Emergency Lighting Testing London

 
 
 
  Excellent  
    
 Based on 83 reviews 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Zach Ellams 
 
25. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Incredibly helpful, great communication and an overall smooth, reliable, and professional service. Would highly recommend.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Charles Cartledge 
 
20. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Excellent customer service, a rare thing these days
Hexo called me within seconds of my doing a search for an EICR engineer. Sales guy called, got an appointment in without much wait time. I needed remedial work done and the salesperson juggled the schedule so as to get it done quickly. Could not be happier
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Sarah Long 
 
17. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Happy with the work done. Recommended
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Tom Tanner 
 
15. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Very professional
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Cathie Duncan 
 
14. September, 2022.
 
 
  
We’ve used Hexo to provide a pre-house purchase EHIC and post-house purchase remedial work. Customer service used to organise both was great - no patronising, just straightforward explanation of the work needed and breakdown of cost.
They made it easy to organise dates and carried out the EHIC at short notice. May be better to call them rather than to book online as availability online wasn’t what was available in practice.

The works have been carried out to a high standard and the engineer was pleasant. He did arrive later than we’d been promised, but customer services did what they could to resolve this and when he did arrive he did an excellent job.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Scott Gilmore 
 
12. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Hexo was able to attend our property for a survey on short notice and provided an expedited report. They clearly explained everything  and we felt this was a great service.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Servander Kaur 
 
12. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Friendly and efficient service with good communication.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Minah Kausar 
 
11. September, 2022.
 
 
  
Hexo did such a great job to remediate our unsatisfactory EICR. From booking to remediation the process was very easy. Our electrician on the day did a great job and worked very efficiently. Also gave a rundown of all repairs made and left the house spotless!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Louis Dykes 
 
11. September, 2022.
 
 
  
The booking process was very straightforward and we found a time that suited us at short notice.The engineer was very friendly and efficient; the whole process was hassle-free and we'd definitely use Hexo again!
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Chris Underwood 
 
10. September, 2022.
 
 
  
I thought my electrics to be fine but after an inspection a number of faults were detected that needed immediate attention. Hexo provided a detailed quotation and the work was completed without too much disruption.
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 

Why is emergency light testing important?

If the worst happens, your emergency lighting must immediately trigger into action. If not, the workplace will be plunged into darkness, posing several safety problems, and making it difficult for occupants to safely evacuate the building.

So, not only is having an emergency lighting test certificate necessary, but when building evacuation happens the workforce needs to be able to see where the exit signs are to navigate to safety.

What constitutes emergency lighting?

A maintained emergency light comes on automatically if the main lighting goes off, usually because of power failure. As the name suggests, it’s there for emergencies.

When the main power supply is cut and normal electrical lighting fails, your BS 5266-1 regulation emergency lighting and signage will be there to guide the way to safety. Without emergency lighting, the occupants of the building will be disorientated and will struggle to find their way outside.

Current emergency lighting standards

Under BS 5266-1, the UK’s current Emergency Lighting Standards, designers of emergency lighting equipment and systems must follow strict guidelines. BS 5266-1 relates to all types of properties ranging from offices to hotels, night clubs, hospitals, museums, and multi-storey dwellings.

Regular testing of emergency lighting systems is a requirement of BS5266-1 to ensure that they operate safely when called on in the event of an emergency.

What are the different types of emergency lighting?

There are two main types of emergency lighting:

Standby lighting

This is the lighting that comes into action and illuminates the area if the standard lighting in the building fails. It allows the staff to carry on with their normal roles, if there is not an emergency situation which necessitates they leave the building.

This form of emergency lighting is not usually a legal requirement, as it may not be absolutely crucial to the safety of the workforce. It will depend on what activities are being carried out on the premises.

Emergency escape lighting

This is a legal requirement in London and throughout the UK, as it will enable the occupants of a building to safely find their way to the nearest emergency exit. It should also provide enough illumination for any potentially dangerous tasks to be stopped safely before evacuating.

This type of lighting is a requirement of the Regulatory (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and is part of the fire safety provision required for a building. Emergency escape lighting is split into different types of lighting as below:

• Escape route lighting – This will show any occupants of the building the way to the emergency exit, so they can safely leave the building. It should be bright enough that any hazards along the way can be avoided and so that the exits are obvious to those in a high-pressure situation. It includes fire exit signs that are brightly illuminated and emergency bulkhead lights.
• Open area lighting – This is the lighting that comes on in larger spaces, so that the building occupants can find their way to the emergency escape route, and then the nearest exit. It is usually required in larger buildings.
• High-risk task area lighting – When working in an industry such as manufacturing, there is a high probability that certain processes and machinery would pose a risk if operated in the dark or left unattended at the time of evacuation. BS 5266-1 emergency lighting should come into action in these areas, so that the task or process can be discontinued in a safe manner and all staff can evacuate the premises safely.

