When the mains power goes off during a fire or emergency, emergency lighting is one system that keeps the occupants of your building from being in complete darkness. Emergency lighting silently guards any commercial site, but people often neglect it until something goes wrong. It sheds light on evacuation paths, emphasises exits, and provides individuals with the much-needed time to evacuate safely.

The issue is that many commercial property managers consider emergency lighting a one-time setup mechanism. It is not. Without regular emergency lighting testing and professional emergency light maintenance, these systems can fail silently, and you may not discover the fault until there is a real emergency.

Violations come with severe repercussions: big fines, cancelled insurance plans, inspections of buildings, and, most importantly, reduced safety in case of an actual evacuation. When your site is covered by the National Construction Code, compliance is not a choice but a legal requirement.

This blog includes all the information commercial property managers require to know: the Australian Standards that apply, the required emergency lighting testing schedules, the most prevalent faults on-site, and how a qualified commercial lighting service can ensure that your building complies all year round.

Understanding the Standards and Compliance: AS/NZS 2293

Q. What Is AS/NZS 2293?

AS/NZS 2293 is the Australian and New Zealand Standard that governs the design, lighting installation, operation, and ongoing emergency light maintenance of emergency lighting and exit sign systems. It establishes minimum performance standards, such as required emergency lighting testing periods, to make sure that in case of a power failure or emergency, occupants can safely move around and exit a building.

The standard is not a recommendation. It is implemented by the National Construction Code and covers a large variety of commercial and public buildings.

Q. Who Does It Apply To?

AS/NZS 2293 is mandatory for all Class 2 through Class 9 buildings under the National Construction Code. It includes most non-residential and multi-occupancy buildings, such as:

• Office buildings and commercial towers.
• Retail centres and shopping complexes.
• Factories and warehouses.
• Hospitals and aged care facilities.
• Schools, universities, and public buildings.
• Hotels, apartments, and mixed-use developments.

When you are in control of or the owner of a commercial property, then there is a high likelihood that this standard directly applies to your premises. This process is through hiring licensed electricians with a specialisation in compliance to make sure your system is completed to all requirements.

➨ Types of Emergency Lighting Systems

• Maintained Systems: The luminaires are lit all the time with or without mains power on. They are mainly used in theatres, cinemas, and places where constant lighting is needed to enhance visibility and ambience, even in the normal functioning mode.
• Non-Maintained Systems: The lights are not maintained and are off when electricity is present, and only turn on when the mains power goes off. This setup is the most prevalent in offices, warehouses, and retail settings.
• Monitored vs. Manual Systems: In manual systems, a technician must test each unit manually. Monitored systems (e.g., Zoneworks or SafeTest) can automatically test and detect faults, record the results, and highlight problems in real-time. For large or complex sites, monitored systems significantly reduce the labour cost of compliance and provide continuous oversight between scheduled visits for emergency lighting testing.

➨ Performance Standards and Exit Sign Visibility

AS/NZS 2293 defines minimum lux levels along evacuation routes, maximum distances between luminaires, and a minimum battery backup period of at least 90 minutes. Exit signs should be well seen within the necessary viewing range, not obstructed and well-lit at all times. 

A compliance failure happens when faded, dirty, or blocked signs are present, regardless of how new the fittings are. All these factors will be evaluated in a regular audit of emergency lighting testing by a qualified commercial lighting service provider.

Mandatory Testing Frequency & Requirements

➨ 6-Monthly Testing (Routine Service)

All commercial premises must carry out regular emergency lighting testing at least once every six months. It is not a casual check; it is subject to a defined procedure under AS/NZS 2293 and must be conducted by licensed electricians with proven experience in life safety systems.

➢ The 90-Minute Discharge Test

This is what all the usual services are about. Every emergency lighting unit is independent of the mains and should always be in a fully lit state for 90 minutes. Any unit that cannot maintain the light throughout the entire illumination time, either due to battery deterioration, lamp failure, or wiring fault, is counted as non-conforming and must be repaired or replaced by the next inspection.

This test cannot be rushed or shortened. A unit that illuminates for 60 minutes and then fails is a non-compliant unit, even if it looks perfectly fine during a visual check.

➢ Visual Inspection

The discharge test is conducted together with a visual inspection of all fittings. This involves examining the physical condition of the housing; verifying that diffusers are clean and unbroken; that exit signs are easily readable and clear of obstruction; and that indicator lamps and charge LEDs are operating properly.

