First and foremost, emergency lighting is a life-safety system, designed to help occupants evacuate a building without injury in the event of a mains power failure. If the emergency lighting fails to function properly, then organisations and responsible individuals can be prosecuted. That being said, nobody wants to spend more than they need to on any product, and these days the ready availability of some cheap emergency luminaires can prove very tempting. However, these should be treated with great caution, especially as there are other ways to reduce the cost of an emergency lighting system - without compromising quality, performance or safety. Before buying any fittings or embarking on the design of an emergency lighting scheme, it is essential to have an understanding of the legal obligations involved. The basic requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (RRO) are that each building's 'responsible person' should carry out a fire risk assessment and then take reasonable steps to remove hazards and reduce risks, thereby ensuring the fire safety of the building.
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