Emergency Light Testing, Inspections & Certificates in Edinburgh
Emergency Lighting Testing should be carried out at least once a year or in cases monthly, if your property or business has emergency lighting.
Testing emergency lighting is a key part of your building safety processes
You need to ensure that persons within the building can get out safely, in the event of a power outage. The emergency light fitting must also stay illuminated for a specified time before cutting out.
Why are emergency lights provided?
Emergency lighting is a safety measure that provides illumination in buildings when the main power supply is cut off. It’s especially important in public buildings and workplaces where people might need to evacuate quickly in the case of emergencies, such as a fire or power failure.
These lights are battery-backed, meaning they have a source of power separate from the main electrical supply. They are designed to automatically come on when the mains power fails, ensuring that exit routes remain clearly visible.
Emergency lighting generally includes exit signs and pathway lighting that guides occupants to the safest escape route. By illuminating stairwells, hallways, and exit doors, it helps to prevent panic and confusion during an evacuation, reducing the risk of accidents or injuries.
There are two main types of emergency lighting:
Emergency Escape Lighting
This is part of the overall emergency lighting and provides the illumination needed for the safety of people leaving a location or attempting to terminate a potentially dangerous process beforehand.
Emergency Standby Lighting
Emergency Standby lighting enables normal activities to continue almost unaffected. Unlike ‘Emergency Escape’ lighting, it’s not a legal requirement but can be installed in areas where it’s essential not to halt operations suddenly.
What is the legal requirement for emergency light testing?
In comercial properties and HMO’s, emergency lighting systems are subject to strict legal regulations and standards (including BS 5266-1, 2016), requiring periodic inspections and testing to ensure they function correctly when needed.
How often should emergency lighting be tested?
We usually recommend that weekly and monthly functional tests to be carried out by the owners or tenants of the property, with a 6-month and 12-monthly test being carried out and documented by SELECT certified electricians.
Our emergency light service
At Ideal Electrical Solutions (UK) Ltd, we provide emergency light testing and certification for a wide variety of commercial properties, HMO’s, Airbnb’s, churches, and letting agents throughout Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.
Our emergency light testing procedure:
Emergency Lighting Tests
Test all emergency light components to ensure they are fully operational and compliant with current legal requirements. We will visit your property and, depending on size and type of operation, offer you a free quote for the required duration of test required. For smaller rental properties we have a fixed fee structure available.
Emergency Light Repairs
If any issues are discovered during the EM test, our electricians can carry out the necessary repairs. At times your lights may be too old to get replacement parts, when this is the case we will issue you a quote to replace the light in question. Sometimes it may be more cost effective to replace the entire system at the same time as the batteries installed will then all start to become faulty around the same time.
Issue the Emergency Lighting Test Certificate
We provide detailed electronic emergency lighting certificates, validating the integrity of your emergency lighting system. These certificates will be issued on the same day as the works have been carried out along with a quote (if required) to bring your property up to the minimum legal standard.
Fixed Pricing & Free Quotes
We offer fixed prices prior to arrival and free quote services, guaranteeing transparency and no hidden fees. Give us a call on 0131 258 2750 and one of our office team will guide you through the process.
Easy Booking
Our e-booking system makes scheduling an emergency test effortless, we will also add your test to our system for automatic reminders ensuring you won’t forget about your test renewal date.
Why choose Ideal Electrical as your supplier?
All our electricians are fully qualified and SELECT approved, ensuring quality and adherence to industry standards with continuous auditing and training though our governing body. We will help you ensure the safety and functionality of your emergency lighting system.
As a fully insured member of SELECT, we provide emergency lighting solutions that cater to various property types across Edinburgh – ranging from HMOs, offices, commercial buildings, public buildings and schools all the way through to communal and tenement stair lighting.
The importance of a valid emergency lighting test
Emergency lighting is vital for guiding occupants safely out of a building in case of a power failure or other emergencies. Regular testing ensures that:
- The lights function effectively during a power cut.
- The battery backup systems are operational.
- All exit signs and pathways are adequately illuminated.
- Compliance with regulatory standards is maintained.
The law mandates regular emergency lighting tests, depending on the system’s complexity and the nature of the premises. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to legal penalties.
The team here at Ideal Electrical can offer a full solution from having your lights tested to installing new lights which meet regulations and British Standards.
Our Accreditations
Contact us
Based in Edinburgh and looking to schedule your emergency light testing? Contact Ideal Electrical Solutions (UK) Ltd and let us ensure your peace of mind, safety, and legal compliance.
Address:
4-5 Parsons Green Terrace
Edinburgh
EH8 7AN
Contact:
Enquiry Form
Recent emergency lighting reviews
See what some of our customers say about working with us.
I asked for a quote to have communal lights fixed and the light timer to be put back into a correct sequence after power cuts left it all over the place. I received a quote very quickly and it was a very good price. The work was carried out very soon after the invoice was paid and all contact had with the company was very good. Brilliant job and brilliant customer service. I shall use this company again and recommend them to anyone who needs an electrical job done.
Charlotte
Edinburgh
Kept well informed of appointment, arrival time, etc. Electrician (Lewis) did great job and reviewed further lights which were not part of original job but had stopped working when testing the emergency lighting. Very professional, efficient and cleaned up as well as taking away old fittings.
Alan, Scottish Building Society
All was perfect. Very quick and efficient communication. We had 5 lamps that required installing and the engineer did it very well and very quickly. Very happy with everything.
Magda
Edinburgh
Some FAQs on emergency light testing
Here are some questions our customers frequently ask:
As a general recommendation, it is advisable to have your emergency light systems tested on a monthly basis, with an annual ‘full duration’ test. The precise frequency of your emergency lighting testing may vary depending on your specific systems – we will give you guidance when you contact us.
Yes we will send you an electronic test certificate for all the works which were carried out on the date, on request we can add pictures to the certificate for future reference.
Test prices vary, for a standard rental property we would prices start from £80 and for a 3 hour drop test prices start from £190 – when contacting us we can give you an accurate cost for your property.