Fire detection and emergency lighting engineers, ADS Group
What the standard covers
The standard addresses where emergency lighting is required, how much illumination escape routes and open areas need, how long luminaires must operate on battery, and how the installation is tested and recorded over its life.
- Photometric design of escape routes, open areas and high-risk task areas
- Maintained and non-maintained luminaires and where each is appropriate
- Exit and directional signage
- Function and duration testing regimes
- Certification and record keeping
Maintained vs non-maintained
A non-maintained luminaire only illuminates when the normal supply fails. A maintained luminaire is lit continuously and stays lit on failure. Which is appropriate depends on whether the premises can be occupied in darkened conditions.
When a design needs revisiting
Any change to partitions, escape routes or final exits can invalidate the original design. After a fit-out or refurbishment, the lighting design should be reviewed rather than assumed to still apply.
References
- National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), Publisher of I.S. 3217. This guide summarises scope only; the standard is a purchased document.
This guide summarises publicly available information. It is general information, not legal advice, and it does not reproduce the text of any standard. For your own building, request a survey.