Emergency lighting regulations and emergency lighting compliance are legal fire safety requirements for many UK workplaces and commercial buildings. For Facilities Managers, compliance means being able to demonstrate that emergency lighting is suitable, maintained, tested and capable of operating when the normal power supply fails.
That final requirement brings backup power into the compliance conversation. If emergency lighting depends on central battery systems, UPS batteries or another backup power arrangement, the condition of that equipment can directly affect the building’s emergency lighting provision.
So, what do Facilities Managers need to check?
What does UK legislation require?
In England and Wales, the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires appropriate fire precautions in non-domestic premises, including emergency routes and exits that require illumination being provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity if normal lighting fails.
The Responsible Person must also ensure fire safety systems and equipment remain subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, efficient working order and good repair.
For Facilities Managers handling day-to-day building operations, that creates a clear practical requirement: emergency lighting needs ongoing attention. Installing the system and assuming it’ll perform several years later isn’t enough.
Which emergency lighting standards should Facilities Managers know?
BS 5266-1:2025 (covers the design, installation and application of emergency lighting) is a key standard for emergency lighting in the UK. It provides recommendations and guidance covering emergency lighting within premises.
Facilities Managers should also be aware of BS EN 50172, which covers emergency escape lighting systems, including testing, servicing and system records.
Where emergency lighting uses a central power supply, additional requirements can apply to the equipment supplying it. This becomes particularly important when a UPS system forms part of a life-safety application.
The suitability of the complete arrangement should be established rather than assuming any UPS installation can support emergency lighting.
Who is responsible?
Under the Fire Safety Order, responsibility rests with the Responsible Person. Depending on the premises, this could be an employer, owner, landlord or another person with control of the building.
Facilities Managers often manage the practical side of that responsibility. This can include arranging tests, maintaining records, managing contractors, responding to faults and making sure remedial work gets completed.
Knowing what powers your emergency lighting is therefore essential. If a central battery system or UPS system sits behind it, that equipment needs to be included within your maintenance planning.
How frequently should emergency lighting be tested?
Emergency lighting requires regular testing, with established maintenance guidance providing for monthly functional testing and annual full-duration testing.
The monthly test checks that emergency lighting operates following a simulated failure of the normal lighting supply. Annual testing is more demanding because the system needs to demonstrate that it can operate for its required duration.
This is where the condition of the backup power supply becomes critical.
If a system depends on UPS batteries, deteriorating battery capacity can reduce available runtime. A fitting may illuminate during a short test while the underlying UPS battery is no longer capable of supporting the required load for the full period.
Regular UPS system testing and UPS battery maintenance can help identify deterioration before a genuine power failure exposes the problem.
What records should be retained?
Facilities Managers should maintain clear records of emergency lighting testing and maintenance.
Records should show when tests took place, the results, faults identified and any corrective work completed. They create an audit trail and help demonstrate that fire safety responsibilities are being managed.
Where a UPS system or central battery system supports emergency lighting, retain relevant backup power records too. These could include:
- UPS system test results
- UPS battery maintenance records
- battery condition and capacity information
- UPS fault reports
- UPS battery replacement dates
- completed remedial work
A UPS system audit can also help establish what equipment is installed, what it supports and whether maintenance records contain gaps.
What happens when a fault is identified?
Emergency lighting faults require investigation and appropriate action. The priority is to establish whether the fault affects safe evacuation and what measures are needed until it’s resolved.
The fault may not always be within an emergency light fitting.
Where several lights depend on central battery systems or a UPS system, the investigation may need to extend to the backup supply. A UPS battery fault, reduced battery autonomy, charger problem or wider UPS system fault could prevent emergency lighting from operating for the required period.
This is why UPS faults shouldn’t sit unresolved on a maintenance report. The effect on connected critical systems needs to be understood.
How does backup power affect emergency lighting compliance?
Backup power is only useful when it’s available at the moment it’s required.
UPS batteries deteriorate with age, operating temperature, usage and environmental conditions. Individual battery blocks can also fail before the rest of a battery string, creating weaknesses that aren’t always apparent during normal building operation.
Planned UPS system maintenance, battery testing and timely UPS battery replacement give Facilities Managers a clearer picture of system condition and available runtime.
For buildings using central battery systems, the same principle applies. Testing should confirm that the complete backup arrangement can support the emergency lighting it serves.
With more than 30 years of experience, Uninterrupted Power Solutions supports organisations with UPS maintenance, UPS system testing, UPS battery maintenance and UPS battery replacement across the UK. Our trained technicians can assess the backup power supporting critical and life-safety systems and identify problems before a mains failure puts the system to the test.
Review the backup power supporting your emergency lighting
Emergency lighting compliance depends on more than the luminaires around your building. Facilities Managers also need confidence in the power system sitting behind them.
If your emergency lighting relies on a UPS system, UPS batteries or central battery systems, contact Uninterrupted Power Solutions to review your backup power, testing and maintenance requirements.
