Emergency lighting is one of those systems that can easily be overlooked when a school is busy managing pupils, staff, teaching requirements, building maintenance and countless other responsibilities. Yet when normal lighting fails during an emergency, it can become one of the most important safety systems in the building. William Hale Fire & Security provides emergency lighting services alongside a wider range of fire and security systems, helping schools maintain reliable systems and appropriate testing arrangements.
For schools, compliance is not simply about having emergency lights installed. The system needs to be suitable for the building, maintained properly, tested at appropriate intervals and supported by accurate records. The school’s fire risk assessment also needs to reflect the way the premises are actually used.
Understanding the responsibilities involved makes it much easier for schools to manage emergency lighting properly and identify potential problems before they become a serious issue.
Why Emergency Lighting Matters in Schools
A school can contain a surprisingly complicated network of corridors, classrooms, staircases, halls, laboratories, offices, sports facilities, dining areas and external routes. Some areas may be occupied by hundreds of people at certain times of the day, while others may only be used occasionally.
If the normal electrical supply fails, people still need to be able to move safely towards an appropriate place of safety. This is particularly important during a fire or another emergency where confusion, darkness or poor visibility could make evacuation slower and more dangerous.
Emergency lighting is designed to provide illumination when the normal lighting system fails. Escape lighting can help people identify routes, stairs, changes in level, exits and other important features while they leave the building.
Schools therefore need to consider emergency lighting as part of their wider fire safety arrangements rather than as an isolated electrical system.
What Regulations Apply to School Emergency Lighting?
There is not one single regulation that covers every aspect of emergency lighting in every school. Several pieces of legislation, guidance and British Standards can be relevant depending on the building, its use and the particular system installed.
In England, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on the responsible person for fire safety in non-domestic premises. This includes ensuring that emergency routes and exits can be used safely and that routes requiring illumination have suitable emergency lighting where necessary.
The Department for Education also provides guidance for educational premises, while British Standards provide technical guidance for the design, installation, testing and maintenance of emergency lighting systems.
Commonly relevant standards include:
| Standard | General purpose |
|---|---|
| BS 5266-1 | Code of practice for emergency lighting systems |
| BS EN 1838 | Emergency lighting performance requirements |
| BS EN 50172 | Emergency escape lighting systems and their operation |
| Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 | Legal framework for fire safety duties in England |
The precise requirements will depend on the individual premises and the emergency lighting system. Schools should not assume that simply installing a particular number of fittings automatically makes the building compliant.
Start With the School’s Fire Risk Assessment
One of the most important steps towards maintaining compliance is making sure the school’s fire risk assessment is accurate and up to date.
The fire risk assessment should consider the people who may be affected by a fire and the characteristics of the premises. In a school, this could include pupils, teachers, administrative staff, visitors, contractors and people who may require additional assistance during evacuation.
Emergency lighting should form part of this overall assessment.
For example, a school may have:
- Long corridors with limited natural light
- Staircases serving multiple floors
- Assembly halls
- Sports halls
- Changing rooms
- Science laboratories
- Kitchens
- Storage areas
- Libraries
- Computer rooms
- Offices
- External escape routes
- Areas used outside normal school hours
Changes to the building or its use can also affect emergency lighting requirements.
If a school creates a new classroom, removes a partition wall, changes a corridor layout or alters an escape route, the existing emergency lighting arrangements should be reviewed.
Understand the Different Types of Emergency Lighting
Emergency lighting is a broad term covering several different applications. Understanding the purpose of the lighting installed around the school can help facilities teams identify problems.
Escape route lighting
Escape route lighting is designed to help people safely navigate designated escape routes when normal lighting fails.
This can be particularly important around:
- Corridors
- Staircases
- Changes in direction
- Changes in level
- Junctions
- Exit doors
- Areas where routes intersect
The aim is not simply to illuminate the entire building. The lighting needs to support safe movement towards an appropriate exit.
Open area lighting
Open area emergency lighting, sometimes referred to as anti-panic lighting, can be important in larger spaces where people may need to find their way towards an escape route.
In a school, this could include a large assembly hall, sports hall or dining area.
