Building owners and property managers carry the responsibility for keeping emergency lighting and exit signs working, even though almost nobody notices them until the power fails. A dead exit sign or a lighting unit that will not switch on is not just a nuisance. It is a life safety gap, and it is usually inexpensive to find and fix before it turns into a problem during an inspection or, worse, during an actual outage.
What counts as emergency lighting
Emergency lighting covers the battery-backed fixtures over stairwells, corridors and exits that switch on automatically when normal power is lost. Exit signs are a related but separate system: illuminated signage marking the path out of the building, usually on the same battery backup or tied into a central system. Some buildings use individual battery units at each fixture. Others run a central battery system feeding multiple fixtures from one location. Either way, the equipment only works if the battery holds a charge and the fixture switches over correctly.
Why testing matters
These systems fail quietly. A battery degrades over months, a lamp burns out, or a connection loosens, and none of it shows up until the power actually goes out. Regular testing catches failures while they are still a maintenance item, not an emergency. It also gives the building owner a defensible record if an inspector, insurer or fire official asks whether the system has been maintained.
A reasonable testing routine
Most fire and life safety codes call for two levels of testing:
- A short functional check on a routine basis, confirming each unit switches to battery power and the lamp or sign illuminates.
- A longer test on a less frequent basis, running the system on battery power for its full rated duration to confirm the battery can actually carry the load for as long as it is supposed to.
Your local fire department or the authority having jurisdiction for your building can confirm the exact intervals and documentation required in your municipality. The specifics vary by occupancy type and by province, so treat this as a starting point and confirm the details for your building rather than assuming.
What to look for between tests
Property managers do not need an electrician on site every week to catch the obvious problems. Walk the building periodically and look for:
- Exit signs that are dark, flickering, or showing a dim or amber battery fault light.
- Emergency lighting heads with visibly cracked lenses or missing lamps.
- Units mounted near heat sources or in areas where the battery may be degrading faster than normal.
- Any unit that failed a previous test and has not been repaired.
Any of these findings should go on a work order, not a mental note.
Keeping records
Inspectors and insurers both want to see a log: date tested, units tested, results, and repairs made. A folder of dated test sheets is enough. What is not acceptable is no record at all, since an untested system and a tested but undocumented system look identical from the outside until something goes wrong.
Where this fits into a larger maintenance plan
Emergency lighting and exit sign testing is one piece of a broader building electrical maintenance routine, alongside panel inspections and load checks. Building owners who fold this testing into a standing service arrangement tend to catch problems earlier than those who treat it as a one-off task before an inspection deadline.
Puffin Power provides emergency service and ongoing electrical support for commercial buildings across Atlantic Canada, including testing and repair of emergency lighting and exit sign systems as part of broader turnkey electrical work.
Talk to Puffin Power
If your building's emergency lighting or exit signs have not been tested recently, or you inherited a building without a maintenance record, contact Puffin Power to talk through a testing schedule. You can also call (709) 769-9713.
Published 2026-09-23 · About 3 minute read