Hazardous lighting specialist Hilclare has warned that up to 44% of businesses in England are playing with fire as new findings reveal they do not have the correct emergency lighting.
Hilclare has stated that, following the 2005 Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order, businesses in the UK were given five months’ grace to follow the rulings. According to the order, emergency routes and exits must be indicated by signs, and emergency routes and exits requiring illumination must be provided with emergency lighting of adequate intensity in the case of failure of normal lighting.
However, five years after the initial ruling, 56% of businesses in England didn’t have the correct hazardous or emergency lighting and by 2019, 44% of businesses still did not meet the legal requirements.
In contrast, according to Hilclare’s research, more than 92% of Scottish businesses have the correct emergency lighting, an increase of 60% from 2010.
Group commercial sales director at Hilclare, Dylan Mansfield, commented, “The findings are extremely concerning. For almost half of businesses in England to not have the correct emergency lighting is a disaster waiting to happen.
“As leaders in hazardous lighting in the UK, we are urging businesses to review their emergency exit lighting with immediate effect.
“Put simply, these businesses who do not have the correct lighting are quite literally playing with fire.”
According to the legislation, any person found guilty of having the incorrect lighting is liable to a fine or imprisonment for a term of up to two years if convicted.