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What is BS 5266-1:2025 - Emergency lighting of premises about?
BS 5266-1:2025 provides a code of practice for emergency lighting of premises. It sets out recommendations and guidance on the design, installation, and wiring of emergency lighting systems to ensure safety in the event of a failure of the normal lighting supply.
The standard’s central aim is to promote a consistent approach to emergency lighting so that people can safely exit or remain in a building during emergencies, while also supporting the use of essential safety equipment.
Who is BS 5266-1:2025 - Emergency lighting of premises for?
BS 5266-1:2025 is intended for a broad range of stakeholders who are responsible for or involved in the design, regulation, and operation of buildings with public or communal access. These include:
- Local authorities and regulators.
- Trade bodies and insurers.
- Safety and fire professionals.
- Built environment specialists.
- Contractors, developers, and engineers.
- Responsible persons on premises.
- Any premises with a public or communal aspect.
What does BS 5266-1:2025 - Emergency lighting of premises cover?
BS 5266-1:2025 applies to emergency lighting systems used for three key purposes:
- Assisting evacuation – helping occupants leave a building safely during an emergency.
- Protecting occupants who remain – ensuring safety when people stay in the building during an incident.
- Supporting continued operations – enabling normal activities to continue if the normal lighting fails.
It also gives recommendations for lighting in areas with fixed seating and emphasizes that it does not apply to private dwellings, although it does cover common access routes in blocks of flats and maisonettes.
Key aspects include ensuring escape routes are clear and illuminated, fire safety systems (like call points and fire-fighting equipment) are accessible, and panic risks are minimized in confined spaces such as lifts.
Why should you use BS 5266-1:2025 - Emergency lighting of premises?
Using BS 5266-1:2025 ensures:
- Legal and regulatory alignment – it supports compliance with UK fire safety requirements.
- Public safety – helps safeguard people in emergencies by ensuring reliable lighting in evacuation and refuge scenarios.
- Consistency – encourages uniform application of emergency lighting systems across different premises.
- Risk reduction – minimizes hazards, panic, and confusion during power failures or emergencies.
- Adaptability – provides tailored guidance to suit varied categories of premises and occupant familiarity.
By following the standard, organizations demonstrate a commitment to safety, resilience, and duty of care.
What's changed?
BS 5266-1:2025 is a full revision of the previous edition, BS 5266-1:2016. The principal change introduced is:
- Expansion of the scope – it now covers local area lighting and standby lighting in addition to emergency escape lighting.
This update reflects changes in related European standards (EN 1838 and EN 50172) and ensures BS 5266-1 remains relevant as the guidance document for their application in the UK. The revision strengthens its role in supporting fire safety and public safety commitments.
