The core European standards for emergency lighting are EN 1838 (lighting requirements), EN 50172 (design, installation, operation and testing of systems), EN 60598-2-22 (emergency luminaires as products), EN 62034 (automatic test systems), EN 50171 (central power supply systems) and ISO 7010 (safety signs). Whether a building needs emergency lighting at all is decided by national law, such as workplace and building regulations; many countries also publish national supplements to the EN standards.
How do laws, regulations and standards fit together?
No single rule covers emergency lighting from start to finish. The rules form a hierarchy with different levels of legal force:
- Laws and regulations decide whether safety lighting is required. In the EU, the Workplace Directive 89/654/EEC sets the minimum for workplaces; national building codes add requirements for buildings with special use or high occupancy. These are directly binding.
- Official technical rules specify the regulations in more detail. In Germany, for example, the technical rules for workplaces (ASR) give a presumption of conformity with the Workplace Ordinance.
- Standards describe how an installation is designed, built and tested. On their own they are voluntary, but they represent the generally recognised state of the art and become binding in practice through permits, contracts and references in regulations.
In practice: whether your building needs emergency lighting follows from the risk assessment or building permit. How it is designed, installed and tested follows from the standards. See when emergency lighting is required.
Which standards and rules apply?
The first part of the table lists the European and international standards that form the common basis across Europe. The second part shows German rules as an example of national requirements.
| Standard or rule | What it covers |
|---|---|
| EN 1838 | Lighting requirements: illuminance, uniformity, response times, minimum duration, visibility of safety signs |
| EN 50172 | Emergency lighting systems: design, installation, operation, periodic testing and logbook |
| EN 60598-2-22 | Product standard for emergency luminaires: safety, construction, marking, battery operation |
| EN 62034 | Automatic test systems for battery-powered emergency escape lighting |
| EN 50171 | Central safety power supply systems (central and group battery systems) |
| ISO 7010 (EN ISO 7010) | Registered safety signs, including green exit and escape route signs |
| Directive 92/58/EEC | EU minimum requirements for safety signs at work |
| Germany: DIN VDE V 0108-100-1 | National pre-standard supplementing EN 50172, including rated duration per building type |
| Germany: DIN VDE 0100-560 | Low-voltage installations: equipment for safety services, including safety power circuits |
| Germany: DIN VDE 0100-718 | Low-voltage installations in public facilities and workplaces |
| Germany: DIN VDE 0100-710 | Low-voltage installations in medical locations, including safety power supply |
| Germany: ASR A1.3 | Safety and health signage at work, including exit signs |
| Germany: ASR A2.3 | Escape routes and emergency exits in workplaces, signage and safety lighting |
| Germany: ASR A3.4 (formerly ASR A3.4/3) | Workplace lighting, now including safety lighting and optical safety guidance systems |
| Germany: MLAR | Model guideline on cable installations: fire protection of wiring, including circuit integrity for safety lighting |
| Germany: MBO / state building codes | Whether safety lighting is required under building law, for example in places of assembly, shops, hotels, high-rise buildings and car parks |
In German usage the European standards carry a "DIN" prefix, for example DIN EN 1838 or DIN EN 50172; the content is the same. Standards are revised periodically. The current edition is generally decisive, although for existing installations the edition in force at the time of installation can be relevant.
EN 1838: how bright must emergency lighting be?
EN 1838 is the lighting standard for emergency lighting. It sets the illuminance required on escape routes, in open (anti-panic) areas, at high-risk task areas and at safety equipment. Typical values are at least 1 lx on the centre line of escape routes, 0.5 lx for anti-panic lighting and 5 lx vertical at fire extinguishers, call points and first aid points. All values, uniformity ratios and response times are explained in emergency lighting illuminance.
EN 50172: how are systems designed and tested?
EN 50172 is the European system standard for emergency lighting installations. It covers design, installation, operation, the periodic tests and the logbook. Several countries add national requirements. Example Germany: the pre-standard DIN VDE V 0108-100-1 specifies the rated duration for different building types and details the tests. Example United Kingdom: BS 5266-1 provides the national code of practice.
For operators, the test intervals matter most: a monthly function test, an annual full-duration test and, for central systems, a daily check of the indicators. Details are in testing intervals.
EN 60598-2-22 and EN 62034: what applies to the luminaire itself?
EN 60598-2-22 is the product standard for emergency luminaires. It covers electrical safety, construction, marking and behaviour in battery mode. Any emergency luminaire you buy should be verifiably tested to this standard.
EN 62034 describes automatic test systems: the luminaire or a central controller carries out function and duration tests on its own and stores the result. The NOTLUX Series 19 luminaires work on this principle, with a monthly function test, an annual duration test and log export via an app. How this works in practice is explained in self-testing emergency lights.
Practical tip: An automatic test system replaces the electrical tests, not the visual inspection. Damaged luminaires, obstructed exit signs or escape routes changed by refurbishment still need to be spotted by a person.
EN 50171 and wiring rules: what applies to central battery systems?
Systems with a central power supply bring further rules into play. EN 50171 sets the requirements for central safety power supply systems, meaning the battery system itself. National wiring rules govern the safety circuits. Example Germany: DIN VDE 0100-560 covers the installation of safety circuits, and the MLAR requires that cables supplying safety lighting remain functional for a defined time in a fire (circuit integrity), which calls for special cables, support systems or shafts.
With self-contained luminaires, the battery sits inside the luminaire. Circuit integrity for the supply cables is then generally not required, because each luminaire switches to its own battery when its mains supply fails. See self-contained vs central battery.
ISO 7010: what applies to exit signs?
ISO 7010 contains the internationally registered safety signs. For escape routes, the signs E001 and E002 (emergency exit, left and right hand) and the supplementary direction arrows are the most relevant. The EU Safety Signs Directive 92/58/EEC sets the minimum requirements for signage at work, and countries transpose it nationally; in Germany this is done through ASR A1.3. Germany's former ASR A3.4/3 has been incorporated into ASR A3.4, but many older documents and fire safety strategies still cite it.
How do national rules differ across Europe?
The EN standards and ISO 7010 provide a common technical basis throughout Europe. When emergency lighting is required, which rated duration applies and who inspects it are decided nationally, and many countries have supplementary standards. An overview is given in emergency lighting in Europe.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most important emergency lighting standard?
There is no single standard. EN 1838 covers the lighting requirements, EN 50172 the installation from design to testing. For operators, the testing and documentation requirements of EN 50172, plus any national supplement, are usually the most relevant.
Are emergency lighting standards legally binding?
Standards are not laws. However, they represent the recognised state of the art and become binding through permits, contracts and references in regulations. If you deviate from them, you may have to prove that an equivalent level of safety is achieved.
What is the difference between EN 50172 and DIN VDE V 0108-100-1?
EN 50172 is the European standard for emergency lighting systems. DIN VDE V 0108-100-1 is a German pre-standard that supplements it, for example with rated durations per building type. In Germany both are applied together.
Which standard applies to self-testing emergency lights?
Automatic test systems for battery-powered emergency escape lighting are described in EN 62034. The luminaire must also meet the product standard EN 60598-2-22. The test intervals the system performs come from EN 50172.
Do the same rules apply in every European country?
The technical standards are largely harmonised, but legal requirements are not. Each country decides where emergency lighting is required, which duration applies and how inspections are organised. Always check the national and local rules for your building.
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