Why Emergency Lighting Is An Important Pillar of Your Fire Safety Plan
Emergency lighting should be a fundamental pillar of every fire safety plan. In fact, light is so important that according to the Book of Genesis, God created it on the first day. Fires frequently result in the loss of AC power, so you often need a backup light source during a fire emergency to ensure life safety.
The Ontario Fire Code requires fire safety plans for most commercial buildings. Your fire safety plan should include the following information:
- Actions required by building management and the occupants in the event of a fire or other emergency situation
- Full documentation for the maintenance of fire protection systems
- Detailed planning for fire prevention
- Evacuation and emergency response procedures
Requirements for Emergency Lighting
Your fire safety plan must include backup illumination in the event of primary power loss. Section 9.9.3.14 of the Ontario Fire Code mandates that buildings have emergency lighting for the following:
- Exits and the access to those exits, exit stairways, public hallways, and other access to exits in any building required to have a fire alarm system
- Any room with assembly occupancy that has an occupant load of greater than 60 people
The code defines requirements of the emergency lighting to fulfill these requirements:
- The lighting must last for 30 minutes where the distance between the top storey and the ground is less than 18 meters and two hours when it exceeds 18 meters.
- The power source for the emergency lighting must be separate from the building’s primary source.
- The secondary power source must activate automatically when primary power is lost.
- The illumination must provide “an average of at least 10 lx at floor or tread level, or 1 watt/m2 of floor space.”
Emergency Lighting Benefits
The transition that occurs when the main power fails and lights go out is instantaneous and can cause emotional distress, confusion, and even panic in the building inhabitants unless backup lighting appears immediately. In the event of a fire, people must remain calm, and vigilant. They need to exit the building in the quickest and safest manner possible.
Emergency lighting can provide the means to help a building’s occupants to escape a hazardous situation when the primary source has failed. When properly installed and maintained, it saves lives and is surprisingly affordable. It’s also required by law, and the Ontario Fire Marshal can close down a business that doesn’t meet the code’s emergency lighting specifications.
Emergency Lighting Maintenance
If your building has emergency lighting, you must inspect, test, and maintain it per the Ontario Fire Code requirements specified in section 2.7.3.3., and your building’s fire safety plan should include a record of this activity. This maintenance should include:
- Monthly
- Pilot light inspection
- Inspect terminals and clamps to make sure they’re clean
- Electrolyte and specific gravity are up to the manufacturer’s specifications
- The battery surface is clean and dry
- Emergency lights turn on when primary power fails
- Annually
- Illumination should last for as long as the system design
- Charging and recovery of the batteries after a full test should meet the manufacturer’s specifications
Emergency lighting should be one of the pillars of every Ontario commercial building fire safety plan. Once your plan has been established, it’s also necessary to revisit it annually or whenever changes have been made to the building structure or use. Such changes can often require adjustments to your emergency lighting system.
If you have a full schedule and don’t have the time to design, test, and maintain your building’s emergency lighting requirements, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at All Protect Systems Inc. They’ve been protecting Ontario area businesses since 1996 and are waiting for your call.