BIP 2081:2020 is a book that helps emergency lighting users, designers and installation and maintenance engineers understand the legislative demands of emergency lighting systems. This blog post looks in more detail at who will gain from reading it.
BIP 2081:2020 A Guide to Emergency Lighting, Third edition is a newly revised book about all aspects of the selection, design, installation, maintenance and testing of battery powered emergency lighting systems.
It exists because fire safety legislation places considerable responsibility on all those involved in designing, installing and manufacturing emergency lighting systems, to meet fire safety risk assessments.
Users and their supporting engineers need appropriate knowledge of the legislation, relevant standards and product practices to ensure that requirements are correctly implemented. They also have to complete documentation to be able to demonstrate their systems conform to the requirements.
The book helps users understand the legislative demands to provide appropriate emergency lighting systems that help occupants leave premises safely.
Who is it for?
The legal duty to ensure that premises are safe generally falls on operators and users. They’re recommended to use competent emergency lighting engineers, but responsible users will benefit from the guidance in the book, particularly as it will help them make meaningful contributions to discussions on the selection of the most appropriate system, and to understand the maintenance schedules which it will be their duty to perform.
In addition, the book is written for emergency lighting project engineers who are responsible for the development and installation of an emergency lighting system appropriate to the application that protects occupants and assists their evacuation of premises if required during a failure of the mains lighting supply.
As well, emergency lighting design engineers need to interpret the project engineer’s design brief and to propose a system design that meets legislative and the customer’s requirements.
The book will help with that. It also aids emergency lighting installation engineers with the correct interpretation of the design engineer’s requirements.
BIP 2081:2020 will also help emergency lighting service engineers conduct appropriate commissioning, regular testing and to make any necessary repairs. Other fire protection system engineers will use it because emergency lighting is a part of the fire safety systems needed in premises, so engineers supplying other safety systems such as fire alarms, lifts and extinguishing systems need to understand the interface that may be needed in an installation.
Since emergency lighting is required in most premises, the book also details the lighting performance, product standards, testing and documentation that inspecting authorities need. Finally, emergency lighting and fire alarm manufacturers and suppliers will in particular benefit from the new sections in the book that will enable them to reconsider their current product range and to consider both the features they should promote and the product data they supply.
What’s new for the third edition?
This edition has been completely revised. Specifically it’s been updated to help those engineers that want to protect occupants from the hazards identified by risk assessments and has also been expanded to give guidance to protect occupants from sudden loss of the normal lighting supply.
The guidance has also been updated to refer to developing products and technologies such as the implications of the use of Light Emitting Diodes (LED) light sources and Lithium battery power sources and new central power and automatic testing systems. It also includes information on the use of switched safety sign systems which allow building managers to direct occupants to the most suitable exit routes.
In addition to explaining the changes in BS 5266-1:2016 Emergency lighting. Code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises, other relevant standards have been updated. Consequently new information has been included from BS 7273-6: 2019 Code of practice for the operation of fire protection measures. Fire detection and fire alarm systems. Interface with ancillary systems and equipment. This standard is important as it covers the interface of emergency lighting with other fire protection systems.
As well, new information has been introduced from PD CEN/TS 17165:2018 Light and lighting. Lighting system design process. This technical specification covers the steps to be taken in lighting system design, and lists responsibilities for the implementation and operation of the lighting solution.
All told, the book brings together all the relevant standards and guidance in one place, making it an invaluable source of guidance for a wide range of users.
Learn more about BIP 2081:2020 or buy now
