Emergency lighting is one of those things customers don’t think about until they need it. And while it may not be a top priority for affiliates, Commercial Fire still sees its value in protecting life and maintaining compliance. In this blog, we’ll dive into how testing emergency lights and replacing batteries is a natural extension for affiliates nationwide.
Even though emergency lights remain unnoticed throughout the day, they’re the main reason building occupants can escape safely during fires and other events where building power is lost. According to Science Direct, having these lights can reduce evacuation times by more than 25% compared to total darkness. Per National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) data, there were approximately 119,500 non-residential structure fires in 2024. This shows how useful emergency lights are and how they help save lives every year.
That’s also why emergency lights are required in stairs, aisles, corridors, and passageways leading to an exit in almost all commercial and public buildings. In fact, The Home Depot states that the only exempt places include structures not regularly occupied, towers designed for fewer than three people that include an escape ladder, and lastly buildings only occupied in daylight hours with natural light that illuminate pathways.
In areas where emergency lights are required, NFPA says they should automatically illuminate for a minimum of 90 minutes when power is lost, a circuit breaker opens, or manual power shutdown, to allow occupants to exit the building safely. It takes more work than one might think to keep these lights working as intended. That said, affiliates should have a clear understanding of the ongoing ITM (inspection, testing, and maintenance) required for emergency lighting systems.
Emergency lights can’t be installed and forgotten. Failures of batteries are common and sometimes go unnoticed until an emergency occurs. Given that battery degradation is the main cause of failures of E-Lights to illuminate for a full 90-minutes, there are also code-driven requirements that affiliates should keep in mind.
The first of the two primary requirements is the quick check. This monthly test ensures that the lights are illuminated, the battery is connected, and the charger is working. As the Pflugerville Fire Department explains, no illumination, dim lights, or lack of brilliance are signs the unit should be serviced, repaired, or replaced. While the test only takes 30 seconds, that doesn’t undermine its overall importance.
The second and most critical test for emergency lighting systems occurs annually for 90 minutes. This one is to verify that the battery is at full capacity and that the lights remain illuminated throughout. The Minnesota Department of Health describes three ways to conduct the test:
Regardless of which test is conducted and how it’s performed, records should always be maintained. The lighting location, whether it passed or failed, the test date, and the person who completed the test should all be noted. These records shall be kept by the owner for inspection by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Affiliates also normally add an adhesive label to each unit at the time of service.
Even though learning about emergency lights can take some time and money, it opens another service opportunity beyond regular maintenance of other fire equipment. Like other batteries, those in emergency lights degrade over time. The 90-minute test explained prevents the false sense of security that customers may feel and can identify weak/failing batteries. Medium (rather than Medium, shouldn’t it be Brooks Equipment Company or one of our other companies) reports the different batteries commonly found in emergency lights:
The bottom line for affiliates is that battery replacements are an identifiable through routine testing, and quick replacement and return to service is a high need for customers. And on top of that, they are very easy to bundle with inspections you’re already performing, initiate the test work on other equipment and return in 90 minutes. Customers may not understand that even if the light turns on when they push the test button, it doesn’t mean the battery will support the lighting for a full 90-minutes. The best way to frame the replacement is to present the test results and emphasize the continuity of service and increased compliance. For affiliates, this means higher service revenue, stronger customer relationships, and more complete compliance coverage.
After reading this blog, there’s no denying that emergency light testing without a doubt protects lives and reduces liability. With that in mind, there’s no greater time for affiliates to integrate emergency light inspection and testing, as well as battery replacement, into their service offerings as part of Commercial Fire’s comprehensive Fire and Life Safety solutions. To learn more about training technicians to service emergency lighting, visit the FED Learning Center website for On-Demand Modules, Virtual Live Instruction, and Hands-On Training.