Without sufficient illumination, people may struggle to identify where to go when normal lighting suddenly disappears.
High-risk task area lighting
Some areas may require additional consideration because a sudden loss of lighting could create an immediate safety risk.
For example, certain machinery, equipment or processes may require people to safely stop an activity before evacuating.
The appropriate emergency lighting arrangement should therefore reflect the activities taking place in the area, not simply the size of the room.
How Often Should Emergency Lighting Be Tested?
Regular testing is an important part of emergency lighting maintenance.
A school should have a clear testing programme that follows the requirements applicable to its system and the relevant standards.
As part of good estate management practice, schools are encouraged to undertake and record regular functional checks. More detailed testing is also required at appropriate intervals, including a duration test.
A typical maintenance programme may include:
| Test or check | Typical purpose |
|---|---|
| Regular visual checks | Identify obvious damage, missing covers, warning indicators or other issues |
| Monthly functional test | Check that emergency fittings respond when normal lighting is interrupted |
| Periodic inspection | Assess the wider condition and operation of the system |
| Annual duration test | Confirm that the system can operate for its required duration |
| Post-repair testing | Confirm that faults have been properly resolved |
The exact testing arrangements should be based on the installed system, applicable standards and the school’s fire safety requirements.
Testing should also be carried out safely and in a way that does not create unnecessary risk to pupils, staff or visitors.
Keep Detailed Emergency Lighting Records
Testing is only part of the process. Schools should also be able to demonstrate that testing and maintenance have been carried out.
Good records can make a significant difference when facilities managers, governors, auditors, insurers or fire safety professionals need to understand the condition and history of the system.
Records can include:
- Dates of tests
- Results of tests
- Faults identified
- Repairs completed
- Replacement components
- Battery replacements
- Emergency lighting inspections
- Maintenance visits
- Certificates
- System drawings
- Details of alterations
- Outstanding remedial work
A dedicated emergency lighting log can make this information much easier to manage.
Digital records can also help facilities teams keep track of recurring testing dates and ensure that problems identified during previous inspections have not been forgotten.
Do Not Ignore Failed Emergency Lights
A failed emergency light should not simply be noted in a maintenance log and left indefinitely.
Depending on its location and purpose, a failed fitting could affect the safety of an escape route.
Common problems can include:
- Failed batteries
- Faulty LED modules
- Damaged fittings
- Charging faults
- Electrical supply problems
- Failed test indicators
- Damaged diffusers
- Loose connections
- Obstructed fittings
- Incorrectly positioned signs
Some failures may be relatively straightforward to rectify, while others can indicate a wider problem with the emergency lighting circuit or system.
Schools should assess faults promptly and arrange appropriate remedial work.
Check Emergency Exit Signs
Emergency lighting and exit signage often work together.
During an emergency, people need to know not only where they are going but also which direction they should take.
Exit signs should therefore remain:
- Visible
- Correctly positioned
- Illuminated where required
- Consistent with the current escape route
- Free from obstruction
- In good physical condition
This becomes particularly important following building alterations.
A school could have a perfectly functional illuminated exit sign that points towards a route which is no longer the correct escape path. That is why physical inspections need to consider the building as it exists today rather than relying solely on historic installation plans.
Review Emergency Lighting After Building Changes
School buildings rarely stay exactly the same for long.
Rooms may be converted, corridors altered, extensions added and internal layouts changed. Even relatively small changes can affect escape routes.
Whenever significant work takes place, the school’s fire safety arrangements should be reviewed.
Consider whether:
- Escape routes have changed
- Doors have been moved
- Walls have been added or removed
- New rooms have been created
- Existing rooms have been enlarged
- Emergency exits have changed
- Emergency lighting coverage remains suitable
- Exit signs still point in the correct direction
- New areas require additional emergency lighting
This is particularly important after refurbishment projects where the electrical installation may have been changed but older emergency lighting has been left untouched.
Consider School Activities Outside Normal Hours
Emergency lighting arrangements should not only be considered around the normal school day.
