When Should You Replace Your Emergency Lights?

Australia has emergency lighting regulations in place to ensure that people have a safe path to follow in the case of an emergency. Emergency lights in commercial buildings must be regularly tested and inspected in Australia. Make sure your system is up to grade if you run a business out of a structure.

In the past six months of testing, have a few of your emergency and exit lights malfunctioned on-site? The new LED emergency and exit lights will last 7 to 10 years, compared to the existing tube-style fittings' lifespan of roughly 5 years. At least 10% of your onsite lights will malfunction throughout your six monthly 90-minute testing if your lights fail every five years.

Are the emergency and exit lights at your Sydney site broken? All emergency and exit lights must be functional in order to meet Australian Standard AS22931.

Emergency Lighting – AS2293.1 BCA Clause E4.2 & E4.4

Exit Lights – AS2293.1 BCA Clause E4.5, E4.6 & E4.8

To guarantee that Egrees may safely evacuate the building in the case of an emergency, emergency and exit lights have been installed. When do they plan to begin working? Emergency and exit lights are often always on while using 240v mains electricity. If there is ever a blackout or fire, they have a battery backup that comes on. Building blackouts typically occur during a fire when the main power is cut off or shorted.

Considerations for Updating an Emergency Light

There are a few things to consider while changing exit and emergency lights in NSW.

All emergency and exit lights in NSW must be fully functional in order to comply with Australian Standard AS2293. This implies that any lights that do not pass the required minimum 90-minute discharge test or do not produce the required minimum 0.2 lux output for their classification (positioning) must be replaced with a product that complies with the AS2293 requirements. Failing to do so may result in penalties, denied insurance claims, and, most critically, harm to renters or other occupants. As a result, make sure the replacement fitting can function in line with AS2293 and is an exact match.

Make Certain You Are Installing a Device for Emergency Lighting That Is Comparable
Based on their output and performance, all emergency light fittings are evaluated, graded, and divided into one of five classes (A-E). Two axis designations for fixtures with a single light source are C0 and C90. For instance, the C0: D32 and C90: D32 classifications for the WBS Spotfire SP3LED. Two light source emergency fittings, such the WBS 2x18w 4 foot emergency batten, EM36LED, are frequently categorized as three axes, with C0, C90, and C180 being the most prevalent. The unequal dispersion of light is to blame for this. At different mounting heights, the maximum distance between emergency light fittings is determined using the tables (Tables 5.1 to 5.5) in AS2293.1.

The Emergency classification of a fitting, as well as the maximum spacing permitted between various classes of emergency fittings, as indicated in AS2293.1, ultimately determine the quantity and position of escape and emergency fittings required in a structure (Table 5.1 to Table 5.5).

Products from other brands might not fit the required categorization, which is a common occurrence. The building runs the risk of failing to meet the requirements outlined in Sections E4.2 and E4.5 of the Australian Building Code if an existing Exit and Emergency fitting is replaced with one from a different brand without first ensuring that the new installation's classification is equivalent to or greater than that of the pre-existing fitting (BCA).

If a fitting without an equivalent classification, such as an older-style blade exit with insufficient lux rating [D5], replaces an emergency exit sign (example: EX4LEDQ Quickfit Exit [D16]), an emergency light fitting (example: Sunrise [D32]) needs to be fitted within 2m of the exit sign (AS2293-1 clause 5.4.1).

Another choice is to choose a fitting that matches or even surpasses the classification of what is already in place. The person in charge of the replacement should check to make sure it does not interfere with the building's lighting design plan.

The most important factor to think about when replacing exit and emergency lighting is making sure your new fitting is a perfect match for what is currently there. If this isn't done, the fitting won't meet the AS2293 requirements, and the building owner will not be in compliance with their legal responsibility to provide a safe environment for its tenants.

Asking someone who knows for sure if you're utilizing the proper replacement for your existing Emergency or Exit fitting is the best course of action. Getting professional advice from a certified fire systems installer is usually a good idea.