Emergency Lighting Installation in Cornwall — BS 5266
When the power goes out, your staff have 3 seconds of memory before panic. Emergency lighting installed to BS 5266 gives them a lit path to every fire exit — and keeps you on the right side of your fire risk assessment.
Emergency lighting is the network of battery-backed lights that come on when mains power fails, providing a lit escape route to fire exits. UK commercial premises must install emergency lighting to BS 5266-1, with a 3-year battery test cycle and annual full-discharge test logged in the building's fire safety records.
If you run a Cornwall office, school, retail, hotel, hospitality venue, factory, or multi-storey premises, you know the problem: older systems with dead batteries nobody tested, missing exit signs, and dark stairwells in a power cut.
We fix that. You get a designed, installed, certified system that passes the Fire Risk Assessment first time.
Types of Emergency Lighting We Install
Maintained emergency lighting
Fixtures lit all the time; switch to battery on power failure. Used in cinemas, theatres, function rooms.
Non-maintained emergency lighting
Fixtures off in normal use; come on only on power failure. The most common workplace type.
Self-test emergency lighting
Fittings test themselves automatically and log results to a central panel. Saves the manual annual test cost.
Exit signs (illuminated and photoluminescent)
Required at every fire exit. Photoluminescent are battery-free but require ambient light to charge.
Escape route, open area, and high-risk task lighting
Three different designations under BS 5266 with different light-level requirements.
Why properly designed emergency lighting matters
- Pass your Fire Risk Assessment without a callbackInstalled and tested to BS 5266-1, with a logbook your assessor accepts.
- Get your staff out safelyA lit escape route in a power cut is the difference between calm exit and panic.
- Protect your insuranceNon-compliant emergency lighting often features in claim disputes after a fire.
- Avoid Fire Authority enforcementEmergency lighting is one of the most-cited Fire Risk Assessment failures (BAFE 2024).
- Annual full-discharge test includedWe run the BS 5266 test cycle so you don't have to think about it.
How we install your emergency lighting
Free site survey
Mitch walks the building, identifies escape routes, exit doors, open areas, and high-risk task locations.
System design + quote
Within 48 hours: written quote with light-level calculations, fitting positions, BS 5266 designation per area.
Install
Typically 1-2 days for a small commercial premises. Fittings positioned for required lux levels, exit signs at every fire exit.
Commission + 3-hour discharge test
Every fitting tested under battery for the full 3-hour period required by BS 5266. Results logged.
Documentation + handover
System manual, fitting positions, test certificate, logbook entries, calendar reminder for next annual test.
Why Choose Us
Emergency lighting is the most-cited Fire Risk Assessment failure. According to BAFE's 2024 audit data, missing or non-functional emergency lighting was identified in 42% of Fire Risk Assessments conducted on UK commercial premises — making it the single most common compliance failure.
Source: BAFE, 2024 audit data.
BS 5266-1 designed
Light levels calculated, not estimated.
Annual 3-hour discharge test included
We do the test and log it.
Mitch installs every system
No subcontracting.
Local-only, Cornwall-only
Same-day quotes Helston to Bodmin.
(Photo coming soon)About the engineer
Mitch Clementson — Founder + Engineer
Mitch has spent 16 years installing fire and security systems across Cornwall — from listed cottages in Helston to commercial premises in Truro. Every job he quotes, he installs. Every system he commissions, he services. There is no subcontracting, no surprise team, no "the engineer will be in touch" — you call, he answers.
- BS 5839-1:2025 — Commercial fire alarm design, installation, commissioning
- BS 5839-6 — Domestic fire alarm grading
- BS EN 62676 — CCTV system standards
- BS EN 50131 — Intruder alarm grading
- BS 5266-1 — Emergency lighting code of practice
- BS 5306-3 — Fire extinguisher commissioning and servicing
- British Fire Consortium member (independent standards verification)
"Emergency lighting is one of the easiest fire risk assessment failures to fix and one of the most common ones I find. Three-hour battery test, BS 5266 logbook, done — your assessor signs off and you sleep better."
