BS 5266-1
The UK code of practice for emergency lighting of premises, covering design, installation and servicing recommendations.
Fire Engineering Glossary
Technical terms spanning standards, manufacturers, commissioning, networking, testing and fault finding.
Technical guidance only. Confirm current project requirements against the applicable standards, legislation, system documentation and site-specific fire strategy.
Showing 12 of 12 matching glossary entries.
Central battery system
Emergency lighting powered from a central battery installation rather than batteries in each fitting, concentrating maintenance at one point.
Class A wiring
Ring wiring returned to the panel so devices stay in communication from the other direction after a single break.
Disabled refuge
A protected waiting area where a person unable to use escape stairs can call for assistance and await evacuation, served by two-way communication.
Duration test
A full rated-duration discharge of emergency lighting with every luminaire inspected at the end of the period, when failing batteries drop out.
Schedule so the building can tolerate discharged batteries during the recharge that follows.
Emergency voice communication system (EVCS)
The fixed two-way speech system linking refuge points and fire telephones to a control position for use during evacuation and firefighting.
Escape route lighting
Emergency lighting arranged to illuminate escape routes and exits so occupants can leave safely on supply failure.
Functional test
A brief regular test proving each emergency luminaire operates on supply failure — proves function, not duration.
Loop
The two-wire circuit connecting addressable devices to the panel, normally wired as a ring so devices remain in communication from either direction if the ring is broken at one point.
Maintained luminaire
An emergency luminaire that is lit in normal use and remains lit on mains failure.
Non-maintained luminaire
An emergency luminaire that lights only when the normal supply fails.
Phased evacuation
An evacuation strategy where areas evacuate in stages rather than simultaneously, driven by the cause-and-effect programme and voice alarm or staged signals.