Emergency escape lighting of premises – revised British code of practice
Issue 36 – March 2012
The revised Standard BS 5266-1:2011 Emergency lighting – Part 1: Code of practice for the emergency escape lighting of premises gives recommendations and guidance on the factors that need to be considered in the design of, and the installation and wiring of, electrical emergency escape lighting systems. The Standard helps to provide the lighting performance needed for safe movement of people if the supply to normal lighting fails. It also gives recommendations for lighting in areas with fixed seating.
The aim of BS 5266-1 is to promote wider understanding of the different types of emergency lighting systems and to give guidance on their correct application to the varied requirements of different categories of premises. The Standard has been updated to assist engineers to protect occupants from the hazards identified by risk assessments and also to evaluate existing premises to decide if they need to be upgraded to meet current requirements. The Standard has also been expanded to give guidance to protect occupants from a sudden loss of the normal lighting supply.