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BS 5266-1:2025 Emergency lighting - Emergency lighting of premises. Code of practice, 2025
- Foreword
- Introduction
- Figure 1 — Types of emergency lighting
- 1 Scope
- 2 Normative references
- 3 Terms and definitions
- 4 Consultation and records [Go to Page]
- 4.1 Consultation
- 4.2 Supply of plans
- 4.3 Records
- 5 Illumination for emergency lighting conditions [Go to Page]
- 5.1 General
- 5.2 Illumination for safe escape – Emergency escape lighting [Go to Page]
- 5.2.1 General
- 5.2.2 Design conditions
- 5.2.3 Uniformity and diversity of illuminance
- 5.2.4 Disability glare
- 5.2.5 Defined escape routes
- 5.2.6 Open areas
- Figure 2 — Example of rooms requiring emergency lighting
- 5.2.7 High-risk task areas
- 5.2.8 Siting of luminaires and special locations [Go to Page]
- 5.2.8.1 General
- 5.2.8.2 External areas in the immediate vicinity of exits
- 5.2.8.3 Evacuation lift cars
- 5.2.8.4 Moving stairways and walkways
- 5.2.8.5 Toilet facilities and changing rooms
- 5.2.8.6 Motor generator, control, plant and switch rooms
- 5.2.8.7 Covered car parks
- 5.2.8.8 Public indoor swimming pools
- 5.2.9 Safety signs [Go to Page]
- 5.2.9.1 Escape route signs
- 5.2.9.2 Other externally illuminated safety signs
- 5.3 Illumination for safety in the building – Emergency local area lighting [Go to Page]
- 5.3.1 General
- 5.3.2 Minimum illuminance
- 5.3.3 Safety signs
- 5.4 Illumination for continued activity – Standby lighting
- 6 Emergency lighting design [Go to Page]
- 6.1 System integrity
- 6.2 Failure of individual normal lamp
- 6.3 Failure of emergency lighting luminaire
- 6.4 Mounting height of luminaires
- 6.5 Spacing between luminaires
- 6.6 Classification of operation of emergency lighting systems
- 6.7 Choice of appropriate emergency lighting systems [Go to Page]
- 6.7.1 Selection of appropriate emergency lighting luminaires
- 6.7.2 Classification of system
- 6.7.3 System duration
- 7 Power supplies and equipment used as electrical sources for safety services (ESSS) [Go to Page]
- 7.1 Power supplies ESSS [Go to Page]
- 7.1.1 General
- 7.1.2 Central safety power supply systems
- 7.1.3 Uninterruptible power supplies (UPS)
- 7.1.4 Location of power supplies for sources for safety services and central safety power supply systems
- 7.2 Batteries for emergency lighting [Go to Page]
- 7.2.1 General
- 7.2.2 Batteries for self-contained luminaires
- 7.2.3 Batteries in centrally supplied systems
- 7.3 Generators
- 7.4 Luminaires and light sources for emergency lighting
- 8 Wiring systems and circuits [Go to Page]
- 8.1 Wiring to self-contained emergency luminaires
- 8.2 Wiring of emergency lighting luminaires supplied from a central safety power supply system [Go to Page]
- 8.2.1 Circuit integrity under fire conditions
- 8.2.2 Types of cables and cable systems
- 8.2.3 Support for cables and cable systems
- 8.2.4 Joints in cables and wiring systems
- 8.2.5 Cable management systems providing protection against mechanical damage
- 8.2.6 Segregation of cables
- 8.2.7 Cross-sectional area of conductors
- 8.2.8 Suspended cables
- 8.2.9 Damp, corrosive or underground locations
- 8.2.10 Ambient temperatures
- 8.2.11 Wiring to emergency lighting central safety power supply systems
- 8.2.12 Voltage compatibility of a centrally supplied emergency lighting luminaire from a central battery system
- 8.2.13 Electromagnetic compatibility
- 8.2.14 Identification of cables
- 8.3 Wiring circuits [Go to Page]
- 8.3.1 General
- 8.3.2 Isolators, switches and protective devices
- 8.3.3 Test facility
- 8.3.4 Isolation and maintenance hazards
- 9 Application of emergency escape and local area lighting for typical premises [Go to Page]
- 9.1 General
- 9.2 Premises used as sleeping accommodation
- 9.3 Non-residential premises used for treatment or care
- 9.4 Non-residential premises used for recreation
- 9.5 Non-residential premises used for teaching, training, research and offices
- 9.6 Non-residential public premises
- 9.7 Industrial premises used for manufacture, processing or storage of products
