It depends on what your FRA says. Ask yourself the following:

Could anyone be inside the premises during the hours of darkness? (think winter afternoon Dec 21st)

If the power failed, could they see to get out safely?

If the answers to those are "yes" and "no" then yes you need some sort of emergency lighting in order to "safeguard the safety of a relevant person". See below for legal origin of this phrase.

Article 14 of RRRFSO

"The following requirements must be complied with in respect of premises where necessary (whether due to the features of the premises, the activity carried on there, any hazard present or any other relevant circumstances) in order to safeguard the safety of relevant person"

including:

"emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in the case of failure of their normal lighting."

Low risk i.e. Risk Assessed as low risk from a safety prospective

The reason I ask is the very reason that you have mentioned, its glassed fronted with a street lamp out front which does add light should the lights go out but I am aware this is tiptoeing the guidelines.

I am working with someone who is very reluctant to spend any money on fire provisions, signage and extinguishers have been agreed and to the current BS standards. Certification for boilers and electrical equipment agreed. Means of raising alarm agreed. But the sticking point now is trying to talk the owner of the premises in investing in emergency lighting.

The client is very demanding and requires me to justify everything i.e. provide the information to hand with regards to what I am referring to. For emergency lighting I have made reference to HM Government guidance for offices and shops and RRFSO, as pointed out, Article 14.

Jarsmith,

The likelyhood of an outbreak of a fire is normally very difficult to establish and so for the most part it would be no more than a guess. Subsequently, Fire risk should be calculated on the event of a fire happening. In short;

"don't try to calculate the risk of fire happening, calculate the risk if a fire happens".

I would not personally except light fall from artifical means outside of the building as suitable and nor I doubt would the enforcing authorities.

I have sourced information that states that torches can be provided as emergency lighting, signage indicating their use which is visible in darkness is suffice.

Thoughts??

Torches are exceptable in an emergency, not as emergency lighting.

For instance I have some mid terrace industrial units where the LL refuses to put any lighting on the external face at the rear to illuminate the path to be used in the event of an evacuation. I can put lighting on my own unit but not of that of my neighbours. So, until the matter is settled I ensure plenty of torches are avialble at the rear doors (And instruct, and check, etc). This is only acceptable because until the matter is resolved there is no alternative but I have at least discharged my duty.

Picture your day in court and you trying to justify that torches would do because you didn't want to tell the client to install proper emergency lighting.

We seem to be locked into the ‘minimum we can get away’ with again. Why not change-out a few fittings for ones that have integral EM units?

I bet someone will have a pop at this but never mind the legal requirement do what will make things safer. Pretend it is your child in the shop/office and then think ‘what would I like to see in place?’ You may just think again