For such a small paragraph in BS5266, I fend many questions with respect to when you must provide emergency lighting and when it should be supported with emergency lighting calculations. I assume I am not alone in this, so I thought I would share my interpretation of the requirements. I could not find any information on when you would consider a multi-closet facility to have borrowed light, the assumption at the end is unfounded and my interpretation only. Comments appreciated. [post comment] The original intend of this post was to find if this table helped simplify the process of determining the requirements for emergency lighting in bathrooms etc. The intent was not to discuss the design process, nor the question of what borrowed light is, or any other standard. Unfortunately, I am unable to delete the topic or close it. Applicable for: Toilets Bathroom Showers Changing Rooms Use of Space Provision of Borrowed Light Area of Space Emergency Lighting Required Calculation Required For Use by Disabled Persons All 8m2 or less YES NO For Use by Disabled Persons All Above 8m2 YES YES Single Closet Facilities With Borrowed Light 8m2 or less NO - Single Closet Facilities Without Borrowed Light 8m2 or less NO - Single Closet Facilities With Borrowed Light Above 8m2 YES YES Single Closet Facilities Without Borrowed Light Above 8m2 YES YES Multiple Closet Facilities With Borrowed Light 8m2 or less NO Multiple Closet Facilities Without Borrowed Light 8m2 or less YES NO Multiple Closet Facilities With Borrowed Light Above 8m2 YES YES Multiple Closet Facilities Without Borrowed Light Above 8m2 YES YES Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits With Borrowed Light 8m2 or less NO - Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits Without Borrowed Light 8m2 or less NO - Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits With Borrowed Light Above 8m2 YES YES Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits Without Borrowed Light Above 8m2 YES YES Note: closet, wall and doors must allow borrowed light. Using standard partition sizes and typical minimum ceiling height this would include 300mm above, and 100mm below. Where closet cannot be provided with borrowed light then emergency lighting per closet should be provided.

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5.2.8.5 Toilet facilities and changing rooms

For such a small paragraph in BS5266, I fend many questions with respect to when you must provide emergency lighting and when it should be supported with emergency lighting calculations.

I assume I am not alone in this, so I thought I would share my interpretation of the requirements. I could not find any information on when you would consider a multi-closet facility to have borrowed light, the assumption at the end is unfounded and my interpretation only. Comments appreciated.

[post comment] The original intend of this post was to find if this table helped simplify the process of determining the requirements for emergency lighting in bathrooms etc. The intent was not to discuss the design process, nor the question of what borrowed light is, or any other standard.

Unfortunately, I am unable to delete the topic or close it.

Applicable for:
Toilets
Bathroom
Showers
Changing Rooms

Use of Space	Provision of Borrowed Light	Area of Space	Emergency Lighting Required	Calculation Required
For Use by Disabled Persons	All	8m2 or less	YES	NO
For Use by Disabled Persons	All	Above 8m2	YES	YES
Single Closet Facilities	With Borrowed Light	8m2 or less	NO	-
Single Closet Facilities	Without Borrowed Light	8m2 or less	NO	-
Single Closet Facilities	With Borrowed Light	Above 8m2	YES	YES
Single Closet Facilities	Without Borrowed Light	Above 8m2	YES	YES
Multiple Closet Facilities	With Borrowed Light	8m2 or less	NO
Multiple Closet Facilities	Without Borrowed Light	8m2 or less	YES	NO
Multiple Closet Facilities	With Borrowed Light	Above 8m2	YES	YES
Multiple Closet Facilities	Without Borrowed Light	Above 8m2	YES	YES
Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits	With Borrowed Light	8m2 or less	NO	-
Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits	Without Borrowed Light	8m2 or less	NO	-
Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits	With Borrowed Light	Above 8m2	YES	YES
Hotel Bathroom/Ensuits	Without Borrowed Light	Above 8m2	YES	YES

Note: closet, wall and doors must allow borrowed light. Using standard partition sizes and typical minimum ceiling height this would include 300mm above, and 100mm below. Where closet cannot be provided with borrowed light then emergency lighting per closet should be provided.

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0 Sparkingchip over 3 years ago

When posting on a forum where many users are electricians rather than engineers you need to consider how electricians think and work.
As an electrician I will choose emergency lighting supplied by manufacturers who provide spacing charts and diagrams that show you that if the ceiling height is X then the distance between the lights needs to be no more than Y, rather than doing calculations.
One manufacturers design team said they would check my design for one job by running through their lighting design software, I sent them sketches of each stairway, hallway and landing broken down into sections indicating the turns, they said it was too complicated and “it will be obvious anyway if there’s a problem from just walking through it after it’s finished “.
So I’m unsure about the column headed “calculation required“ because I would generally just check the ceiling height and floor area to be illuminated on every job using a manufacturers spacing chart.
The problem from my point of view is that many emergency lighting manufacturers just aren’t supplying the spacing charts and diagrams anymore, there seems to be an assumption that designers will use design software packages rather than just looking at some charts, even for something as simple as a few lights in a cafe or restaurant.
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0 Sparkingchip over 3 years ago

When posting on a forum where many users are electricians rather than engineers you need to consider how electricians think and work.
As an electrician I will choose emergency lighting supplied by manufacturers who provide spacing charts and diagrams that show you that if the ceiling height is X then the distance between the lights needs to be no more than Y, rather than doing calculations.
One manufacturers design team said they would check my design for one job by running through their lighting design software, I sent them sketches of each stairway, hallway and landing broken down into sections indicating the turns, they said it was too complicated and “it will be obvious anyway if there’s a problem from just walking through it after it’s finished “.
So I’m unsure about the column headed “calculation required“ because I would generally just check the ceiling height and floor area to be illuminated on every job using a manufacturers spacing chart.
The problem from my point of view is that many emergency lighting manufacturers just aren’t supplying the spacing charts and diagrams anymore, there seems to be an assumption that designers will use design software packages rather than just looking at some charts, even for something as simple as a few lights in a cafe or restaurant.
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5.2.8.5 Toilet facilities and changing rooms

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