There are challenges to every management role, and it is not unusual for all managers to have times of sleeplessness when issues at work are heavy on the mind and keep sleep at bay!
For property managers, however, ensuring emergency lighting compliance of the building is aligned with current legislation, keeping abreast of emerging new standards, and being constantly diligent to avoid a potential breach in workplace safety – is there really any wonder that the land of nod is hard to reach?
The responsibility of workers’ safety is the burden of building owners and managers and the potential of a workplace fatality is most definitely the stuff of nightmares. In an emergency, the investment in equipment to assist with the safe evacuation of building occupants will only prove worthwhile if it has been regularly tested and well maintained. This is the reason that testing and maintenance regimes for emergency equipment are usually mandatory by law.
Most would agree that emergency lighting is critical to safety! It should be safe to assume therefore that not only has emergency lighting compliance been considered when the system was installed, but also that sound testing and maintenance regimes are being followed.
Unfortunately, in many cases, emergency lighting testing and maintenance do not receive the attention they should!
To comply with the Australian and NZ Standard AS2293.2, emergency evacuation lighting systems must be inspected and maintained in accordance with specified procedures to ensure the system is in a state of readiness for operation at any time.
The maintenance and testing of the emergency lighting system can be very laborious and time-consuming – and therefore expensive in today’s climate of ever-increasing labour rates. This does not have to be the case, however. Newer technology has made available systems that can effectively test themselves – and then report on any maintenance issues that require following up. Additionally, with automated testing, it can be scheduled at safe times that do not put building occupants at risk should a mains failure occur following a test.
Cost is often a deciding factor when an emergency lighting system is initially installed. The cheapest at installation will often work out much more expensive over time due to compliance issues which are onerous and costly labour-wise with a manual system. If you are considering the installation of an emergency lighting system, do take advice first to ensure the system you choose provides the automated features that make compliance a breeze, and a good night’s sleep guaranteed!
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