Emergency lighting in central staircase

[Guest TomAhe]

I live in a new apartment block ( 2007) and we have a flat on the 2nd floor.

There is a third floor above us. There is a central staircase which winds around the lift..There are no windows on any staircase or landings. Twice recently ,we have had lighting failures one of which lasted from Friday to Monday. There is no emergency lighting and this represents a great hazard for residents. We own our flat and the building is a mix of owners and renters. We pay management charges to the developer who are also the landlords for the rental properties.

My question is this....Are the Landlords obliged to have emergency lighting in the building and if yes, then why was this not carried out during the construction.

I would be obliged to know the current regulations in force ref emergency lighting.

Tom

[Safelincs]

Hi Tom

The landlord should have carried out a fire risk assessment for the common areas such as the stair case. The relevant guide is

http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/fire/firesafetyrisk4 (page 103). It is hard to see how the escape route through the staircase can be safe without emergency lighting.

Another helpful guide is the government's guide for 'Fire safety in purpose-built blocks of flats' http://www.local.gov.uk/c/document_library/get_file?uuid=71e152a6-9e0a-4810-aee6-498167664f79&groupId=10161

Again this guide specifies emergency escape lighting on escape routes (page 102), especially in the absence of street lights etc.

Please note that the emergency lights would not have helped you over an entire weekend, as their battery lasts max 3 hours

Harry

[Tom Sutton]

My question is this....Are the Landlords obliged to have emergency lighting in the building and if yes, then why was this not carried out during the construction.

I would be obliged to know the current regulations in force ref emergency lighting.

Further to Harry,s comments the answer is yes, (if necessary) and it should have been considered when the premises were built. The relevant document is ADB, vol2 download from http://www.planningp...pp_Doc_B_v2.pdf

You have to understand what is meant by emergency lighting it is divided in to,

1. Emergency escape lighting it is lighting provided for use when the supply to the normal lighting fails in the event of a fire and remains illuminate for short period, maximum 3 hours. The are further divisions if emergency escape lighting, they are escape route lighting, open area lighting and high risk task area lighting.

2. Standby lighting which is provided to enable normal activities to continue substantially unchanged and this is not required by regulation.

Check out BS EN 1838:1999/BS 5266-7:1999.

[Guest AnneGr]

I live in a small residents property and we have a fire escape stair case by law do we need emergency lighting on these stair or can we have a PIR light fitting that just comes on when there is movement .

The is 16 flats in the block.
thanks Sam

[Safelincs]

Hi Sam

You can use switchable, non-maintained emergency lighting to fulfill your practical requirement.

Harry

[Guest]

Hi
I would like to ask some advice about what's required by law in terms of emergency lighting in a residential block over 8 storeys tall. Currently, when there is a power failure, there is no provision of any lighting in the only fire-escape stairwell, after the three hour emergency lighting period. The lighting fails regularly and I believe our landlord has a responsibility to ensure that the fire escape is illuminated. Can you help?
Many thanks
Alex

[Tom Sutton]

It appears from your submission you have 3 hour emergency lighting which is what is required by the Fire Safety Order, after that it is a health and safety matter not a fire safety matter. You will need to find out who deals with Health and Safety in your premises and take your concerns to she/him. Under the FSO the landlord has a responsibility to ensure that the fire escape is satisfactorily illuminate for three hours, if there is a fire and the normal lighting fails.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Tom Sutton

[AnthonyB]

Yes, legally compliant. Standby lighting for use over extended periods is usually a business continuity provision in commercial premises requiring very expensive to buy & maintain generator sets.

[Guest Josef]

Hi,

I  live in a housing association accommodation. There are 2 floors with light in each floor,;  i have just found out that the switch for the communal area is in my main  electrical board!! i have been paying for the communal electricity for 20 years, and i didn't know!!!!  Who is responsible for the payment of the electricity in the communal area.

Many thanks

[Tom Sutton]

I would think it is the landlord who will recoup his/her costs through service charges.

[Guest Josef]

thanks. i raised the issue with the housing association. they said that they will pay £10 for the whole year. i find this too low for the price of electricity nowdays!! i live in London and i know that is not right!!

Can shed some light on this?

 

thanks in advance.

[green-foam]

Correct me if I am wrong but are you saying there are just two Emergency lights?

[Tom Sutton]

I do not see this as a fire safety matter. 

 

[Tom Sutton]

However you could calculate the number of hours the lights are lit for a year.

Calculate the total wattage of the circuit, divided by 1000 will give you the number of Kw

Multiplied the hours used by the number of kilowatts will give you the Kw/hours

Multiply the Kw/Hrs by the cost of a unit of electricity, will give the cost per year.

Hours X Units X Cost = cost/year

[green-foam]

I was going to say similar, but I added some figures.

The average EM light uses 40* watts

Average cost of 1KW Hour of electricity is 13p

1000 / 40 = 25 (Lets say 24 for ease of calculation)

So each EM light costs around 13p / day

13p x 365 (days in a year) = £47.45 for Each light.

* Average consumption of two (Fluorescent tube)  EM lights that I tested. This is with the lights on standby / charging. Yours may be higher or lower. These figures are for guidance only.