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In the chaos of an emergency situation, it can be extremely difficult to know which way to go, and this is especially true if you are in an unfamiliar place. Having emergency exit lighting is important for helping all building occupants find their way to the exit and out to safety. These types of electrical lighting aren’t simply a thoughtful aid; they can quite literally save lives. Emergency and exit lighting is often a requirement mandated by the Building Code of Australia, US Building Codes, and many other regulatory bodies. Sometimes, laws and regulations can be difficult to understand comprehensively. If you own or manage a building, how can you know if your building requires emergency and exit lighting under the law? And if it is required for your building, how can you be sure what types of lighting are compliant with the law? There’s plenty of detailed information given by the Building Code of Australia, but here we’ve tried to condense and simplify all of that information so you can make better use of it. Below you’ll find a list of criteria regarding emergency and exit lighting, and this information will help you stay abreast of the law as well while also helping you keep your guests safe.

Does Your Office Need Emergency and Exit Lighting?

This is a bit of a loaded question since the answer is dependent on many variables like building size, amount of natural light, and even how the building is used. Since we cannot see the space you are referring to, we’ll outline a series of general requirements so that you should be able to easily determine the answer for yourself with your knowledge of the space.

Floor Area

If the floor area of the space in question is less than 300m 2 , you might not need emergency and exit lighting, but even this is dependent upon the class of building in question. Keep reading for more on that. However, if the floor space of the building in question is greater than 300m 2 , emergency and exit lighting is always required by law, and lighting must be properly installed. In a large area it can be even tougher to pick your way to safety should an emergency arise, so having illuminated emergency exit signs is a great help.

Natural Light

The Building Code of Australia requires that if the exit from any room does not open into a space with adequate natural light, there must be emergency and exit lighting installed within that room. How do you determine what adequate natural light is, though? Well, if the building is lined with glass, chances are there’s plenty of natural light streaming in allowing you to see your way out in an emergency. However, if the door to the room you are in opens into a hallway or into another room not exposed to natural light, there won’t be enough natural light and you’ll need emergency and exit lighting instead. Building residents need to be able to find their way out even if it’s dark or the power is down. This means that if there’s inadequate natural light for this purpose, you need to get some electrical lighting installed.

Building Class

Do you know what class your building is? This classification is a part of the building code, and should be indicated on various paperwork. If you’re the manager or owner, you should be aware of this classification. If you’re unsure, you need to find out. The building class also influences whether or not your building needs to have emergency and exit lighting. If the building in question is a Class 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, each storey of the building must have emergency and exit lighting properly installed to comply with the BCA’s requirements. Any room with a floor area exceeding 100m 2 which doesn’t open onto a space where emergency and exit lighting has already been installed must have this lighting installed within the room itself. Also, any room on any floors that measures more than 300m 2 must also have emergency and exit lighting installed. Any closed-off offices or other enclosed areas must also have emergency and exit lighting installed.

Passageways and Stairways

Any hallway, corridor or passageway more then 6m from the entrance doorway must have emergency lighting installed. In your building, every fire-isolated passageway, fire- isolated ramp and fire-isolated stairway must also have emergency and exit lighting installed. Non fire-isolated stairways are sometimes also required to have electrical lighting. External balconies that lead to fire-isolated stairways, ramps or passageways must have emergency lighting, and external stairways used in place of fire-isolated stairways must also have this electrical lighting installed. For safety’s sake, all stairwells and passageways should have safety lighting installed. This lighting should not only clearly indicate where the exits are located but should also illuminate the way through the building, and stairs and ramps clearly visible.

Public Access

If your building allows public access to any room, office or other space within the building, there are laws regarding emergency and exit signs for this as well. If your building is a class 6 or 9b building, there must be electric lighting for emergencies and exits if there’s a distance of more than 20m from the nearest doorway to an exit to a stairway, ramp, open space or passageway. If your building is a class 9a health care facility, there must be emergency and exit lighting in every passageway leading to a treatment area, in every room with more than 120m 2 of floor area, and in every patient area.