- 9.8 Multiple use of premises
- 9.9 Common access routes within blocks of flats or maisonettes
- 9.10 Covered car parks
- 9.11 Sports stadia
- 10 Emergency lighting design procedure [Go to Page]
- 10.1 General
- 10.2 Determine requirements
- 10.3 Design of illuminance
- 10.4 Design of system
- 10.5 Design of circuit protection and controls
- 10.6 Installation, operating and commissioning instructions
- 10.7 Handover [Go to Page]
- 10.7.1 General
- 10.7.2 Handover documentation
- 11 Certificates and logbook [Go to Page]
- 11.1 General
- 11.2 Photometric verification
- 12 Routine inspections and tests
- 13 Servicing and repair of emergency lighting systems [Go to Page]
- 13.1 Actions to be taken by the responsible person
- 13.2 Action to be taken by the competent person to repair luminaires
- 13.3 Servicing of specialist components [Go to Page]
- 13.3.1 General
- 13.3.2 Central batteries
- 13.3.3 Generators
- 13.4 Emergency lighting system service spares
- Annex A (informative)
Summary of standards covering emergency lighting
- Figure A.1 — Summary of standards covering emergency lighting
- Annex B (informative)
Developments in emergency lighting application and technology
- B.1 General
- B.2 Developments in component technology
- B.3 Intelligent lighting control systems
- B.4 Energy saving
- Annex C (informative)
Guidance on the application of emergency lighting systems
- C.1 General
- C.2 Examples of typical installations
- Annex D (informative)
Measuring illuminance of emergency lighting
- Annex E (informative)
Typical illuminance for specific locations
- E.1 General
- E.2 Kitchens
- E.3 First aid rooms
- E.4 Examination and treatment rooms
- E.5 Temporary waiting spaces for people with mobility impairments
- E.6 Plant rooms, switch rooms and means of emergency operation for lifts
- E.7 Inspection of the condition of fire alarm control and indicating equipment
- E.8 Reception areas
- E.9 Panic bars and pads or security devices at exit doors
- E.10 Surrounds of swimming pools, swimming areas and diving platforms or flumes
- Table E.1 — Typical illuminance for specific locationsA)
- Annex F (informative)
Emergency lighting classifications
- Annex G (informative)
Guidance on illuminance calculations
- Figure G.1 — Conventional escape route where the floor is the working plane
- Figure G.2 — Cooking stove where the surface of the stove is the working plane
- Figure G.3 — Fire panel needing to be read on the vertical plane
- Annex H (informative)
Model completion certificate
- Figure H.1 — Model completion certificate – General declaration
- Figure H.2 — Model completion certificate – Design – Declaration of conformity
- Figure H.3 — Model completion certificate – Installation – Declaration of conformity
- Figure H.4 — Model completion certificate – Verification – Declaration of conformity
- Annex I (informative)
Model certificate for completion of small new installations up to 25 self-contained luminaires
- Figure I.1 — Model certificate for completion of small new installations – General declaration
- Figure I.2 — Model certificate for completion of small new installations – Declaration of conformity
- Annex J (informative)
Emergency lighting logbook
- Table J.1 — Agreed variations
- Annex K (informative)
Model certificate for verification of an existing installation
- Figure K.1 — Model certificate for verification of an existing installation: General declaration
- Figure K.2 — Model certificate for verification of an existing installation: Checklist and report
- Annex L (informative)
Additional guidance on the compliance checklist and report for an existing site
- L.1 General
- L.2 Design
- L.3 Quality of the system components and installation
- L.4 Records, test facilities and training
- Annex M (informative)
Model periodic inspection and test certificate
- Figure M.1 — Model emergency lighting inspection and test certificate
- Figure M.2 — Model emergency lighting inspection and test record
- Figure M.3 — Model emergency lighting fault action record
- Bibliography [Go to Page]