— Mitch Clementson, Founder of MC Fire & Security
Recent Work
What's included in your emergency lighting install
- Site survey + escape-route assessment — included.
- System design — light-level calculations to BS 5266, fitting positions, designation per area (escape route / open area / high-risk task).
- All hardware — emergency luminaires, exit signs, control modules, batteries.
- Installation labour — typically 1-2 days for small commercial; longer for multi-storey or large sites.
- Commissioning + 3-hour discharge test — every fitting tested under battery, results logged.
- Documentation pack — system manual, fitting plan, test certificate, logbook entries.
- Annual test reminder — calendar reminder set for the next annual test.
- 12-month workmanship warranty — plus manufacturer hardware warranty.
Per-fitting pricing — pay only for the fittings you need. Same-day quotes across Cornwall.
Our Work
Recent emergency lighting installations across Cornwall. Click any image to view full size.
What Our Customers Say
5.0 Google rating from 36 reviews. Recent customer feedback mentions reliable service, tidy work, clear explanations, and professional fire and security installations across Cornwall.
View verified Google reviewsAreas We Cover
MC Fire and Security provides emergency lighting installation and testing across Cornwall:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need emergency lighting in my building?
If your building is used as a workplace, has shared escape routes (like a block of flats), or is open to the public, you almost certainly need emergency lighting. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places this duty on the "responsible person" — usually the building owner, landlord, or employer. If you’re unsure, call Mitch on 07498 819185 for a free site survey.
How often must emergency lighting be tested?
BS 5266 requires a brief functional test every month and a full-duration test (usually 3 hours on battery) once a year. All tests must be recorded in your fire safety logbook. Failure to test and document is a common reason for enforcement action during fire safety inspections.
What is the 3-hour duration test for emergency lighting?
The annual full-duration test runs every emergency lighting fitting on battery power for its full rated period — typically 3 hours. This proves the batteries can sustain illumination long enough for a real evacuation. Any fittings that fail the test (dim too early or don’t illuminate at all) must be replaced. MC Fire and Security can carry out this test as part of a maintenance contract.
What is BS 5266 and what does it require?
BS 5266 is the British Standard for emergency lighting. It covers the design, installation, wiring, and ongoing testing of emergency lighting systems. It specifies where fittings must be placed (escape routes, changes in direction, stairways, exit doors, high-risk areas), minimum light levels, battery duration requirements, and testing schedules. Compliance with BS 5266 is the benchmark that fire safety inspectors check against.
What changed in BS 5266-1:2025?
The 2025 update to BS 5266-1 introduced refined guidance on automatic testing systems, updated requirements for risk-based lighting design, and clearer documentation requirements. If your emergency lighting was installed under the older edition, it’s worth having a review to check it still meets the current standard. Call Mitch on 07498 819185 for a compliance check.
How often do emergency lights need testing?
Emergency lighting requires a monthly function test and an annual full-duration test under BS 5266. The monthly test is a brief check to confirm each fitting illuminates on battery power. The annual test runs every fitting on battery for its full rated duration — usually 3 hours — to prove the batteries can sustain illumination through a real power failure. Both tests must be recorded in your fire safety logbook.
Can emergency lighting be retrofitted to existing buildings?
Yes. Battery-backed LED emergency lighting units can be retrofitted to most existing buildings without major rewiring. Self-contained units with integral batteries are the most practical option for retrofits — each fitting operates independently, so there’s no need to run new central battery cabling. Call Mitch on 07498 819185 for a free site survey.
Related Services
Fire Alarm Installation
Pair emergency lighting with a BS 5839-1 fire alarm for a complete fire safety system.
Learn moreFire Extinguisher Servicing
Annual servicing keeps every extinguisher in your fire plan compliant.
Learn moreMaintenance
6-monthly fire alarm + annual emergency lighting test in one contract.
Learn moreGet a Free Site Survey
Need emergency lighting installed or tested? Call Mitch on 07498 819185 or send a message on WhatsApp.
Last updated: 2026-05-13