How Often Should Emergency Lighting Be Tested?

Emergency lighting is a vital component of fire safety in any commercial, public, or industrial building. When the main power supply fails during a fire or power outage, emergency lighting ensures that occupants can safely exit the premises, find fire-fighting equipment, and avoid hazards. But to function correctly in an emergency, these lights must be maintained and tested regularly.

In this blog, we’ll break down how often emergency lighting should be tested, what the legal requirements are in Scotland, and how professional emergency lighting maintenance ensures compliance and peace of mind.

What are the emergency lighting maintenance requirements in Scotland?

In Scotland, the maintenance of emergency lighting is a legal requirement for non-domestic premises. This duty falls under the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006, both of which place responsibility on the ‘duty holder’ or ‘responsible person’ to ensure all fire safety systems – including emergency lighting – are maintained in an efficient working order.

To meet these obligations, buildings should also follow the British Standard BS 5266-1, which provides a code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises. This standard outlines the design, installation, and maintenance expectations for emergency and exit lighting, ensuring systems perform effectively when needed the most.

Under BS 5266-1, the key responsibilities for emergency lighting maintenance include:

• Routine testing of emergency lighting systems
• Periodic inspections and servicing
• Record-keeping and documentation
• Prompt repairs to any faults or failures

If you’re the designated responsible person – whether you’re a facilities manager, landlord, business owner, or part of a property management team – it’s your duty to ensure that all emergency lighting is tested at the correct intervals and maintained by competent professionals, like Asco.

How often should emergency lighting be tested?

Routine testing and maintenance of emergency lighting is essential to ensure they operate correctly in an emergency. BS 5266-1 outlines two primary testing intervals that must be followed to remain compliant with legislation:

Monthly functional tests

A short, functional test of each emergency light should be carried out at least once a month. During this test, the mains power to the emergency lighting circuit is briefly interrupted to simulate a power failure. Each light fitting should illuminate and remain on for the short duration of the test.

Best practice recommends that these tests:

• Are conducted at least once a month
• Check that each unit functions and illuminates properly
• Are carried out without damaging the battery or over-discharging the system
• Are reported and any faulty lights are repaired promptly 

While monthly functional tests can be completed in-house, it’s highly recommended to consult with qualified fire safety professionals, like Asco. It’s also important to remember to document your tests to demonstrate compliance.

Annual full duration testing

Once a year, a full rated-duration test must be completed. This typically encompasses simulating a full mains power failure and allowing the emergency lights to run for their full specified duration, which is usually around 3 hours.

With full duration testing, you should ensure:

• They’re carried out annually
• The battery can support the emergency light for the full duration
• Be conducted by a competent engineer to avoid system damage
• All lights are restored and recharged afterward

As these tests are more comprehensive, you should ensure they’re carried out by a certified fire safety professional. Any failures that arise from the test will often require remedial action to bring the system back to standard.

Who should carry out emergency lighting maintenance?

When it comes to the maintenance of emergency lighting, best practice is to always appoint qualified and competent fire safety professionals. By doing so, you can ensure your emergency lighting system remains safe, compliant, and ready to perform in a real emergency. It also gives you confidence that any faults are identified early and rectified correctly.

At Asco, our emergency lighting engineers are:

• Fully trained and competent in BS 5266-1 standards
• NICEIC and BAFE-accredited
• Experienced in emergency lighting maintenance and testing for a wide range of sectors and building types

What happens during the maintenance of emergency lighting?

Emergency lighting maintenance is more than just a visual check. A structured maintenance visit involves several key actions to ensure full system functionality, compliance, and safety. These include:

Visual inspections and functional checks

Visual inspections will typically begin by checking:

• All luminaires are intact, clean, and free from obstruction
• Emergency lighting signs are clearly visible
• Indicators show the system is functioning in standby mode
• Any previous faults have been rectified

A functional test will then confirm that each unit switches to battery mode and operates correctly.

Battery discharge and recharging tests

Battery discharge and recharging tests usually take place during an annual test where the engineer will:

• Simulate a power failure and observe emergency lighting operation for its full rated duration (typically 3 hours)
• Check battery backup capacity and discharge time
• Record any units that fail to reach the required runtime

After testing, all systems are recharged and reset for normal operation.

Recording and documentation for compliance

Proper record-keeping of emergency lighting maintenance is critical, especially if your premises is subject to inspection by the fire authority or insurers. That’s why all test results should be recorded in your fire safety logbook and include:

• Date of testing
• Results of each luminaire
• Details of any faults or failures
• Actions taken or recommended

Let us support with your emergency lighting maintenance

The maintenance of emergency lighting is not only a legal duty, but also essential for protecting life and ensuring your premises remain safe during an emergency. 

At Asco, we provide full emergency lighting maintenance services across Scotland and the UK thanks to the support of the LS Fire Group. Whether you need help with monthly checks, annual testing, or full compliance inspections, our qualified engineers are here to help.

We work with businesses, local authorities, housing associations, healthcare providers, commercial landlords, and more to deliver reliable, standards-compliant emergency lighting services that are tailored to each site. We can also offer packages that combine emergency lighting with fire alarm maintenance, fire extinguisher servicing, and fire risk assessments.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your emergency lighting maintenance requirements in more detail. We’ll ensure you stay compliant, protect your people, and meet your fire safety responsibilities with confidence.