Testing emergency lighting

[westward10]

Has your boss provided you with the correct information to undertake this task.

 

[Steve2381]

Nope. He sent an untrained guy there who refused to do it. So, seeing as I am 17th qualified, I now have been lumbered with the task. Doesn't make me any happier about it... hence the questions.
I just don't know exactly what I am supposed to check and note

 

[Taylortwocities]

I suggest you refuse to do it too. 17th edition and BS7671 has nothing to do with emergency lighting.
You aren’t competent in this particular area.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

As a 17th edition Electrician, you can conduct a periodic inspection of the wiring and equipment.
You can state whether the system is electrically safe for continued use.
You would not necessarily be able to state whether the system complies with BS5266-1.

 

[Steve2381]

Thanks. I am competent. I just was not 100% sure of the implications and requirements.
I will take a look Monday and make an informed judgement.

 

[Adam W]

I don't have a copy of BS5266 and I'm not about to fork out £122 for one, but I'd like to think I'm competent to turn a switch off and on again once a month, and I'm even willing to initial to say I've done it.

The way I see it emergency light testing is like fire alarm testing or even PAT testing (ISI&TEE) - you're not designing a system, just testing it, and a caretaker could do that.

Again, I haven't done a special course and got a certificate to say I can design an emergency lighting system, but I can integrate emergency lighting into the primary lighting system, and in a situation where nobody else is going to consider emergency lighting until it's too late I'd be happy to put my neck on the line. Same with the testing of it - I'm happy to take that on if nobody else will.

 

[westward10]

Thanks. I am competent. I just was not 100% sure of the implications and requirements.
I will take a look Monday and make an informed judgement.

Being competent I assume you have a good working knowledge of the necessary standards and requirements.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Any competent Electrician can install, test and maintain an emergency lighting system.
It takes a bit more info to design or to state whether an existing system complies.

 

[westward10]

I don't have a copy of BS5266 and I'm not about to fork out £122 for one, but I'd like to think I'm competent to turn a switch off and on again once a month, and I'm even willing to initial to say I've done it.

The way I see it emergency light testing is like fire alarm testing or even PAT testing (ISI&TEE) - you're not designing a system, just testing it, and a caretaker could do that.

Again, I haven't done a special course and got a certificate to say I can design an emergency lighting system, but I can integrate emergency lighting into the primary lighting system, and in a situation where nobody else is going to consider emergency lighting until it's too late I'd be happy to put my neck on the line. Same with the testing of it - I'm happy to take that on if nobody else will.

When you integrate emergency lighting into an existing system how do you go about this, what are your primary considerations.

 

[Adam W]

When you integrate emergency lighting into an existing system how do you go about this, what are your primary considerations.

Generally the same considerations as for the primary lighting system, such as the use of the space and future maintenance, plus the direction of the escape route.