Emergency lighting testing requirements

Does your emergency lighting meet its legal requirements? When it comes to emergency lighting system testing, you can never be too thorough. So, what are the Emergency Lighting Testing requirements in England?

Whilst used hopefully infrequently, it is absolutely critical that emergency lighting is operational at all times, and having an emergency lighting test certificate ensures that this is the case. 

To make sure your emergency lighting is operational at all times you should engage the services of a specialist emergency lighting testing company such as Hexo Electrical Testing.

How to test emergency lights with Hexo Electrical Testing

With our services covering London and the South East, we will visit your site once per year to carry out an annual emergency light test and provide you with an emergency lighting test certificate showing the outcome of the test.

We will keep to an emergency lighting test schedule so that your emergency lights are checked regularly to ensure the highest adherence to safety protocols.

As well as the annual inspection and test, the emergency lighting system needs a briefer test each month. This can be carried out by a trained operative at your premises, or we can attend site each month to carry out these tests.

Why are emergency lighting certificates important?

It is extremely important to keep hold of all emergency lighting certificates, schedules of repairs, minor works certificates and the emergency lighting logbook so that your compliance can be evidenced if needed.

Hexo Electrical Testing provides specialist emergency lighting testing services across London and the South East of England.

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Thanks to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, Emergency Light Testing requirements are compulsory for all non-domestic premises. The order also stipulates what lighting is required in different premises.

• The legislation means business owners are obliged to have the right escape signage and emergency lights in place, to ensure that employees and customers can safely exit a building in an emergency
• The regulations state that business owners must properly maintain their emergency lighting, to make sure it is reliable and remains effective in the event of power failure
• Therefore, it is essential that your maintained emergency lights are regularly serviced by a professional company
• The need for emergency lighting varies, depending on the size and purpose of the property, but no matter what type you have in place, it will need to be checked over each month and given a full duration test once a year.

How often should emergency lighting be tested?

So, how often should emergency lighting be tested? Emergency lighting testing frequency is important and shouldn’t be overlooked.

The emergency lighting system should be tested monthly to check its operation. It should also be tested annually to verify that it operates for the required duration and to verify the full compliance of the system so that you can have an up to date emergency lighting certificate.

At Hexo Electrical Testing, we offer monthly and annual comprehensive Emergency Light Testing in London and the South East of England, and our emergency lighting testing and servicing covers everything from ad hoc visits to monthly visits and annual inspections.

Monthly emergency light testing

Emergency light testing needs to be carried out by a competent person on a monthly basis. 

For this, the mains power will be turned off and the emergency lighting checked for operation. This test will highlight any emergency lighting that doesn’t light up when the mains power is off. We will also:

• Examine all equipment for signs of disrepair
• Once power is back on, we will check to make sure each luminaire is charging
• We will maintain a monthly emergency light test log of our inspection results, keeping track of any issues or necessary repairs

We carry out a systematic monthly inspection to check all lighting is functioning correctly and in line with emergency lighting testing requirements.

Annual emergency light testing

As well as carrying out monthly tests, it is vital that more thorough emergency lighting testing is carried out once a year. This annual emergency lighting inspection in London involves a duration test to check that each emergency light remains clear and bright for the correct amount of time, which is usually 3 hours.

We can carry out annual emergency lighting testing in London on weekends or evenings to minimise disruption to your business.

What is checked in the annual emergency lighting inspections?

During the annual emergency lighting inspection, we examine the full installation and check that the following areas have adequate emergency illumination:

• Intersections of corridors
• Emergency escape routes
• Outside each final exit and on external escape routes
• Emergency escape signs
• Stairways (so that each flight receives adequate lighting)
• Changes in floor level
• Windowless rooms and toilet accommodation exceeding 8m²
• Fire-fighting equipment
• Fire alarm call points
• Equipment that would need to be shut down in an emergency
• Areas greater than 60m²

Repairing emergency lights

It is imperative that any necessary repair works that are highlighted by the emergency lighting inspection and test are actioned immediately, as it is likely you will be in breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 if you do not.

