When Is An Emergency Light, Not An Emergency Light?
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As I understood it, you have illuminated "SIGNS" indicating the escape route, and you have emergency light fittings .
My reading of it is ...a running man & a down pointy arrow sign above the door but also an emergency light fitting to illuminate the area.
An emergency fitting at every escape route corner ...change of direction ...steps....fire extinguishers .
Just looking through my Electrician's Guide to Emergency Lighting , which doesn't actually say that there is a difference between a sign & a light . With most of the light blocked by the green vinyl I don't think you'd get the 1 lx levels TBH.
I could look deeper but not at this time of night .
.
My reading of it is ...a running man & a down pointy arrow sign above the door but also an emergency light fitting to illuminate the area.
An emergency fitting at every escape route corner ...change of direction ...steps....fire extinguishers .
Just looking through my Electrician's Guide to Emergency Lighting , which doesn't actually say that there is a difference between a sign & a light . With most of the light blocked by the green vinyl I don't think you'd get the 1 lx levels TBH.
I could look deeper but not at this time of night .
.
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Deffo correct about man "left"......but typically cannot find it
I can't see anything about the man running left Kerch, other than the man should be running in the direction the exit.
I can point out that only a 1 hour duration is required for non residential premises used for teaching , offices etc and for industrial , & warehousing type premises where it assumed the staff are familiar with the exit routes etc.
I found this out after fitting some of those floodlighting packs and upon testing , they only lasted for 2 hours . This turned out to be OK as it was industrial premises.
Everything else is the usual 3 hour.
I can point out that only a 1 hour duration is required for non residential premises used for teaching , offices etc and for industrial , & warehousing type premises where it assumed the staff are familiar with the exit routes etc.
I found this out after fitting some of those floodlighting packs and upon testing , they only lasted for 2 hours . This turned out to be OK as it was industrial premises.
Everything else is the usual 3 hour.
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PD,
It seems you are both right!
PM sent to you.
I think it's going to be down to interpretation of the words in the standards.
It seems you are both right!
PM sent to you.
I think it's going to be down to interpretation of the words in the standards.
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Thanks for the PM
I'll have a look later and see what my interpretation is.
I'll have a look later and see what my interpretation is.
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can you check/confirm/shoot down in flames the "man left" for me pleaseI think I am losing the plot this morning
I don't believe that is correct:
All batteries should last to their rated duration. So a 3 hour light fitting should last 3 hours. So if these floodlights were rated at 3 hours but only lasted 2 how can you meet regulation 12.3 P15 'Luminaries tested and found to operate for their full duration'
Also your understanding of 1 hour or 3 hour is not correct.
A 1 hour duration is acceptable ONLY if the building is to be evacuated upon a power cut. This will give more than enough time for most buildings to complete a full evacuation. If the building is likely to stay occupied during a power cut then 3 hours is what it needs to be. I don't know of many buildings that would evacuate following a power cut. I would be surprised if that is in the fire risk assessment for a village hall and it is definitely not as clear cut as commercial/industrial is 1 hour and everything else is 3 hour.
I have fitted many of those NM emergency 'car type'spotlights on a battery pack in warehouses etc & they sre designed for 1 or 2 hours only duration.
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Well reading the documentation I am not a lot clearer about what is a sign and what is a light.
I am sure now that a hall needs 3 hours though not 1.
I am sure now that a hall needs 3 hours though not 1.
Ah Mr Essex be assured that if I thought that anything in my posts was not correct I would say so. Or say that I'm not sure at least , rather than lead PD astray.
I have quoted from the IET Electrician's Guide to Emergency Lighting , which clearly gives a 1 hour duration for the likes of industrial premises. Fittings are obviously made to the higher duration standard . ( Other than some Twinspots as Slippery has also discovered. )
Ah Mr Essex be assured that if I thought that anything in my posts was not correct I would say so. Or say that I'm not sure at least , rather than lead PD astray.
I have quoted from the IET Electrician's Guide to Emergency Lighting , which clearly gives a 1 hour duration for the likes of industrial premises. Fittings are obviously made to the higher duration standard . ( Other than some Twinspots as Slippery has also discovered. )
The hall will need 3 hours Dave I was talking generally about 1 hour durations.
I'm not sure but I think you need additional illumination additional to the EXIT ones.
"The overriding consideration for the duration is that it is sufficient for the escape strategy."
If the building is not going to be evacuated straight away how can a safe escape be made after the 1 hour window is up?
If the building is not going to be evacuated straight away how can a safe escape be made after the 1 hour window is up?
I suggest you ask The IET Essex we are all just the rank & file who are supposed to follow the regulations passed down from the mountain .
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The FRA for the property will decide the evacuation time.
There is no other source for this information.
There is no other source for this information.
"But that is what the Electricians Guide to Emergency Lighting said" really is not going to wash. This is why I said a design process should be undertaken which will take into consideration what the building use is and what the emergency procedure is. Without this you are peeing in the wind.
Bang on. This information seems to be lacking here.
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So is an emergency light in a domestic cellar an emergency light or is it functional?
The thing is Essex1, the only people who can undertake the FRA are those responsible for the building & it's FRA.
A spark can only go by the guidance that they are given from the likes of the IET, they cannot undertake the FRA unless they are trained, competent and insured to do such, which very few will be I suspect.
Hence the reliance, very understandably on the guidance given by the IET, which in the absence of an FRA from the duty holder, I suspect would hold water, as long as it was adequately explained.
What is the specification of the light?...
Who specified it?...
Why did they specify it?...
A spark can only go by the guidance that they are given from the likes of the IET, they cannot undertake the FRA unless they are trained, competent and insured to do such, which very few will be I suspect.
Hence the reliance, very understandably on the guidance given by the IET, which in the absence of an FRA from the duty holder, I suspect would hold water, as long as it was adequately explained.
Why is it there?...
What is the specification of the light?...
Who specified it?...
Why did they specify it?...
