The British Standards Institute (BSI) has updated its code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises, setting out clear recommendations and guidance on the design, installation, wiring, and maintenance of emergency lighting systems
Superseding the 2016 version, the revised standard – BS 5266-1:2025 Emergency lighting. Code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises – aims to promote a consistent approach to emergency lighting and ensure people can safely exit or remain in a building during emergencies, while also supporting the use of essential safety equipment.
BSI states that the 2025 edition “does more than refresh the guidance”: it expands the scope of the standard to reflect advances in technology and supports a “more complete approach to safety in modern buildings”. In particular, it reflects changes to the European standards (EN 1838 and EN 50172) and the real-world experiences of emergency lighting system designers, installers, and operators.
BS 5266-1:2025 also sees an expanded scope to address local area lighting and standby lighting in addition to emergency escape lighting, with the document covering the following aspects:
- 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.
The guidance highlights the importance of keeping escape routes clear and illuminated, ensuring fire safety systems (such as call points and firefighting equipment) are kept accessible, and minimising panic risks in confined spaces such as lifts.
You can read more on the FPA website and on the BSI website.