Many schools are used outside teaching hours for activities such as:
- Evening clubs
- Parent meetings
- Sports activities
- Community events
- Exams
- School performances
- Holiday programmes
- Lettings
If people are using parts of the building at different times, the fire safety arrangements still need to be appropriate.
Facilities teams should consider whether areas that are normally empty are being used regularly outside school hours and whether evacuation arrangements remain suitable.
This is another reason why the fire risk assessment should reflect the actual use of the premises.
Pay Particular Attention to Staircases and Changes in Level
Staircases can become particularly hazardous during a power failure.
A sudden loss of normal lighting can make it difficult to see individual steps, landings or changes in direction. This can increase the risk of falls, particularly when large numbers of people are evacuating simultaneously.
Emergency lighting should therefore be appropriately positioned to support safe movement along escape routes.
Facilities teams should also look for practical obstructions.
Storage, displays, furniture or temporary equipment should not interfere with emergency fittings or signs.
A system may be correctly installed but still become less effective if its light output is blocked by later changes to the building.
Make Sure Testing Does Not Become a Tick-Box Exercise
One of the biggest risks with any scheduled maintenance programme is allowing it to become a routine administrative task rather than a genuine safety check.
A test should not simply be recorded as “passed” without someone considering whether the system is actually operating correctly.
During inspections, staff or contractors should look for issues such as:
- Fittings that fail to illuminate
- Warning indicators
- Damaged housings
- Dirty or obscured fittings
- Missing exit signs
- Incorrect directional signs
- Physical damage
- Battery problems
- Changes to the surrounding building
- New obstructions
- Altered escape routes
The purpose of testing is to identify problems, not simply to create a record that a test occurred.
Use Competent People for Inspection and Maintenance
Emergency lighting is a safety-critical system, so schools should make sure the people responsible for inspection, testing and maintenance have the appropriate knowledge, training and experience.
Routine visual checks may form part of a school’s internal maintenance procedures, but more technical inspection, testing and remedial work may require a suitably competent specialist.
This is particularly important where a fault involves electrical components, batteries, control equipment or changes to the wider emergency lighting system.
Schools should also keep evidence of relevant inspection and maintenance work.
Create a Simple Emergency Lighting Compliance Schedule
Facilities teams can make ongoing management easier by maintaining a simple schedule covering each building and the emergency lighting system within it.
For example:
| Area | Fittings | Last test | Next test | Faults | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main corridor | 12 | Recorded | Scheduled | None | Continue routine testing |
| North staircase | 6 | Recorded | Scheduled | Battery fault | Repair required |
| Assembly hall | 10 | Recorded | Scheduled | None | Continue routine testing |
| Science block | 8 | Recorded | Scheduled | Failed fitting | Replacement required |
| Sports hall | 14 | Recorded | Scheduled | None | Continue routine testing |
This gives the facilities team a straightforward overview of the system and makes it easier to identify outstanding issues.
For larger schools or multi-building sites, separate schedules can be maintained for each block.
Keep the Emergency Lighting Design Information
Schools should retain relevant information about the emergency lighting system wherever possible.
This may include installation details, system drawings, test information and records of subsequent modifications.
Having accurate documentation is particularly useful when:
- A fault occurs
- A fitting needs replacing
- Building work is planned
- A fire risk assessment is reviewed
- A new facilities manager takes responsibility
- An inspection is carried out
- The emergency lighting system is extended
Older schools can sometimes have systems that have evolved through multiple refurbishment projects. In these circumstances, documentation can be especially valuable because the current installation may differ considerably from the original design.
Review the System When the School’s Needs Change
Emergency lighting should not be treated as a system that can be installed once and then forgotten.
The school’s needs can change over time.
A building may become more heavily occupied. A new nursery area may be created. An existing classroom may become a specialist facility. A school may introduce evening lettings or extend its opening hours.
Any of these changes could justify reviewing the emergency lighting arrangements.
The same applies to significant changes in legislation, guidance or relevant standards. Schools should ensure their maintenance arrangements remain appropriate rather than relying indefinitely on historic procedures.
Common Emergency Lighting Compliance Mistakes
A number of avoidable mistakes can make it harder for schools to maintain a reliable system.
