Summary: principal contractors must plan emergency and exit lighting, light evacuation routes, keep it running at least 1 hour after mains loss, and test it every 6 months. This guide summarises WorkSafe Victoria's guidance. It's general information, not legal advice. Your electrical contractor confirms what your site needs.
Who is responsible?
The principal contractor has the main duty to provide enough lighting for workers to evacuate and for emergency and repair crews to access the site. Plan it early: include emergency and exit lighting in the electrical tender and the site emergency response plan, and review it as the site changes.
Where emergency lighting is needed
- Designated evacuation routes in the site emergency plan
- Routes used outside full daylight, or where natural light isn't enough (basements, internal passages, areas shaded by nearby buildings)
- Stairways used as evacuation routes in multi-storey buildings
- Work areas not otherwise covered, including under formwork decks
- Each tower crane section landing
- Directly above and in front of switchboards, to help restore power after a fault
How long it must run
At least 1 hour after normal lighting is lost, per clause 2.7.3 of AS/NZS 3012. The FL240E runs for 120 minutes on battery.
Lighting levels
- Method A: an average of 20 lux at 900mm above floor level along the corridor centre line
- Method B: luminaires installed to the classification, mounting height and spacing tables in AS/NZS 3012
- Method C: a calculated design to AS/NZS 2293.1, with a minimum horizontal illuminance of 3 lux
Testing and records
Fittings should be impact-resistant or mechanically protected. Inspect and electrically retest every 6 months, including a discharge test confirming the required level for at least 1 hour, and keep records on site. Reused fittings need checking because battery output declines with age.
Where the FL240E fits
The FL240E is a maintained floodlight: it lights the area every day at 120W or 240W, then switches automatically to a 15W emergency output for 120 minutes. Its test button simulates mains failure for routine checks. Your electrical designer confirms placement and lux levels for your method.
Source: WorkSafe Victoria, Emergency lighting on construction sites. Standards referenced: AS/NZS 3012, AS/NZS 2293.1, AS/NZS 3000.