This not only poses legal risks to your business, but ineffective emergency lighting also poses a very real danger to the health and safety of any building occupants.

What repair services do Hexo provide?

We can work around you and your business, repairing your emergency lighting at a time to suit you and providing you with a legal emergency lighting test certificate to keep your emergency lighting system in perfect condition. We also provide you with separate certification for the repairs we have carried out so everything can be evidenced for your legal compliance.

• Battery replacements
• New lamps
• Driver/gear tray replacements
• New luminaires
• Exit signage
• Key switches and controls
• Circuit alterations

Who can test emergency lighting?

Given the importance of the emergency lighting testing, and the severity of the issues if it does not work as expected when required, we do not recommend self-testing.

By booking your London emergency lighting testing with a professional company like Hexo Electrical Testing, you can ensure that your business complies with all regulatory requirements.

What will commercial emergency light testing reveal?

So, what does an emergency lighting test reveal? Our Commercial Emergency Light Testing service will highlight any defects that need to be rectified, so that you can keep your property, employees, and customers safe.

Our complete emergency lighting system testing will ensure your system is BS 5266 compliant, we provide an annual inspection and duration testing, as well as regular monthly checks. We can help no matter what size or type of business you have.

• Lights that fail the duration test
• Lights that do not illuminate at all
• Areas not illuminated that need to be
• Damaged emergency lights
• Dim or flickering emergency lights

Commercial emergency lighting laws

There are certain regulatory requirements and emergency lighting laws, these must be adhered to in order to ensure your commercial premises are properly protected with emergency escape lighting. These are:

• Guidance This comes in the form of the BS 5266-1 Code of practice for emergency lighting of premises, which gives general information and rules as to how emergency lighting should be installed and how it should operate in commercial premises
• System standards The emergency lighting in your commercial premises must adhere to BS EN 1838 Lighting Applications – emergency lighting. This states the level of illumination that must be provided including duration, colour, and luminance
• BS EN 50172 / BS 5266-8 The Emergency escape lighting systems standard specifies the testing requirements for the emergency lighting in different premises
• Government legislation The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) stipulates what emergency escape lighting is required in the different types of non-domestic property and communal areas of houses of multiple occupations (HMOs). There are several guides available as part of the RRFSO which detail the individual requirements.

What happens after the emergency light testing?

After we have tested the emergency lighting system in your premises, we will issue you with a Satisfactory Certificate (Pass) or Unsatisfactory Certificate (Fail).

If the emergency lighting certificate is Unsatisfactory, then we will provide you with a schedule of defects, and an itemised quotation to carry out the repairs needed to rectify the defects and bring the system up to a Satisfactory and compliant condition.

How to receive a satisfactory emergency lighting test certificate

Once you have instructed us to rectify the defects, we will attend the site and complete the electrical repairs. We will then provide you with certification for the repairs themselves and a new Satisfactory Emergency Lighting Certificate for your legal compliance.

Emergency lighting testing London

At Hexo Electrical Testing, we offer emergency lighting services in all parts of London and Greater London, working with businesses, landlords and housing associations to ensure safe working and living environments for all.

We can be extremely flexible to minimise disruption to your business. If you want to know more about your emergency lighting testing requirements in London, then get in touch with us today.

How much does it cost to test emergency lighting?

So, how much does it cost to test emergency lighting? Well, prices for our emergency light testing differ depending on the service required. However, we try to make emergency lighting inspection London costs as transparent as possible.

You can find a full breakdown of emergency lighting certificate costs, including monthly and annual prices, via our Emergency Light Testing Prices page, and it’s easy to make a booking. All prices include the emergency lighting inspection and test certificate.

When should you carry out emergency light testing?

Emergency light testing should be carried out at a safe time when the emergency lighting is not likely to be needed, as during the inspection and test, the batteries of the emergency lighting will be diminished. So, it’s important to identify a low-risk time to have the inspection carried out.

Normal lighting levels may be reduced while the test is carried out, so it’s important the test is scheduled for a suitable time around your business operations. 

At Hexo Electrical Testing, we can carry out Emergency Lighting Testing at a time that suits you and your business, whether it is staggered or takes place outside of working hours, including evening and weekend appointments.

Emergency lighting inspection and test certificate in London

When it comes to emergency lighting testing in London, our services are varied and can be customised. This allows us to suit your business needs in order to meet all emergency lighting testing requirements efficiently and affordably.

So, for advice on emergency lighting costs and emergency light testing frequency, as well as bespoke requirements, get in touch for a unique quotation.