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Are the present regulations regarding emergency lighting fit for purpose ?

broadgage

I refer here not primarily to the design and construction of individual products, but to the system design in large modern buildings with automated lighting controls.

I am aware of several cases in which an automatic control system has "accidentally" turned out every light in a large area, leaving the occupants in darkness. This sort of failure does not seem to be addressed by current practice.

In general, it seems to me that most emergency lighting systems light the emergency lights on failure of the mains electricity supply, but do not operate if the mains supply be present, but a defective or misapplied control system turns the lights out during hours of occupation.

It seems to me that the regulations need updating to include something like

"The emergency lights shall operate in case of failure of the electricity supply, AND SHALL ALSO ENSURE THAT THE MINIMUM LIGHTING LEVELS ARE PROVIDED IN THE EVENT OF FAULT, FAILURE, OR MIS-APPLICATION OF ANY AUTOMATIC OR REMOTE CONTROL OF THE LIGHTING SYSTEM" (There is no need to protect against mal-operation of local and manually operated  conventional light switches that DIRECTLY CONTROL the ordinary lighting)

Parents

  • I have worked in many buildings where the lights would regularly go out if no one was moving around. This was expected and someone would usually standup and wave their hands around to turn the lights on again, it  usually happened in meeting rooms where everyone was siting around a table and not moving around. It was inconvenient but worked where the sensors were sensibly placed. I can see it being a problem if the sensors were not sensibly placed or blocked by furniture. 

  • in reply to kfh

    ha! I have recently put a normal light switch in the ladies loo at a scout and guide  HQ with that issue. The PIR sensor only covered the area  by the door, so anyone sitting in a cubicle is not 'seen' by the sensor, and gets plunged into darkness after a short interval.
    As users indicated strongly that  neither opening the cubicle door and waving nor taking a candle to see by or keep the sensor running was sensible, for now it has a light switch. If the 20 odd watts of loo lights stay on continuously on a meeting night, the cost is lost in the noise of having the heating on as the outside doors open and shut. We may change the switch, (or  use the PIR) to trigger a very long timer, 30 mins or more, as a final solution if anyone complains.

    M.

Reply
  • in reply to kfh

    ha! I have recently put a normal light switch in the ladies loo at a scout and guide  HQ with that issue. The PIR sensor only covered the area  by the door, so anyone sitting in a cubicle is not 'seen' by the sensor, and gets plunged into darkness after a short interval.
    As users indicated strongly that  neither opening the cubicle door and waving nor taking a candle to see by or keep the sensor running was sensible, for now it has a light switch. If the 20 odd watts of loo lights stay on continuously on a meeting night, the cost is lost in the noise of having the heating on as the outside doors open and shut. We may change the switch, (or  use the PIR) to trigger a very long timer, 30 mins or more, as a final solution if anyone complains.

    M.

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