Kitemark Scheme for Emergency Lighting

Emergency Lighting

Responding to industry needs the Emergency Lighting Kitemark scheme completes the Kitemark electrical safety portfolio of products that includes Fire Alarm Installation and Electrical Contractors. As an existing Kitemark licensee in either or both of these schemes we felt sure that you would be interested in adding Emergency Lighting to your certification.

Shops, offices and other premises previously excluded from legislation require the installation of additional emergency lighting to satisfy the Emergency Lighting and the New Fire Safety legislation – the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Not only must premises contain emergency lighting and escape route signage, the equipment installed must be the correct type, installed in the correct location and satisfy the requirements of BS 5266.

The new Kitemark scheme complements the Kitemark for Fire Alarm Systems Installations and the Kitemark Electrical Installations. The Emergency Lighting Kitemark scheme is built in a modular format covering Design, Installation, Inspection & Testing and Maintenance.

In its simplest and most common form of it is “escape lighting’, that aims to ensure adequate lighting to escape routes from buildings so that people may get out easily and safely even if there is a power loss. These systems are most commonly linked to Fire Detection and Alarm Systems and as such are mentioned in the Regulatory Reform Order.

What is the Emergency Lighting Kitemark Scheme?

The BSI Kitemark scheme, inspects the quality and safety of work carried out by businesses engaged in the design and/or installation and/or inspection, test, certification, and/or maintenance of emergency lighting systems, according to the various British Standards  BS 5266 parts 1,7,8,and 10 and other relevant requirements. If you are certified by BSI as competent to so this work then you are authorised to use the internationally famous Kitemark logo in promoting, marketing and describing your services.

BS EN 60598-1: 2004
Luminaires. General requirements and tests
BS EN 60598-2-22: 1999
Luminaires. Particular requirements.  Luminaires for emergency lighting
BS EN 61347-2-7: 2006
Lamp control gear. Particular requirements for d.c. supplied electronic ballasts for emergency lighting.
BS EN 61347-2-13: 2006
Lamp control gear. Particular requirements for d.c. or a.c. supplied electronic control gear for LED modules
BS EN 50171: 2001
Central power supply systems
 

Why should I join the BSI Kitemark Scheme?

• Compliance: This show that you are fully compliant with the relevant parts of
  BS 5266
• You will be an officially licensed Kitemark Emergency Lighting Installer. This means that once you have your licence you can use the highly respected Kitemark symbol to promote your business.
• Customer Confidence: Happy, confident customers will bring unrivalled benefits to your business. Purchasing professionals whether private or public sector want to know that they are spending their money wisely and with 73%* of the UK population stating they are happier to recommend Kitemark companies and 93%* of them believing that Kitemark products are safer you can more easily retain existing customers and attract new ones.
• Powerful marketing tool: Enhancing your reputation and company profile can be a costly exercise. But by being a Kitemark licensee and using the Kitemark symbol in your promotional activities you can gain all the benefits of this prestigious symbol. 88% of the UK adult population believe the Kitemark shows a reputable company*
• Competitive Advantage: In tough business environments, companies need to be able to make their products and services stand out from the competition. As 75% of UK adults state that the presence of the Kitemark helps them to choose between products – Kitemark gives you this advantage.
• Increase profitability: Through applying Kitemark practices you can reduce cost and waste which will help you realise a more healthy profit in your business. A Kitemark scheme offers a blue--print for better, more efficient business performance and less errors.
• Increased business: Purchasing professionals in private and public sector organisations often prefer or even specify Kitemark products and services as it ensures that they deliver the safest, most reliable and consistent projects. Kitemark gives you access to their tenders and projects.

• Licence to use the Kitemark in marketing and promotional activities both print and online as well as other company documentation such as letterheads and invoicing and in signage for your company.
• Kitemark is a Business Superbrand in its own right and you have the license to use it. A Business Superbrand means that the Kitemark is seen by business leaders as having established the finest reputation in its field, and offers customers emotional and/or tangible advantages over competitors which  customers want, recognise and are confident about investing in. Business Superbrands must represent quality, reliability and distinction.
• A Kitemark Marketing Tool Kit including a CD containing all relevant logos, hints and tips for using the logo, press release template, printer ready artwork for a Kitemark poster, sales flyers for your customers.
• Monthly Kitemark Newsletter updating you on how the Kitemark is being promoted and success of Kitemark licensees as well as other regular updates on Kitemark and your Kitemark scheme.
• Company listings in the Kitemark.com search function of Kitemark services and products

How much does it cost?

The cost of the Kitemark scheme depends on the number of assessment days required by your business. In most cases this can be achieved in two days for Initial Assessment and thereafter only one day providing you can supply site visits near your offices, and that you are not in a very remote location. Normally, two examples of work (site visits) are required at assessment. There will be two inspections per annum for the first two years, dropping to one per annum thereafter.

Prices based on one Qualified Supervisor per company. Costs will vary where there is more than one Qualified Supervisor.
 

Kitemark Scheme Requirements

Before you can achieve the Kitemark you will receive an assessment visit. This assessment will look at both the quality of electrical installation work and the general administration associated with such work. We will carry out periodic surveillance visits to ensure quality standards are being maintained.

