Why a lamp test is not enough
Routine monthly function tests and annual duration tests prove that emergency luminaires switch on and last. They do not prove the light reaching the floor is enough to escape by. Fittings get moved during fit-outs, partitions create new corridors, high shelving blocks open areas and old batteries and dirty diffusers reduce output. An emergency lighting lux survey measures the illuminance produced in emergency mode along escape routes, in open areas and at the safety equipment people need to find, and compares it with the values in the standards.
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsible person must ensure escape routes and exits have emergency lighting of adequate intensity where illumination is needed. BS 5266-1:2025 is the UK code of practice for emergency lighting of premises, and BS EN 1838:2024 sets the photometric requirements. Our guide to emergency lighting lux levels explains the background.
Emergency lighting lux values
| Application | Minimum illuminance | Uniformity |
|---|---|---|
| Escape routes up to 2 m wide | 1 lux on the centre line, with the central band at least half that | Max:min no greater than 40:1 |
| Open (anti-panic) areas | 0.5 lux on the floor, excluding a 0.5 m border | Max:min no greater than 40:1 |
| High-risk task areas | 10% of normal maintained illuminance, and not less than 15 lux | Min:average at least 0.1 |
| Safety equipment, fire alarm call points, first-aid points | 5 lux vertical at the equipment |
Escape route lighting must reach 50% of its required level within 5 seconds and full level within 60 seconds; high-risk task lighting must respond much faster. Duration depends on the premises and the evacuation strategy, and three hours is common, particularly where people sleep on site or the building may be reoccupied quickly.
What the survey covers
- Escape routes: corridors, stairs, lobbies and external routes to a place of safety, measured along the centre line and central band.
- Changes of direction and level, intersections, stair treads and landings.
- Final exits, inside and immediately outside the door.
- Open areas over 60 m², and smaller areas the risk assessment flags, such as open-plan offices, halls and sales floors.
- High-risk task areas, such as machinery that must be shut down safely or kitchen cooking lines.
- Points of emphasis: call points, firefighting equipment, first-aid points and refuge areas.
- Toilets for disabled people, lift cars and plant rooms where BS 5266-1:2025 calls for coverage.
- Exit signs, noting visibility, legibility and whether signs are illuminated in emergency mode.
How we test on site
- We agree the areas in scope and a time when normal lighting can be switched off and emergency lighting put into test mode, usually out of hours.
- Your electrician or our engineer simulates mains failure at the test key switches or distribution board, under safe isolation procedures.
- Readings are taken at floor level with a calibrated lux meter sensitive enough for low emergency values, and vertical readings at equipment and call points.
- Measurements are taken after the luminaires have run up, with a sample re-checked later in the discharge to show output holds.
- We note failed or missing fittings, damaged diffusers, obstructed signs and any areas with no coverage.
Measuring very low lux values accurately needs total darkness, so internal rooms with no daylight are surveyed any time, while daylit areas are surveyed after dark.
Who asks for an emergency lighting lux report
Fire risk assessors recommend lux surveys when they cannot confirm adequacy by inspection alone. Insurers ask for them after a fit-out or change of use. Landlords and managing agents of HMOs, flats and multi-let buildings need them for common parts. Care homes, hotels and schools commission them because occupants may be unfamiliar with the building or slow to evacuate. Contractors use our reports as independent verification at handover. For premises types see our hotel and healthcare pages.
What you receive
- A route-by-route and area-by-area report of measured emergency illuminance against BS EN 1838:2024 and BS 5266-1:2025.
- Pass or fail results with readings marked on a plan of escape routes.
- A defects schedule your electrician can price, plus recommendations on additional fittings or repositioning.
- A summary for your fire risk assessment, insurer or landlord file.
Report turnaround is confirmed when you book, and urgent turnarounds can be discussed when you book.
Emergency lighting lux surveys across London and the South East
We carry out emergency lighting lux surveys across London, Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk, for offices, shops, warehouses, HMOs, care homes, schools and hotels.
Price
An emergency escape lighting lux check starts from £120. Larger buildings, multiple floors and multi-site work are quoted individually, and the price is always confirmed before booking. It can also be added to a general lux survey on the same visit; see pricing.
Book an emergency lighting lux survey
Tell us the building type, number of floors and when the building can be put into test mode, and we will confirm a price and date. Book your emergency lighting survey.
Frequently asked questions
What lux level is required on an emergency escape route?
BS EN 1838:2024 requires at least 1 lux on the centre line of escape routes up to 2 m wide, with the central band at least half that and a maximum to minimum ratio no greater than 40:1.
How is an emergency lighting lux survey different from a duration test?
A duration test proves luminaires stay lit for their rated time. A lux survey measures how much light actually reaches the floor and safety equipment in emergency mode, which shows whether the coverage is adequate.
Do you need to switch the lights off?
Yes. Normal lighting is switched off and emergency lighting put into test mode, usually out of hours, so we can measure the low emergency values accurately.
What lux level is needed at a fire extinguisher or call point?
Safety equipment, fire alarm call points and first-aid points should receive at least 5 lux vertical illuminance at the equipment under emergency lighting.