors, means of escape signage and the specific risks associated with shared accommodation - including communal kitchens, shared corridors and multiple occupants who may not know each other. Our New Path Group sister company carries out HMO fire risk assessments across Hampshire, West Sussex and the South Coast.

• Landlord fire risk assessment: for commercial landlords and managing agents responsible for common areas of multi-occupancy buildings, including shared corridors, stairwells and communal spaces.
• Phased or multi-site assessments: for organisations managing multiple buildings or sites, we can arrange phased programmes of assessment to manage cost and minimise disruption.

Manage an HMO or rental portfolio? Contact us to discuss a maintenance programme that covers all your sites.

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Our emergency lighting engineers are NICEIC-approved and carry out all installation and testing work to BS 5266-1:2016 standards. We are also BAFE-registered and SSAIB-certified, meaning your emergency lighting compliance sits within the same accredited service framework as your fire alarms, fire extinguishers and security systems - all managed through a single point of contact.