Emergency Lighting Testing in the Southeast

Your Full-Service, One-Stop Shop for Emergency Lighting Services in North Carolina, South Carolina & Georgia

Most businesses have illuminated exit signs and simple lighting devices that contain a small backup battery to light the way if a power outage occurs during a fire or other emergency. These devices are considered your emergency lighting system.

Did you know you’re required to regularly test the bulbs and backup batteries in your emergency lights? Unifour Fire & Safety is here to educate you on emergency lighting testing protocols to keep your building safe and code-compliant.

To schedule emergency lighting testing in North Carolina, South Carolina,  or Georgia, please call us today at 866-511-5540 or contact our team online.

What’s Required for Emergency Lighting in the Southeast?

Various life-safety and fire codes outline emergency lighting requirements, one of which is to test your emergency lights regularly. Here’s what’s required:

• Standard Fire Prevention Code 1999 807.1.4: “A functional test shall be conducted on every required emergency lighting system at 30-day intervals for a minimum of 30 seconds.”
• NFPA 1997 5-9.3: “An annual test shall be conducted for a 1-1/2 hour duration. Equipment shall be fully functional for the duration of the test.”

Why Is Emergency Lighting Testing Important?

Testing your emergency lights for 30 seconds every month and 90 minutes once a year may feel like an inconvenience, but it’s important to comply with these regulations. When you do, you can expect to:

• Improve safety in an emergency: Many defective batteries maintain enough “surface charge” to adequately light the bulbs, but only for a few seconds. Monthly 30-second tests help you identify problems that could prove hazardous in a real emergency.
• Reduce liability: You put yourself at risk of litigation if you skip emergency lighting testing and later the lights fail to work properly during an emergency.
• Remain code compliant: If the fire marshal conducts a surprise inspection and finds that you have non-functioning emergency lights or no maintenance records to speak of, you’re at risk of steep penalties and fines.

Contact Unifour Fire & Safety online today or give us a call at 866-511-5540 for emergency lighting testing in the Southeast!

Emergency Lighting Testing Options Throughout NC, SC & GA

Fire codes allow for a few different testing methods, which you will likely choose based on the type of system you have in your building:

• Fully manual testing requires you to walk around to each fixture and press the test button for the required length of time. This works well for monthly testing in small buildings with few emergency light fixtures.
• Throwing the circuit breaker mimics a real power outage and provides an easy way to test all your emergency lights simultaneously.
• Self-diagnostic testing is when fixtures run their own monthly tests. You’ll still need to shut off the circuit breaker for annual tests.
• Automated testing is possible with computerized backup lighting. Monthly and annual tests run automatically and alert you when there’s a problem.

Emergency Lighting Testing in NC, SC & GA

If you don’t have the staff or resources to spend the time testing your emergency lights, leave the job to Unifour Fire & Safety. We have over 30 years of experience testing emergency lighting, and we can also install, repair, replace, and inspect this fire safety system as needed.

In addition to emergency lighting, we also service fire sprinklers, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, kitchen fire suppression systems, and other equipment. This makes us your one-stop shop for all your fire protection needs. Plus, we’re available 24/7 to provide emergency services when you need us most.

Contact Unifour Fire & Safety or call us at 866-511-5540 today to schedule emergency lighting testing or other fire protection services.