Emergency Lighting
Battery-backed lighting systems that illuminate exit paths during power failures, required in all commercial buildings.
In Detail
Emergency lighting includes illuminated exit signs and emergency egress lighting that activates automatically during power failure. NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code) and the International Building Code require emergency lighting in virtually all commercial buildings. Testing requirements include: monthly 30-second functional test (verify lights activate on power loss), annual 90-minute functional test (full battery duration), and documentation of all test results. The annual 90-minute test is particularly important and frequently failed — batteries degrade over time and many units fail before reaching full duration. Emergency lighting is one of the most commonly cited deficiencies during fire marshal inspections. For fire protection contractors, emergency lighting testing is a straightforward recurring service that can be bundled with other inspections.
Related Terms
NFPA 101
The Life Safety Code — the standard addressing building features that protect occupants during fire and similar emergencies.
Means of Egress
The continuous and unobstructed path of travel from any point in a building to a public way — exit access, exit, and exit discharge.
Inspection Frequency
The required intervals at which fire protection systems must be inspected and tested per applicable NFPA standards.
Deficiency Tracking
The process of documenting, prioritizing, and resolving deficiencies found during fire protection inspections.