Emergency Lighting Responsibilities

Responsibility for emergency lighting rests with the responsible person under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — usually the employer, building owner or occupier who has control of the premises.

What the responsible person must do

• Ensure emergency lighting is provided where the fire risk assessment requires it.
• Keep it in efficient working order and good repair through regular testing and maintenance.
• Ensure records (the logbook) are kept and available.
• Act on defects promptly.

Shared and delegated duties

In multi-occupied buildings, responsibility may be shared between the building owner (common parts) and individual occupiers (their demised areas). Testing and maintenance are often delegated to a competent contractor — but the legal duty remains with the responsible person, who must ensure the work is actually done.

Getting it right

The practical approach is to appoint a named person to oversee monthly tests, arrange the annual duration test and servicing with a competent contractor, and keep the logbook current. Coordinating this with fire alarm testing on one compliance calendar keeps the whole fire-safety picture under control.