Emergency lighting is not required in private homes but it is required in places of work or public buildings due the the fact people may be unfamiliar with the surroundings. The placement of emergency lighting within a building will help those in the case of emergency identify the safest means of exit and reduce the chance of causing panic (Emergency Lighting) or in the event of a power failure where evacuation may not be necessary to provide sufficient illumination of the area until normal power can be resumed (Standby Lighting).

Things to remember about emergency lighting are:

It is to be installed in places of work or public buildings.
A life safety system designed to assist occupants in the case of emergency
Provide sufficient illumination of the area in case of power failure
is a mandatory requirement outlined in the Emergency Lighting Regulations BS5266
It is designed to help save lives

Types of Emergency lighting.

Maintained emergency lights are continuously light and are fed using the normal supply when this mains supply fails it will switch over to an alternate supply usually supplied from a central battery.

Non-Maintained emergency lights are only illuminated in cases where the main supply to the lamp fails this emergency supply is provided by batteries within the luminaire housing making it a self contained unit.