Full Discharge Emg Lighting testing

**Sparky83** · 02-02-2010

Hi,

In the building i work we done yearly 3hr discharges of our emergenvy lights, my question is, if for instance we do a test on say floor 6, we would knock of the breakers for them circuits and we would check after 3hrs etc etc, but how long after a full discharge can people be aloud to work in the area again?

As if the emergency light batteries are drained, they would not stay on for the correct amount of time for people to exit the floor should there be a power cut for instance.

I have tried looking for the regulation to answer this but cant really find it. Any help would be great,

Cheers
Shawn

**Mark_Burgess** · 03-02-2010

Can the test be arranged for the last 3 hours of the working day? Could solve the problem if thats possible.

**Tester Steve** · 03-02-2010

Yep, used to get paid double bubble to do this on a Sunday

untill they twigged it could be done 3 hours before end of work

!!

Steve

**Jason.S** · 03-02-2010

Originally Posted by Tester Steve

Yep, used to get paid double bubble to do this on a Sunday

untill they twigged it could be done 3 hours before end of work

!!

Steve

Bummer

**pevvers** · 03-02-2010

Originally Posted by Sparky83

but how long after a full discharge can people be aloud to work in the area again?

IIRC, BS5266 quotes 24 hours after a full drain down test, otherwise you would have to give everybody torches...

**scotsparky** · 04-02-2010

if there is a few EM circuits on each floor i would think about doing 1 circuit on each floor each day. This means that at any time at least some fully charged em light fittings

eg. 3 em circuits 1 circuit each day so 2thirds are always fully charged and so no disruption to staff.

**Sparky83** · 08-02-2010

Originally Posted by pevvers

IIRC, BS5266 quotes 24 hours after a full drain down test, otherwise you would have to give everybody torches...

Cheers for the replies guys, i forgot tomention that the building (not all areas) has 24hr workers, so in some areas there are poeple there all the time.

Does any body have a link to a pdf or something of BS5266, i have looked myself but cant seem to find one.

Cheers
Shawn