Emergency Lighting
Regulations Ireland

Irish Standard IS 3217

IS 3217 is the Irish Standard for emergency lighting in buildings. It covers the design, installation, commissioning, testing and maintenance of emergency lighting systems in all commercial and public buildings. All RFC emergency lighting installations comply with IS 3217.

Key Legislation

• Building Regulations 1997 (Part B — Fire Safety) — requires adequate emergency lighting in all new commercial buildings
• Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 — requires employers to provide safe working conditions including adequate lighting in emergencies
• Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003 — requires safe means of escape in the event of fire
• HIQA National Standards — additional emergency lighting requirements for care homes and healthcare premises

Where is Emergency Lighting Required?

• All escape routes — corridors, stairwells and exit doors
• Open areas larger than 60m²
• All toilet facilities used by staff or the public
• Motor generator, control and plant rooms
• External areas forming part of an escape route
• Covered car parks
• All areas of hotels, schools, retail premises and care homes

Testing Requirements Under IS 3217

Battery Duration Requirements

Under IS 3217, emergency lighting systems must provide a minimum of three hours of illumination following mains failure. The annual full discharge test confirms that batteries can sustain this duration. Batteries that fail the test must be replaced immediately.

Log Book Requirements

IS 3217 requires that all emergency lighting tests are recorded in an on-site log book. The log book must record the date of each test, the person who carried it out, the result and any luminaires found to be defective. The log book must be available for inspection by the fire authority or your insurer at any time. RFC supply an IS 3217 compliant log book as part of every installation and update it after every service visit.