Emergency lighting systems are a safety-related product; their correct performance can only be assured by systematic testing and maintenance. Conventional techniques for testing are reliant upon manual testing procedures, and are highly susceptible to neglect. These limitations of conventional techniques can be overcome by automating the testing process. It is essential that automatic testing systems for emergency luminaires schedule tests reliably, and provide timely notification of failures or degradation of performance.
BS EN 62304 is written for building owners and anyone responsible for fire safety within the building. Employers are required to ensure that appropriate emergency lighting is installed, and also that regular automated tests are carried out to ensure the equipment functions correctly and will not fail in an emergency.
BS EN 62304 is an international standard that specifies the basic performance and safety requirements for individual products and components that are incorporated into automatic test systems for use with emergency lighting systems on supply voltages not exceeding 1000 V.
The standard also specifies the required functionality of a complete automatic test system for an emergency lighting system. It is applicable to testing systems consisting of a number of emergency lighting self-contained luminaires or a central battery with associated emergency lighting luminaires.
Automatic test systems (ATSs) will still require manual intervention to correct faults when they are identified, and procedures should be put in place for such intervention. These systems provide information to assist users to manage risk on their premises.
ATSs for emergency escape lighting assist the operator of the building by showing the results of tests that will have been made at prescribed intervals, without disrupting any other electrical services. It is essential that the notification of failures or reduction in performance be given at the earliest opportunity to enable the emergency escape system to be restored to full operation.
The ATS will provide those responsible for an emergency lighting installation with information to enable them to ensure that the installed luminaires operate correctly when required.
The ATS maybe part of a building management system (BMS) for making the emergency lighting tests; this standard would only apply to the emergency lighting testing part of a BMS.
A visual check of system components and indicators should be included in the routine of safety staff. This check should be made regularly to ensure that the emergency luminaire is present and intact, with lamps and indicators working and visible i.e. not obscured, covered or painted.
Contents include:
- Scope
- Normative references
- Terms and definitions
- Requirements
- Safety, construction and installation instructions
- Monitoring of the timing circuit
- Functional requirements
- Protection against system part failures and faults
- Test of emergency lamp(s)
- Test duration and interval
- Functional test
- Duration test
- Protection of a building during the periods of test and subsequent recharge of the emergency lighting system
- Accuracy and protection of timing periods
- Requirements for premises that may be occupied during test and recharge periods
- Indication and recording of results of tests that the equipment has to perform
- Examples of typical automatic test systems
- Classification of ATS types
- Bibliography
- Stand-alone, self-contained luminaire with automatic test facilities
- Direct connection between luminaires and remote panel
- Alternative system luminaires connection is marshalled by a connection box for transmission to remote indicators and control panel
- Direct connection between luminaires and remote panel
- Standards conformity guide
Manual test facilities that rely on manual initiation and/or visual inspection of the lamp condition are not covered by BS EN 62304.
The requirements laid out in this standard specify that the system should be appropriate for the application, risks during the test should be minimized and that recharging of the system should be checked after each test.