Emergency Lighting Testing for Office Buildings in Birmingham

Hawkesworth provides emergency lighting testing for office buildings across Birmingham, carried out by our network of experienced engineers. We handle monthly and annual testing, including 1 and 3-hour drainage tests, remind you when your next test is due, and offer out-of-hours and weekend testing at no extra charge. 

How Often Should Office Emergency Lighting Be Tested? 

Emergency lighting must be tested monthly and annually to confirm the batteries will power up when they are needed. 

The monthly check is a brief functional test that all emergency lights come on and illuminate the escape route correctly. The annual test is the full duration check, where the lights run from battery power for their rated time. Hawkesworth’s engineers carry out 1 and 3-hour drainage testing, which is the industry term for this annual test. 

For a busy Birmingham office, we can schedule the annual drainage test outside of working hours so it does not interrupt your teams.

What Emergency Lighting Does in Your Office 

Emergency lighting provides illumination if your building loses power. It keeps staff calm during evacuation and helps people find firefighting equipment on the way out. 

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must have emergency lighting of adequate intensity in case the normal lighting fails. In an office, that covers stairwells, corridors, exit doors, and positions near first aid points, firefighting equipment and any trip hazards. As the duty-holder for the building, you are responsible for making sure it all works correctly.

Maintained and Non-Maintained Emergency Lighting 

Most offices use a mix of two types: 

• Maintained lighting is on all the time, even when mains power is working. You usually see this in illuminated exit signs above doors. 

• Non-maintained lighting only switches on when the mains power fails. You see this along corridors, in stairwells and in open-plan areas. 

Both types follow the same monthly and annual testing schedule.

Emergency Lighting Testing for Offices Across Birmingham 

We cover office buildings across Birmingham city centre, including Colmore Row, Snow Hill, Brindleyplace and the Jewellery Quarter, and the surrounding areas including Edgbaston, Digbeth, Solihull and Sutton Coldfield. 

For property managers with multiple sites across the West Midlands, Hawkesworth offers exclusive pricing for businesses booking services across multiple locations, so one point of contact handles the lot.

Why Birmingham Facilities Managers Choose Hawkesworth 

Hawkesworth has looked after commercial fire safety since 1993, and our network of 200+ engineers is City & Guilds certified and DBS checked. 

Facilities managers in Birmingham typically book us because we: 

• Let you know when your next retest is due 

• Offer out-of-hours and weekend testing 

• Act as a one-stop shop for all your fire safety requirements, including fire alarm testing and servicing and fire risk assessments 

• Give expert advice when you need it 

• Offer exclusive multi-site pricing for portfolios with several office buildings 

Book Your Emergency Lighting Test in Birmingham 

If your office is due an emergency lighting test, or you are not sure when it was last tested, we can check your records and get your schedule back on track. Request a quote or call 01845 524498 to book a Birmingham engineer in.

Frequently Asked Questions 

How often should office emergency lighting be tested? 

Emergency lighting must be tested monthly and annually to confirm the batteries work in an emergency. 

Is emergency lighting a legal requirement in UK offices? 

Yes. Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, most businesses including office buildings are required to have emergency lighting of adequate intensity on escape routes and exits. 

What is a 1 or 3-hour drainage test? 

It is the annual full duration test where the emergency lights run from battery power for their rated duration to confirm they hold charge. 

Who carries out emergency lighting testing? 

A qualified engineer, such as one of Hawkesworth’s City & Guilds certified team, who tests emergency lighting across the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. 

Do you test emergency lighting in offices outside Birmingham city centre? 

Yes. We cover office buildings across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, including Edgbaston, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield and surrounding towns.