Emergency lighting in educational facilities is vital to protect students, staff and visitors. With crowded spaces and vulnerable occupants, reliable escape route illumination ensures safe evacuation, minimises risks, and helps maintain a secure learning environment.
According to statistics published by the Department for Education, each year more than 1,300 schools in the UK experience fires large enough to require the attendance of the fire and rescue services, with 56% of them classed as non-accidental. The cost of damage caused by fires in schools is estimated to be £58m per year.
Every one of these incidents carries the risk of an evacuation taking place with little or no warning, often outside of normal supervision arrangements. Should a fire coincide with a loss of mains power — whether through fire damage to the electrical supply or as a precaution — reliable emergency lighting is what keeps escape routes visible and evacuation orderly.
Research by the Arson Prevention Bureau found that more than half of all school fires are not reported to the fire service, and it suggests some 20 schools and colleges are damaged or destroyed by arson every week — underlining why a self-testing, always-ready emergency lighting system matters, rather than one that relies on staff remembering to check it.
FIREscape Nepto is an intelligent, self-testing emergency lighting system designed for efficient installation, long-term reliability and low maintenance.
FIREscape+ is a combined system integrating fire detection and emergency lighting, with dynamic exit signs that guide safe evacuation during emergencies.
There are many problems within the education industry which can be resolved using Hochiki's diverse range of products and services to adapt to many environments. Below are some example issues that can be seen within the industry and how they can be resolved by Hochiki.
Educational sites present various levels of risk and, as such, sometimes require specific emergency lighting design to suit different areas of a site, from teaching blocks to sports halls.
Educational sites present an environment with many risks, and when the mains power fails, reliable escape route and exit sign illumination becomes essential to guide occupants to safety, from kitchens to science labs.
The education environment is complex, with a multitude of layouts coupled with many students who need to be evacuated safely and efficiently, often with limited familiarity with the building beyond their own classrooms.
In the event of a power failure or evacuation, clear illuminated exit signage and escape route lighting help teaching staff guide students calmly and efficiently, without unduly alarming them.
The RRFSO places a duty of care on estate managers to ensure emergency lighting is fit for purpose and designed, installed, commissioned and maintained in accordance with BS 5266 by competent contractors.
FIREscape Nepto's luminaire and exit sign designs, including recessed options, allow emergency lighting to be integrated into classrooms, corridors and communal areas without disrupting the teaching environment.
Wide range of luminaires and illuminated exit signs to suit any education environment, from single-form entry primary schools to large multi-site colleges and universities.
Luminaire batteries have an expected 10-year lifespan, and the low-voltage, self-testing design simplifies installation and maintenance, reducing costs compared with central battery or mains-powered systems over the system's lifetime — an important consideration for schools managing tight budgets.
Hochiki understands the importance of a reliable, smooth-running life safety system. An emergency lighting system that fails to activate, or hasn't been properly tested, can turn a manageable evacuation into a dangerous one — something that could prove to be deadly.
Each FIREscape Nepto control panel supports up to two lighting lines and 127 devices per line, with up to 12 panels networkable together — making it suitable for a single primary school through to a large multi-site college or university, all controlled from a single point.
The lifespan of an emergency lighting system is generally considered to be in excess of 10 years. Therefore, although the initial cost of the system is important, the total cost of ownership – maintenance, servicing, breakdown charges and product replacement costs – can be many times higher than the initial investment.
A reliable, high-quality emergency lighting system from Hochiki will ensure that testing is automated and consistent, and that the costs associated with keeping it fit for purpose are kept to a minimum.
Hochiki ESP’s range boosting life safety at brand new state-of-the-art educational facility Livingstone Academy, Bournemouth.
Hochiki improve life safety at special educational setting with their flexible and easy to install range of fire detection devices.
Portsmouth all-through school gets life safety system upgrade from Hochiki and makes use of ‘multi-function’ facility via enhanced ESP controls
Rydal and Longfield Academy During the summer of 2021, not only were the teachers at two educational settings preparing for the start of the new school year, but both school sites were undergoing a major upgrade to their life safety systems, and Hochiki’s market leading fire detection devices were the brand of choice.