Additional Requirements

Building on the above requirements and laws, the Building Code of Australia has other guidelines regarding electrical lighting that must be met in order to comply with the law. All of the exit signs within your building must always be illuminated. Every single emergency exit needs to be marked plainly with an illuminated exit sign, and these signs should be visible wherever you are in the building. All emergency and exit signs need to remain illuminated if a blackout occurs. If you are not sure if your lights comply, be certain to hire a licensed electrician to inspect the lights for this purpose. You also need to make sure there’s nothing blocking the exits. In case of an emergency, you do not want people to be trapped inside the building because a pile of boxes is blocking the only way out of the room. There must be a clear path to all exits so all occupants can exit safely. If there’s any chance the exits could become blocked, you need to place signage reminding people that there needs to be no obstruction of the emergency exits.

Maintaining Your Emergency and Exit Lighting

Once you have the lighting installed and you meet the Building Code of Australia’s requirements regarding this type of lighting, you need to be diligent in maintaining your electrical lighting system to ensure it is functioning properly. If you manage or own a building, you need to take full responsibility for the safety of the people within the building, whether occupants or employees. If your emergency lighting is not working properly and an emergency does occur, it could be extremely dangerous for the people within the walls of your building. You should regularly check the condition of all emergency and exit lighting throughout your building. To be safe, schedule a maintenance check once or twice a year. Schedule an appointment with a licensed electrician to do the job. They can inspect the electric lighting to be sure it’s free of defects and is functioning properly. If any problems arise with the lighting system, you’ll already have an electrician familiar with it on hand to carry out servicing. Not only s regular maintenance good for keeping the system functional, most places require this as a standard. Businesses must keep records containing when servicing is carried out, who is doing the servicing, and a note of any problems found.

Other Considerations

Even if your building is small enough (less than 300m2 of floor area) or has enough natural light not to warrant emergency and exit lighting by law, you might still think about getting it installed anyway. It can give many of your patrons, customers, and guests peace of mind knowing where they can go should an emergency arise.

Final Word

Emergencies can happen quickly and with no warning. Should an emergency arise while the building is full of people, they need to be able to find their way safely out of the building. If there’s a fire and the lights have been knocked out and smoke is billowing, having permanently illuminated emergency and exit signs can save lives by directing people out of harm’s way. Any building owner or manager needs to have a well-considered safety plan for their building and the people within it. A vital part of this safety plan is the emergency and exit lighting, and this plan needs to meet the most recent standards that have been set forth by regulators. Get in touch if you need any of this clearing up. We’re always more than happy to help.

Regardless of whether or not your home’s lighting or electrical appliances appear to be operating smoothly, you may not be able to trust that this is enough to negate the need for an electrical wiring inspection.

If you are a Perth property owner with a property that is 20+ years old, your home may be at particular risk for faulty or obsolete wiring. Although there are several noticeable signs that often prompt homeowners to call a local electrical technician, sometimes the age of a home is enough to necessitate a need for a wiring inspection as well.

Signs Indicating Need for Electrical Rewiring

While building professionals recommend houses twenty years and older have their various wiring systems inspected, newer homes can sometimes need inspections as well. There are several signs a homeowner can look for to determine whether or not their property requires rewiring services.

These include:

  • Current or past pest issues – Pests such as mice or rats in particular can be a threat to wiring within a home, as they are known to chew on what wires they may find. Whether your property has experienced past problems with pests or is currently experiencing pest control issues, it may be best to have a qualified professional inspect your wiring to determine whether it has or has not been damaged.
  • Colour of your wiring – While modern wiring is typically grey or white due to the PVC material covering it for long-lasting use, older wiring is likely black in colour, covered with a rubber-like material that can wear over time and become unsafe.
  • Flickering or dimming lights
  • Fuses that blow on a regular basis
  • Any burning smells – If you are noticing any strange burning smells within your home, and are not able to locate the source, this may indicate a shorting of wires either underneath your floors or within the walls of the walls.
  • Frequently-tripping circuit breakers

Having your home’s electrical wiring inspected not only can give you reassurance that everything is functioning suitably but can also ensure the safety of your home.

