In the current economy, there's no doubt many business owners will be looking to save some cash and take fire safety matters into their own hands.
We're guessing that's why you're Googling how to install some cheap DIY Emergency Lighting.
However, whilst there is no law that states you need a professional INSTALLER for your Emergency Lighting, there are very specific rules and regulations that YOUR INSTALLATION needs to adhere to. Otherwise, you could be regretting your DIY job from inside a jail cell.
Yes, you read that right. Non conformity to the Emergency Lighting legislation could land you in prison - or, if you're lucky, you might end up with unlimited fines.
So, with that out of the way, let's crack on with your comprehensive guide...
A quick Google search will bring up loads of equipment you can use for your cheap DIY Emergency Lighting installation.
Some for as little as £15 - Bargain!
But, before you rush off to buy, it would be wise to read up about the problems with these cheap, unregulated products.
For a start:
The bottom line is, you get what you pay for. There's no guarantee that cheap emergency lights will be able to perform when the worst happens. Outcome - they might not help your staff and visitors to escape safely during a fire.
The question is - are you willing to take that risk?
You've got your work cut out for you if you thought the answer would be as simple as:
"Stick the 'running man signs' above the doors and put the emergency lights near the exits."
That's roughly 10% of the information you need to be able to properly install your emergency lighting to a professional standard.
In fact, our professional NSI Gold standard engineers have to think about many small details in order to conform to the legislation, such as:
(If you don't know what lux means, I would suggest calling a professional now!)
Ah, bet you didn't think it was that technical!
At this point, you might have cottoned on. As accredited fire safety installers, we cannot tell you how to install your own cheap DIY Emergency Lighting!
That would be like getting advice from your surgeon on how to remove your appendix!
Blake's engineers have undergone extensive training and testing to ensure they are performing to British Standards - offering businesses the best and most reliable service.
Without that training, there's room for error. And, as previously mentioned, the tiniest error could lead to deaths and send the Responsible Person to jail.
Ah, this is another question we get asked lot.
Usually the first port of call after discovering you shouldn't install it yourself is your local, trusted electrician - or even a friend of a friend who's a fireman.
Again, like yourself, your local electrician, handyman or fireman is unlikely to be accredited and working in accordance with British Standards and Emergency Lighting legislation.
It doesn't matter how well they installed your signage out the front or how neat the wiring is in your shop or office, it isn't worth the risk.
Don't believe us? Read about a local school who decided to hire a fireman to install their Emergency Lighting - and how, after much hassle, they ended up paying over double the original quote to get it done properly.
For Emergency Lighting, we always recommend choosing an NSI Gold accredited fire safety installer to fully mitigate risk and ensure the Responsible Person has fulfilled their duty of care.
Leave security and fire safety to the professionals!
Apologies if you didn't get the answers you were looking for but, as we like to say, it's better to be safe than sorry!
Some businesses might be put off contacting an accredited installer because they automatically assume they will charge more money!
Well, that's not always the case. Blake's understand that you and your business need to comply with the legal requirements while not over spending.
We won't try to upsell you on extra products that you don't need.
Want an easy way to see your minimum legal requirements to comply with the law minus the confusing industry jargon?
Click the button below to get your free guide on balancing budget and fire safety systems.