Only testing when an inspection is due
Waiting for an annual visit before checking emergency lighting creates a significant gap between opportunities to identify faults.
Regular testing provides much better visibility of the system’s condition.
Failing to record results
A test that is carried out but not properly recorded provides little evidence of the school’s maintenance history.
Records should be clear and accessible.
Ignoring minor faults
A single failed fitting may appear insignificant, particularly in a large school. However, its location could make it important.
Faults should be assessed based on their impact rather than simply the number of fittings affected.
Forgetting about refurbishment
Changes to corridors, rooms, exits and partitions can affect emergency lighting coverage.
The system should be reviewed whenever the building layout changes significantly.
Blocking fittings
Displays, storage and temporary equipment can obstruct emergency lights or exit signs.
Routine inspections should include the physical environment around fittings.
Assuming old systems are automatically compliant
A system may have worked satisfactorily for many years but still require review if the building, occupancy, use or applicable requirements have changed.
Age alone does not determine whether a system is suitable, but older installations should be assessed carefully.
A Practical School Emergency Lighting Checklist
A simple checklist can help facilities teams keep track of the main areas that require attention.
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Fire risk assessment | Is it current and reflective of the building? |
| Escape routes | Are routes clearly defined and unobstructed? |
| Emergency fittings | Are they intact and operational? |
| Exit signs | Are they visible and correctly positioned? |
| Regular testing | Is testing being completed according to the maintenance schedule? |
| Duration testing | Has the required duration test been completed? |
| Faults | Are identified problems being dealt with promptly? |
| Records | Are test and repair records complete? |
| Building changes | Has emergency lighting been reviewed after alterations? |
| Competence | Are technical inspections carried out by suitably competent people? |
| Documentation | Are system details and relevant certificates retained? |
| Out-of-hours use | Are arrangements suitable for evening and community use? |
This should support, rather than replace, the school’s formal fire safety arrangements and professional assessments.
How Facilities Teams Can Make Compliance Easier
The easiest way to manage emergency lighting is to make it part of the school’s normal maintenance process.
Rather than treating emergency lighting as a standalone annual task, facilities teams can incorporate it into a wider programme covering fire alarms, fire doors, extinguishers and other life-safety systems.
A central maintenance schedule can show:
- What needs testing
- Who is responsible
- When testing is due
- What faults have been identified
- What remedial work is outstanding
- When repairs were completed
- When the next inspection is required
This reduces the likelihood of important tasks being forgotten during busy periods.
It also makes it easier for a new facilities manager or senior member of staff to understand the current position.
What Should Schools Do When a System Is Outdated?
If an emergency lighting system is old, unreliable or increasingly difficult to maintain, the appropriate response is not necessarily to replace every fitting immediately.
The first step should be to assess the existing installation and establish whether it remains suitable for the building and its current use.
A professional assessment can help identify:
- Fittings that need replacement
- Areas requiring improved coverage
- Battery issues
- Outdated components
- Faulty circuits
- Poorly positioned fittings
- Incorrect or outdated exit signage
- Areas affected by building changes
In some cases, targeted upgrades may resolve the main issues. In others, a more comprehensive replacement may make sense, particularly where maintenance is becoming increasingly difficult.
The important point is that decisions should be based on the condition and requirements of the actual building rather than simply replacing equipment because it has reached a particular age.
Building a Long-Term Approach to Emergency Lighting
Schools have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for pupils, staff and visitors, and emergency lighting forms an important part of that wider responsibility.
Staying compliant is easier when emergency lighting is treated as an ongoing management task rather than something that only receives attention during an inspection.
A good approach includes an up-to-date fire risk assessment, appropriate emergency lighting design, regular testing, prompt fault resolution, accurate records and reviews following significant building changes.
For facilities teams, the objective should be to know what emergency lighting is installed, understand where it is needed, maintain it properly and have clear evidence that the necessary checks and remedial work are being completed.
That approach not only helps schools meet their fire safety responsibilities but also ensures that emergency lighting is ready to perform its intended function when normal lighting is no longer available.