Your business will be required to name a Principal Duty Holder* (PDH) and a Qualified Supervisor**. If you are a sole trader the PDH and QS can obviously be combined.

* The Principal Duty Holder (PDH) must be a full-time principal or senior manager of the business having an understanding of, and responsibility for, the health and safety and other legal requirements relating to the range of electrical work undertaken by the business. The PDH shall be responsible for the assignment of electrical work to the Qualified Supervisor(s), be responsible for ensuring that all work undertaken is carried out by competent persons who are adequately and appropriately supervised, and be responsible for ensuring that the appropriate certificates and reports are issued for electrical work.

** A Qualified Supervisor (QS) is a competent person with specific responsibility, on a day-to-day basis, for the safety, technical standard and quality of work under their supervision. They shall be directly employed by the contractor and be available on a full-time basis. It is the QS(s) who is assessed under the scheme.

The QS  as a minimum will be required to obtain the FIA one day course pass certificate (or equivalent) within 12 months of joining the scheme.  Where ‘Installation’ is involved, the QS will also be required to have passed a minimum of the City and Guilds BS7671:2008 17th edition course (or equivalent).  More than one person may be qualified.

The company’s QS, namely the person(s) responsible for signing off the compliance of emergency lighting systems, will need to demonstrate their knowledge of all aspects of emergency lighting to BS 5266 parts 1,7,8,and 10.

• The technical assessment looks at your QS’s knowledge of design, installation, maintenance inspection, testing and certification to BS 5266 as applicable to the type of work you do. The assessment will be based on what is seen on site and through questioning, including knowledge of the Building Regulations applicable to the work. For testing, we will also need to see examples of test certificates issued as well as check your test instrumentation.
• The assessment will include at least 2 site visits; which may include one work in progress, preferably 1st fix stage and another site completed and certificated work. Completed work should be available for a small amount of retesting to be carried out. This serves the purpose of checking the test data on completion certificates and the QS’s knowledge and testing technique.

• The sites to be visited should contain sufficient technical content to warrant an assessment. (eg the addition of two or three emergency lighting fittings to an existing system would not be considered as suitable for assessment
• Where a company ONLY carries out one or two of the four elements of design, installation, inspect/test/certify, or maintenance, a Kitemark may still be obtained which is restricted to these specific elements.

The office-based assessment will check that the business has in place such things as: -

• Public liability insurance - a minimum cover of £2M is required
• A written Health and Safety Policy Statement
• How you record and deal with complaints received about the technical standard, safety and functionality of electrical installation work.
• The qualifications and experience of the QS
• Copies of all Certification and Reports issued. This will depend on what type of certificates you issue; e.g. Installation Certificates; Periodic Inspection Reports; etc
• Inventory of test instruments and records of calibration tests/checks.

The technical library - The business must hold as a minimum;

• BS 5266 parts 1,7,8, and 10.
• Current edition of BS 7671 (mandatory if engaged in the ‘installation’ of the emergency lighting system)
• HS (R) 25 the Memorandum of Guidance to the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

The above is a summary of some of the key areas covered during your assessment If you would like more information before you book, please contact us on the details below and we will forward this information to you.

All businesses awarded the Kitemark and so authorised to self certify will be assessed against the same criteria and achieve the same standard, regardless of size. ALL the parts of BS5266 as listed above will be considered during assessment; these are not choices to select.

Kitemark Scheme Elements 

• Any company carrying out any combination of one, two, or three (but not all four) of the element will be assessed and Licensed in the applicable elements above. (eg if you only do ‘installation’ and ‘maintenance’, you will get the elements EML 1.2 and EML 1.4 below).
• The purpose of being able to apply for individual or a combination of the four elements is to allow those companies who do not carry out all four functions to obtain the Kitemark for those they do perform; it is expected that a company will apply for ALL functions which it carries out. 
• Note: We can assess you for work categories in which you do AT LEAST 5% of your total work. If you do less than 5% of your total work in a specific category, it is unlikely that you will have sufficient work examples for us to assess.

All 4 elements:
EML 1.0 The Design: Installation: Inspection/Test/Certification (Commissioning): and Maintenance (Servicing) of Emergency Lighting Systems to BS 5266 parts 1,7,8, and 10.

Design Only Element:
EML1.1 The Design of Emergency Lighting Systems to BS 5266 parts 1,7,8, and 10.

Installation Only Element:
EML 1.2 The Installation of Emergency Lighting Systems to BS 5266 parts 1,7,8, and 10.

Inspection, Testing & Certification Only Element:
EML 1.3  The Inspection, Testing, and Certification  of Emergency Lighting Systems to BS 5266 parts 1,7,8, and 10.

Note: This could be in the ‘commissioning’ process, and/or in the maintenance/servicing functions, etc)

Maintenance (Servicing) Only Element:
EML 1.4 The Maintenance (Servicing) of Emergency Lighting Systems to BS 5266 parts 1,7,8, and 10.

What next?

• If you have already requested a quotation, simply sign the quotation acceptance, along with the Kitemark application form and return them to us, along with payment of the application and assessment fee.
• If you would like a quotation, please contact us.
• As soon as payment is cleared, your inspector will contact you to arrange a convenient time to begin your assessment.