➨ Annual Testing

The yearly service is based on the half-yearly routine. Any alterations in the building plan, such as new walls, new partitions, or walls moved, should be evaluated to ensure that the current light installation is still sufficiently covering all evacuation routes. This is also the opportune moment to review commercial outdoor lighting in car parks, loading docks, and external muster areas, where emergency luminaires are equally essential.

➨ Record Keeping

All the outcomes of emergency lighting testing, such as the 90-minute discharge test, visual tests, repairs, and replacements, have to be recorded in a specific logbook, a physical register, or a suitable digital system. Records should be stored for at least 7 years and should be accessible to the auditing process by local councils, fire departments, or insurance surveyors when requested.

An incomplete or a lack of records is a compliance failure itself, regardless of whether the physical systems are operating as intended. If you cannot demonstrate that the tests were conducted, the audit will consider them non-existent.

Common Faults in Commercial Emergency Lighting

Learning what does not work and what will help property managers focus on what to pay attention to between scheduled services.

➨ Battery Degradation

It is the most prevalent failure of emergency lighting systems. Emergency luminaires typically have a service life of 3 to 5 years. Their ability declines as they get older. A battery that used to provide 90 minutes of light can now provide 40 or 50 minutes of light; that is, the unit will not pass the discharge test, though it seems to work in the usual state. Good emergency light maintenance is, in part, proactive battery replacement before failure, which a commercial lighting service plan will always have.

➨ Blown Lamps and Faulty LEDs

Emergency fittings that are older and use fluorescent lamps are especially susceptible to lamp failures. Tubes may not start on a test or will light briefly and shut off. The LED replacements available today are much more robust, yet even the LEDs may have driver faults over time. Any lamp that fails to light when doing emergency lighting testing should be changed immediately.

➨ Physical Obstructions

This is a very frequent problem with active commercial sites. Stacked storage containers placed against a wall, new partitioning placed without regard to the emergency lighting plan of the building, or shelving units rearranged following a fit-out, any of this may obscure the view of an exit sign or diminish the effective area of an emergency luminaire. These issues will be detected by the regular inspection of the visual inspections by licensed electricians who are well versed in AS/NZS 2293, before they can be used as a compliance failure.

➨ Damaged Diffusers

Diffuser covers that are cracked, yellowed or heavily discoloured lower the amount of light produced and can lead to a fitting being below minimum lux requirements. Cleaning chemicals, accidental damage, or just wear and tear caused by UV usually lead to diffuser damage. It is easy and cheap to replace, provided the fault is detected during an emergency light maintenance visit that is scheduled.

➨ Incompatible Replacements

The latter weakness is especially prevalent when commercial lighting service work is performed by technicians who do not understand the monitored emergency lighting systems. Any replacement needs to be compatible with the current system architecture, a fact that will be confirmed by skilled licensed electricians who have specialised in emergency lighting knowledge before any replacement is made.

How Shuttle Electrics Simplifies Your Compliance

Shuttle Electrics provides end-to-end emergency lighting testing and compliance services for commercial properties across the region. The method is realistic, documented, and designed to ensure that your site remains completely compliant between audits, rather than just passing the test on the day.

➨ Professional Audits

A thorough site survey also helps identify areas where emergency lighting coverage is inadequate, fittings that are nearing the end of their life, and any modifications to the building layout that might have rendered the current lighting installation non-compliant. Each audit will result in a comprehensive report with photographs and a definite plan of action, which will be conducted by our licensed electricians who have working experience in a wide variety of commercial buildings.

➨ Repairs & Upgrades

In locations that continue to operate older fluorescent emergency fittings, Shuttle Electrics also take care of the complete conversion to energy-efficient LED emergency luminaires. The modern LED fittings have increased battery life, less emergency light maintenance, and better lux output, limiting the number of times the lamp has to be changed and decreasing the cost of compliance in the long run. 

This applies to internal systems as well as commercial outdoor lighting, where emergency and safety lighting is needed in car parks, loading docks, and external evacuation routes. 

Conclusion

Emergency lighting is not a system that can be ignored once installed. Batteries degrade. Lamps fail. Buildings change. Standards require documented evidence that every fitting on your site can sustain a full 90 minutes of illumination when it matters most.

Routine emergency lighting testing, professional emergency light maintenance, correct lighting installation, and accurate record keeping are not optional extras, but rather the legal and practical basis of building safety compliance in all Class 2-9 commercial buildings. 

Whether it is internal fittings, monitored circuits, or commercial outdoor lighting, every component needs to be tested, documented, and maintained by licensed electricians who understand the full scope of AS/NZS 2293.

Contact us today for a professional emergency lighting test and compliance audit, and make sure your building is ready before it needs to be.