Emergency Light Testing Cambridge (EML)
TISS Electrical carry out certified emergency light testing across Cambridge, covering the monthly flick test and annual 3 hour discharge test required under BS 5266-1 for offices, schools, warehouses and public buildings. Cambridge's building stock ranges from centuries-old college buildings in the historic centre to modern lab and office space out at Cambridge Science Park and the Biomedical Campus, and our engineers plan every visit around the actual layout rather than a standard checklist. Every test is verified with Bluetooth data logging and backed by a clear written report, so your compliance records hold up under any inspection.
TISS Electrical carry out certified emergency light testing (EML) across Cambridge, keeping offices, schools, warehouses and public buildings compliant with BS 5266-1 throughout the year.
Cambridge’s building stock ranges from centuries-old college and university buildings in the historic centre to modern lab and office space at Cambridge Science Park, the Biomedical Campus and out towards Cambourne. A listed period building and a modern research facility need different testing approaches, and our engineers plan each visit around the actual layout rather than treating every site the same.
Get in touch through our contact form and we’ll confirm exactly what your Cambridge premises needs and when your next test is due.
Why Emergency Light Testing Matters In Cambridge
Nearly every commercial and public building in the UK has a legal duty to keep emergency lighting tested, under BS 5266-1, the Building Regulations and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. These lights take over automatically the moment mains power fails, keeping escape routes visible so people can get out safely. That duty applies to emergency lighting specifically.
Standby lighting, which keeps a business running through a power cut rather than lighting an exit route, sits outside the legal requirement entirely. Getting emergency light testing wrong puts people at risk and exposes Cambridge businesses to serious legal liability.
How Often Does Emergency Lighting Need To Be Tested?
Emergency lighting needs testing at two set intervals: once a month and once a year, both laid out in BS 5266-1.
Each month, our engineers run a quick EML check using a fish key to simulate a power failure, confirming every light activates and stays on. This is deliberately done without switching off the mains supply itself, since cutting power across a live site can cause its own problems. Once a year, the system faces a tougher test: mains lighting goes off completely and every fitting has to stay lit for a full 3 hours, proving the batteries can genuinely last as long as they’re supposed to. A fitting that doesn’t make it through those 3 hours gets repaired or replaced before we’ll call the system compliant.
Every test gets written up and kept on file, and we time the annual test to suit your working hours so your Cambridge site is never sitting in the dark during the day.
Who Can Carry Out Your Emergency Light Testing?
Emergency lighting is a life safety system, so it needs a fully trained, certified engineer rather than a general maintenance operative.
Every TISS Electrical engineer completes a refresher course annually to stay current with the latest standards, so you know it’s being handled properly whether you’re a single Cambridge office or a multi site operation.
What’s Included When You Book With TISS Electrical
We handle every part of your EML testing so you don’t have to think about it, from the monthly check to the paperwork that proves you’re compliant.
Monthly And Annual EML Testing
One of our qualified engineers handles both your monthly flick test and annual 3 hour test, so you stay compliant without managing the schedule yourself.
Clear Reporting
You get a written report after every visit showing exactly what was checked and flagging anything that needs attention, in plain English you can act on.
Combined Testing
If your emergency light testing and ITEE (PAT) testing are both due, our dual trained engineers cover both in a single visit. The same applies if you also need fixed wire testing in Cambridge, cutting down on disruption and cost.
Practical Advice
If your system needs upgrading, expanding or replacing, we’ll give you honest advice based on what we actually find on site, not an upsell.
What Happens If A Light Fails Its Test?
If any light fails during testing, it’s flagged clearly in your written report along with an advisory photo, so you know exactly which fitting and where. Nothing gets signed off as compliant until the issue is resolved, and we’ll give you honest advice on whether it needs a repair or a straight replacement based on what we find on site.
Failures are recorded rather than glossed over, since a written record of every test, including failures, is what your fire risk assessment actually relies on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, nearly all commercial and public buildings in the UK have a legal duty to keep emergency lighting tested, under BS 5266-1, the Building Regulations and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This applies whether you run a single office in Cambridge or manage several sites, and failing to keep records puts you at risk of legal liability if something goes wrong.
Yes, if your emergency light testing and ITEE (PAT) testing are both due, our dual trained engineers can cover both in a single visit. The same applies if fixed wire testing in Cambridge is due around the same time, which means fewer site visits and better value than booking each test separately.For more on your legal obligations, gov.uk publishes full guidance for anyone with fire safety duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 on gov.uk.