16.11.2009
Fire Officers acting for local authorities have for some time expressed concern in relation to the validity of Emergency Lighting Certs submitted for new buildings and for premises such as pubs, clubs etc which need to renew their licenses each year.
It is felt that many of these Certificates are being signed without adequate testing of the installation or by people who are not familiar with the requirements of IS3217.
To deal with this problem NSAI have started the process of setting up a Register of persons qualified to test and certify Emergency Lighting Installations.
Initially it was intended to include Designers and Installers in this Register, but after further meetings it appears to have been accepted that Consulting Engineers who design Emergency Lighting Systems are adequately qualified and regulated by their own professional Associations, while the installation of Emergency Lights falls into the scope of the ETCI Wring Rules and Installers are therefore registered and regulated by the existing Regulatory Bodies, ECSSA and RECI.
The concentration therefore is going to be on Commissioners and Certifiers who sign off on new installations and periodic tests.
It is likely that a Course will be devised to bring contractors who want to be involved in Emergency Lighting Certification up to speed with the Regulations and best practice in this area of the industry. A common Cert will be designed which will be acceptable to the Fire Officers once it is signed by a Registered Emergency Lighting Certifier.
The system has still quite some work to do on it, so look out for further updates in future ECSSA Newsletters.
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Related contacts
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Coolmore House
Park Road
Killarney
County Kerry
Telephone: 064 37266
Fax: 064 37269 |
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Source: ECSSA Autumn 2009 Newsletter |
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