Emergency and Exit Light Testing Services

Can Building Managers Perform Testing?

While many emergency and exit lights include basic maintenance steps for owners and facility managers to follow for routine testing, the only way to have the required testing done is to have the work done by a QBCC licenced contractor.

As we just noted, emergency and exit lights are more complicated than ordinary fixtures. The entire unit must be ready to operate perfectly with a split second's notice. Our technicians are trained and equipped to perform the necessary diagnostic tests and, when necessary, to make the proper repairs to keep the unit in operation and the facility in compliance with construction codes. Violations can not only lead to fines and potential issues with continued occupancy but also create a serious safety hazard to employees, residents, and visitors of the building.

What is Involved in Emergency and Exit Light Testing?

Our technicians understand all code requirements established for exit and emergency light testing. They will perform these tests in your building quickly and efficiently with the least possible disruption to normal operations.

The Australian Standard AS/NZS 2293.2, requires that the lights be tested every six months. This provides the maximum possible opportunity to identify and correct problems before they have time to pose a safety risk to building occupants.

The first step our team performs is a visual inspection of the fixtures. Fluorescent lights become black and discolored when the tubes no longer work, so our technicians examine each one to determine whether any of them need replacement before the test proceeds.

The next step is to perform a discharge test as required. This involves removing facility power from the light and waiting 90 minutes to ensure that the light operates continuously and with adequate brightness for that span of time. The discharge test duplicates the conditions of a prolonged power failure and verifies that the lights work normally in those conditions. Once the fixture has successfully completed the discharge test, it is returned to normal operating mode.

With certain types of emergency and exit lighting, facility power must be turned off to complete the discharge test. Because this is a disruptive activity, many facilities are upgrading to self-testing units that can simulate a power failure without leaving the entire building without electricity. In businesses, churches, and other non-residential buildings, test times can also be arranged to take place when few or no occupants are present so that the inconvenience is minimised.

What Documentation is Provided to Managers?

Each test is thoroughly documented in a logbook with a copy provided to the facility manager or building owner. The form includes the results of the discharge tests for each light, the condition of all bulbs in the fixtures, and an itemized list of all repairs that were required and completed.

Our workers will also discuss the overall compliance of the facility's network of safety features. If they determine that additional units would be beneficial for either safety or code compliance, they will advise the building's contact person of the upgrades or additional exit light installation that is necessary for optimum safety.

The safety of occupants and residents inside a public building is our highest priority. We will make sure that the entire array of emergency and exit lighting inside your facility is in top working order, and we will do so with the least possible disruption to operations and with the appropriate documentation to confirm your compliance with code. Contact us today to schedule testing.