The short answer is, no they shouldn't. If they are set up correctly, you should have all of your exit lights sitting on a timer which will be located in your switchboard. Some sites will simply have all their exit lights on a separate circuit to normal lighting. In the situation where all of your lighting, including exit lights are on the same circuit, we can provide two options. The first option being rectification of this fault and the installation of an exit light timer. The second option being, out of hours emergency exit light testing to ensure there is no disruption to your site.  

Need after hours emergency exit light maintenance? We would be happy to help. Contact us for an obligation-free quote.

If the building experiences a full power shut down, parts of the premises that do not receive good amounts of natural light will not be safe. This is due to surrounding obstacles, such as desks and other items that become hazards. If you have staff who use your premises at night time or simply working past 5pm, this risk is elevated greatly. The installation and maintenance of Exit Light systems ensure all employees can safely exit the building in an emergency. Failure to provide a safe workplace, especially in an emergency; can result of heavy-handed legal actions from the governing bodies and potentially civil lawsuits from injured personal.  

• Usually about 4-6 years.
• Using reputable brands will help ensure they don’t fail sooner.
• If they fail within 90 minutes, they need to be replaced or the batteries need to be replaced to meet compliance.
• Consideration should be given to the cost of replacement. In some cases, upon failure, replacement of the whole unit is the best option. However, there are other cases, for example where a light is part of an automatic testing system, such as dali or a galaxy system. Whereby the replacement of the batteries is more cost-effective, as the cost of the batteries will be around $40-70 and the fittings are $400+.

• Cleaning of exit lights.
• Ensuring all exit lights last the 90 minutes specified within the standards.
• Reporting – digital reports with images of the lights under test.

• Ensures compliance with AS/NZS 2293.2
• Reduces liability in emergencies or audits.
• Increases occupant safety during blackouts or fires.
• Identifies faults early, reducing long-term repair costs.
• Helps maintain insurance coverage by meeting building fire safety requirements.

• Every 6 months.
• AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 – Emergency escape lighting and exit signs for buildings – Part 2: Inspection and maintenance "Periodic inspection and maintenance of emergency escape lighting and exit signs shall be carried out at intervals not exceeding six months, and shall include the following actions..."

• Compliance with emergency lighting requirements in Australia is primarily governed by the AS/NZS 2293 series of standards, particularly:
• AS/NZS 2293.1 – System design, installation, and operation
• AS/NZS 2293.2 – Inspection and maintenance
• AS/NZS 2293.3 – Emergency lighting performance testing and logbook requirements
  
  To determine if your system is compliant:

• Scheduled Testing: Your fire or electrical contractor should conduct 6-monthly discharge tests (Clause 3.2 of AS/NZS 2293.2:2019), ensuring that each fitting operates for not less than 90 minutes on battery backup.
• Defect Reporting: After each inspection, your contractor must provide a written list of any defective or non-compliant fittings and confirm that repairs have been actioned (Clause 3.4).
• Logbook Requirements: A logbook must be kept on site at all times (Clause 1.6 of AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 and Clause 3.1 of AS/NZS 2293.3:2018). It must contain:
• Dates of tests
• Results (pass/fail)
• Repairs undertaken
• Replacement of any fittings
• Sign-off by the responsible technician
  
  Note: A missing or incomplete logbook is itself a breach of compliance under AS/NZS 2293.3:2018 Clause 3.1. It must be available for inspection by building management, auditors, or relevant authorities.
• Additionally, if you want to do your own due diligence, you can do a walk around a survey current lighting visually to identify any defects such as maintained exit lights which are no illuminated. Or subsequently lights that are dull and do not have the appropriate number of lumens.
• The benefit of doing a check yourself can be that of cost. If the contractor performs his own test, in some cases he will have to return on another visit to conduct any repairs. Hence identifying an exit light that is not working and communicating this will your contractor can help him preorder the failed exit light fitting and bring it along to the 6 monthly test. Thereby reducing further labour costs and attendance fees for a reattendance.

• Failing emergency and exit lights can compromise safe evacuation during a power outage. Here are the most common signs of failure, in line with AS/NZS 2293.2:2019:

  1. Non-illuminated Indicator LED

  • Most fittings include a small green indicator light. If this light is off, flickering, or red, it typically means the internal battery is not charging properly or the fitting has failed.

  2. Light Does Not Stay On During a Discharge Test

  • During the required 90-minute discharge test (Clause 3.2), a failing unit will go out prematurely, indicating battery or circuit failure.

  3. Physical Damage or Vandalism

  • Cracked or missing diffusers, exposed wiring, or water ingress are signs that the fitting is no longer compliant and may fail in an emergency.

  4. Discolouration or Burn Marks

  • Yellowing, heat damage, or melted components can indicate overheating or electrical faults, requiring urgent replacement.

  5. Flickering or Dim Light Output

  • Weak or inconsistent lighting often points to battery deterioration or internal circuit faults.

  6. Fittings Missing from Scheduled Logbook Inspections

  • If a light is not listed or hasn’t been tested as per logbook entries (Clause 3.1 and 3.4), it may have been overlooked — absence from records is itself a red flag.