Emergency Lighting Regulations for Hampshire Businesses: What Do You Actually Need?

If the power goes out or a fire sets off your alarm, your escape routes need to stay lit. That's what emergency lighting is for, and by law, almost every business has to have it. For businesses across Hampshire, it's often the part of fire safety that gets forgotten about, until an insurer, or worse, a real emergency, brings it back into focus.

Here's a simple breakdown of what you need, the rules behind it, and how to stay on the right side of them.

The legal position

Under UK fire safety law, escape routes and exits that require lighting must have emergency lighting that is bright enough to use if the normal lights fail. If your building has staff, visitors, or contractors using it, this rule applies to you. It doesn't matter whether you own the building or rent it.

There's also a newer law, the Building Safety Act 2022, which says buildings need to keep their emergency lighting working properly for as long as they're in use, not just when they're first built.

Where BS 5266 comes in

BS 5266 is the British Standard that spells out exactly how to meet these rules. It covers how emergency lighting should be designed, installed, and kept in good working order in business premises.

The standard was updated in 2025 (BS 5266-1:2025), which is now the version businesses need to follow. One key change is that it now covers three types of emergency lighting, not just escape route lighting:

• Emergency escape lighting – lights up exits, doors, stairs, and corridors so people can get out safely

• Local area (anti-panic) lighting – lights up open spaces so people can stay calm and find their way to an exit

• Standby lighting – lets normal work carry on, or be shut down safely, if the power cuts out

What you actually need to have in place

BS 5266 covers a few key things that decide whether your lighting is compliant:

• Brightness – there's a minimum level of light needed at floor level along escape routes and in open areas, so people can see where they're going

• How long it lasts – emergency lighting usually needs to run on battery power for at least three hours

• How fast it kicks in – lights should come on almost instantly if the power fails

• Where it's placed – lights need to avoid dark patches, and should highlight exits, exit signs, and safety kits like fire extinguishers.

• Type of system – some lighting stays on all the time (maintained), while other systems only switch on when the power cuts out (non-maintained); which one you need depends on how the building is used.

There's no single answer for how many lights or where they should go. That's worked out through a fire risk assessment, based on your building's size, layout, and how many people use it. This is especially true for older or converted buildings in Hampshire, where layouts are often less straightforward.

Testing: the bit that often gets missed

Having the lighting installed is only half the job. You also need to test it regularly:

• Monthly checks – a quick test to make sure each light comes on

• Annual tests – a full test to make sure the battery backup lasts the full three hours

• Keeping records – you need to keep a log of these tests and any certificates, as proof you're compliant

Skipping these checks is one of the easiest ways to fall out of compliance without even realising it, often only spotted when something goes wrong.

Emergency lighting support across Hampshire

Commfire works with businesses across Hampshire and surrounding areas to install, test, and maintain emergency lighting that meets current standards. If you're not sure whether your system is up to date, or when it was last properly tested, it's worth getting it checked sooner rather than later.