Checking, repairing, or replacing wiring within a home that is experiencing any of the above issues is an important part of planning for a safe future, so you can be sure that you are not putting yourself or any other occupants residing on your property at risk.

Hire Professionals to Handle Your House’s Rewiring

 Due to recent changes to Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) wiring regulations, some electrical rewiring duties are now required by law to be performed by a licensed electrician.

Some of these include:

  • Checking and replacing damaged cabling
  • Rewiring kitchen and bathroom lighting systems
  • Replacing electrical sockets, light switches, and ceiling roses

Attempting to perform these repair and replacement services on your own can also be dangerous and is, therefore, best left to a qualified professional who has experience performing rewiring tasks.

In order to have your home undergo a comprehensive rewiring process, it is in the best interest for homeowners to find hire a local electrician that is qualified to efficiently attend to your home’s rewiring.

Richtek Electrical & Air Solutions is Perth’s #1 favourite group of electrical contractors who are available to assist homeowners in need of electrical rewiring services.

Call us at (08) 9375 3926 to get a FREE no-obligation quote for your home rewiring service today.

Having up-to-code, hardwired smoke detectors within your home is essential for the sake of both your property and the safety of its occupants. As a truly life-saving technology, hardwired smoke detectors are powered by the electrical system of your property and – when properly installed – can serve as an important alert system in cases of fire or smoke-related emergencies.

To ensure the safety of your home and its occupants, check out this 101 guide for using and maintaining your smoke detectors:

Different Types of Smoke Detectors

 Battery-charged smoke detectors were considered acceptable smoke detector systems for residences for many years. However, since the establishment of specific building code requirements in 1992, hardwired smoke detectors have become the standard system.

In fact, all Perth buildings constructed post-1992 are required to have these hardwired smoke detector systems installed, with battery packs for backup power. If your home was built before 1992, it is not strictly required to have a hardwired system versus that which is battery-charged. However, the latter system requires diligence, as batteries need to be regularly checked and the system tested frequently for any faulty or dead batteries.

How Many Smoke Detectors Should I Have?

 Homeowners should ideally have a smoke detector installed in every room of their home. Having one or two installed here or there throughout the home simply is not enough to adequately ensure the safety of your property or its residents should an emergency situation occur.

Having smoke detectors installed in every room and/or open area of a home can ensure that any individual in a room at any time may be properly alerted by the smoke alarm and act accordingly.

Adhering to Building Code Requirements

Building code requirements differ somewhat depending on whether or not you are renting, selling, or the owner of a property.

How Do I Make Sure My Smoke Detector Is Up to Code?

Property owners who are not trying to sell are not likely to have building inspectors check out their home’s smoke detector systems.

Those that are renting or selling a property, however, are required to have their system up to code. It is your responsibility as the property owner to:

  • Have the appropriate number of alarms installed within the rooms of the property
  • Regularly test the smoke alarms at least every six months as part of a general maintenance procedure recommended by electrical experts.

Carbon Monoxide Detector Requirement

Since 2011, all rooms that contain electrical appliances and devices that release carbon monoxide – such as gas and wood-burning heaters, stoves, and ovens – are required to have the additional installation of carbon monoxide detectors.

This is due to the fact that smoke alarms may not detect fires that have been started by these carbon monoxide-releasing appliances. In these cases, having carbon monoxide detectors can be life-saving. They also are required now by code to be installed in rooms where these appliances are present.

Contact Your Perth Electrician

If you have any additional questions about your property’s smoke detectors, need an installation, or believe your current smoke alarm system needs to be upgraded, feel free to contact a Richtek Electrical & Air solutions electrical expert for assistance.

Call (08) 9375 3926 to install, repair, or update your property’s smoke alarm system today.