In accordance with British Health and Safety Building Regulations, properties used for hosting the mass public such as hospitals, museums, restaurants, theatres and office building etc, are required to be fitted with emergency lighting. Modern day buildings are fitted with emergency lighting as a matter of course, but many older buildings also need to have them installed.
If you are the owner of a public building that hosts more than five people on a regular basis you are required by statute to have emergency lighting installed. Or you may be a builder or designer that is new to the concept of emergency lighting and required to purchase some on behalf of your client or advise a client what to look for when buying emergency lighting. If so, then this list of four factors will certainly be of benefit to you when it comes to buying emergency lighting.
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1) What kind of emergency lights do you need?
There are various kinds of lights, from various manufacturers such as Effekta. What you need to consider is the layout and size of the building and determine where lights need to be positioned. Then you can decide which light is best suited, whether it be a wall light, floor light or ceiling light. You will also need lights in your emergency exit signs.
You also then need to consider the type of lighting that best fits the building you are in and when they might be used. For ordinary public buildings or offices normal lighting is ideal, but ay for instance you manage a laboratory that handles dangerous chemicals and there is an accident, strobe lighting is a better option as it is associated with an emergency such as emergency service vehicles.
2) Cost of emergency lights
Prices of emergency lighting vary dramatically from one company make and model to the next. It goes without saying that should the need for emergency lighting ever arise in your building you need to be certain that they are going to work.
Of course, when it comes to cost the important thing to consider is what type of lighting do you require and what options are available to you. Small battery operated lights are no more than a few quid, but will they suffice as emergency lights on your property?
Possibly not, and you will be penalized heavily by the authorities if you compromised safety for the sake of cost if a severe injury was to be caused to anyone.
Having said that it is best to shop around, consider your options and seek professional advice from each of the emergency lighting retailers available. There are plenty on the internet all wanting you custom and once you have spoken to several you will have a better idea of what type of lighting you will need and thus the overall cost.
3) Where to buy emergency lights
The question here is like asking how long is a piece of string? As mentioned above there are dozens of emergency lighting manufacturers and retailers easily located on the internet. You may even want to track down your local retailer so that you can visit and physically take a look at the size and design of various emergency lights. That will give you a better idea of what you need and you can buy from anywhere you feel most drawn to having spoken to several salesmen.
4) Easy fit emergency lights
The final thing to consider is how easy the emergency lighting is to fit. Again this comes down to cost whether you are fitting them or paying somebody else to fit them. If you buy emergency lighting that requires a huge effort to install, you can consider yourself out of pocket. Labour to install emergency lighting is a significant proportion of any installation cost.
Conclusion
Emergency lighting are a necessary part of life for any Building Manager. Consider the 4 factors above whenever considering making an investment in emergency lighting provision.
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Emergency lighting is usually required in order to provide enough light so that everyone is able to evacuate the premises safely and securely. Many buildings that have been built recently have emergency lights pre-installed. The design and type lighting used in these buildings is usually approved at that time by a local planning authority.