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Emergency Lighting Testing & Maintenance
Emergency lighting testing and maintenance to BS 5266: monthly and annual tests, battery and LED replacement and digital certificates, across London.
We carry out the annual three-hour duration test and support the monthly function tests that BS 5266-1 requires, replacing failed fittings and batteries and recording every result. Our BAFE SP203-4 and NICEIC certification covers design, installation, commissioning and maintenance.
Emergency lighting fails quietly. A battery that will no longer hold its charge, a failed LED driver or a fitting knocked off the wall looks fine every day, until the power goes off and the stairs are dark. Batteries in self-contained fittings typically last around four years, and heat, age and repeated power cuts shorten that.
Regular testing is the only way to find these faults before they matter, and the logbook is the evidence that the responsible person has met their legal duty. Fire Systems Ltd tests and maintains emergency lighting across thousands of homes for housing associations and local authorities in London and the South East, as well as hotels, offices and community buildings.
We also install and upgrade systems: see emergency lighting installation.
BAFE SP203-4 Certified Maintenance
Fire Systems Ltd holds BAFE SP203-4 third-party certification for emergency lighting maintenance, and is NICEIC registered. Our emergency lighting engineers hold FIA emergency lighting competency training alongside City & Guilds electrical qualifications.
Every visit is booked, recorded and certified through our Infor ERP system, with electronic certificates issued within 48 hours. Engineer qualifications are held in our Mango QMS, which blocks anyone being allocated to work they are not certified for.
The Rules on Emergency Lighting Testing
Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Article 17 requires emergency lighting to be maintained in efficient working order and good repair. The duty sits with the responsible person: the landlord, freeholder, managing agent or employer.
BS EN 50172:2024 and BS 5266-1:2025. Set the minimum testing regime: a short function test of every fitting each month, a full rated-duration test each year, and records of every test and fault.
Periodic photometric verification. The 2024 and 2025 standards also expect a check, at least every five years, that the system still delivers the light levels it was designed for.
Building Safety Act 2022. In higher-risk buildings, emergency lighting maintenance records form part of the golden thread of building information.
What we check at every visit
Every luminaire and exit sign is present, clean, undamaged and showing a healthy charge indicator
Each fitting switches to emergency mode when the supply fails and lights correctly
Batteries, chargers and, on central systems, the system monitors work correctly
Coverage still matches the building layout and the fire risk assessment
The logbook is completed and any defects are reported with a quotation
Why Some Buildings Need More Frequent Testing
BS 5266 sets the minimum, but some buildings need a closer eye.
Unstaffed sheltered and supported schemes: With no one on site to carry out monthly checks, housing providers often ask us to do them, or install self-test fittings so faults are reported automatically.
High-rise and higher-risk buildings: The stair is the only way out, and a dark stairwell is a serious risk. Faults need to be found quickly and records kept for the golden thread.
Hotels and guest accommodation: Tests have to be timed around guests, and fittings must be fully recharged before dark.
Buildings with a history of damage or power cuts: Vandalised fittings and repeated outages shorten battery life, so more frequent checks catch failures earlier.
Taking over a building with no reliable records? We test every fitting on the first visit and give you a clear, costed list of what needs doing.
Emergency Lighting Testing to BS 5266
BS 5266 and BS EN 50172 set the minimum testing regime. Our housing clients often specify more, and we build each contract's programme to their specification.
Every month:
Short functional (flick) test of every luminaire and exit sign, for no more than a quarter of its rated duration
Check every fitting is present, clean, undamaged and that charge indicators show healthy
Every year:
Full rated duration test, normally three hours
Battery and charger checks, and failed lamps, batteries or gear trays replaced with LED
Coverage checked against the current layout and fire risk assessment
Periodic inspection and test certificate issued
Many clients add a six-monthly one-hour discharge test, which we include where specified. Duration tests are timed so batteries recharge before dark, alternate fittings can be tested so escape routes stay lit, and we never test by pulling fuses.
Taking over an existing system
We take on existing systems as well as new ones. On a first visit we test every fitting, check the logbook, record locations and asset numbers, and give a costed list of remedial works, including LED upgrades where old fluorescent or battery gear is failing.
Fewer return visits. Our engineers carry contract-specific van stock, so most faults are fixed on the first visit: our first-time-fix rate across all contracts is 95%.
Planned around residents. Visits are scheduled by building and combined with fire alarm and AOV servicing where we maintain those too, so residents see fewer contractors.
Clear records. Results go straight into Infor ERP, with photos, defects and certificates for every building in one place.
Where the five-yearly photometric check shows a system no longer meets its light levels, our design team can model the building and recommend changes: see emergency lighting design.
“Emergency lighting maintained across 1,500 homes since April 2022, with the contract running at 96% compliance.”
Fire Systems Ltd maintains emergency lighting, fire alarms and AOVs for a London housing association across London and the South East.
In Practice: Maintaining Emergency Lighting Across Two Housing Portfolios
For a large London housing association we have maintained emergency lighting across 1,500 dwellings in London and the South East since April 2022. Our FIA-qualified engineers redesigned the maintenance schedules to cut site visits without reducing coverage, alongside battery replacement and LED upgrade programmes.
For another major housing provider we maintain emergency lighting across 3,500 dwellings, including higher-risk buildings where extended-duration systems and links to evacuation alert systems are needed.
The results. On the 1,500-home contract: 100% of response times met and 96% compliance across all assets. Across our contracts: a 95% first-time-fix rate, with electronic certificates issued within 48 hours of each visit.
Emergency Lighting Testing Questions We Are Often Asked
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
BS 5266-1 and BS EN 50172 call for a short functional test of every fitting every month and a full rated-duration test, normally three hours, once a year. Every test should be recorded in the logbook. Many housing providers also specify a six-monthly one-hour test.
Who is allowed to test emergency lighting?
The monthly function test can be carried out by a trained member of staff using the test key switches. The annual duration test and any repairs should be carried out by a competent person. BAFE SP203-4 certification shows a company's emergency lighting work has been independently audited.
What happens if a fitting fails its annual test?
We record the failure, replace the battery, lamp or fitting where we can on the day, and give you a quotation for anything else. Failed fittings are replaced with LED, and the area is retested once the repair is complete.
Are self-test emergency lights worth it?
In larger buildings and housing portfolios they usually are. Self-test and web-monitored fittings carry out and record their own monthly and annual tests, which means fewer visits, less disruption for residents and immediate warning when a battery or lamp fails.
Why do emergency light batteries fail?
Batteries in self-contained fittings typically last around four years, and heat, age and repeated power cuts shorten that. A failed annual duration test is often the first sign. We replace failed batteries and gear, and recommend LED upgrades where older fluorescent fittings are failing.
