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Blackfriars Hall > Lighting Policy and Inspection Schedule

Lighting Policy and Inspection Schedule

(Annexe:  Lighting Inspection Schedule)

Last review:  January 2026

  1. Purpose

The purpose of this Lighting Policy is to ensure that all student accommodation provided by Blackfriars Hall offers adequate, safe, and reliable lighting to support resident wellbeing, safety, and accessibility. This policy sets out the standards and procedures for monitoring, maintaining, and repairing lighting throughout the accommodation.  This policy can be read together with emergency lighting information provided in the Blackfriars Hall Accommodation Health and Safety Policy.

 

  1. Commitment to Safe and Adequate Lighting

Blackfriars Hall is committed to:

  • Providing sufficient and appropriate lighting in all residential areas, including bedrooms, communal spaces, kitchens, bathrooms, corridors, stairwells, entrances, and external pathways.
  • Ensuring that all lighting systems are installed and maintained in accordance with UK safety regulations by appropriately trained personnel, including electrical standards and housing health and safety requirements.
  • Taking all reasonable steps to ensure that lighting is functional, safe to use, and suited to the needs of residents, such as ensuring that where lighting is automated, lights are set to allow sufficient time for residents to reach rooms or exit the building before switching off.

 

  1. Inspection and Maintenance

3.1 Routine Checks

  • Lighting in communal areas, corridors, staircases, and external routes is regularly inspected by Hall staff and maintenance personnel.
  • Emergency and safety lighting (e.g., fire exit illumination) is checked in accordance with statutory requirements.

3.2 Maintenance and Repairs

  • Blackfriars Hall ensures that all lighting equipment is maintained in good working order.
  • Faults reported by residents are prioritised and repaired promptly, with response times in line with our maintenance procedures and UUK Accommodation Code of Practice requirements, especially for essential health and safety issues.
  • Fittings or electrical components are installed only by qualified personnel.

 

 

3.3 Planned Upgrades

  • Periodic reviews of lighting systems take place to ensure continued compliance with safety standards and to identify opportunities for improved efficiency or lighting quality.

 

  1. Resident Responsibilities

Residents are expected to:

  • Report faulty, flickering, or non?functioning lights as soon as possible via the Hall’s maintenance reporting system.
  • Use lighting fixtures responsibly and avoid tampering with switches, sensors, wiring, or emergency lighting.
  • Ensure personal lamps or decorative lighting are PAT tested in line with our Personal Appliance Testing (PAT) policy and that they are used in bedrooms in ways that are safe, low?risk, and do not interfere with the Hall’s electrical systems.

 

  1. Energy Efficiency

Blackfriars Hall aims to balance safety with sustainability by:

  • Using energy?efficient lighting (e.g., LED) in communal and external spaces, and upgrading lighting to LED provision where this does not already exist.
  • Encouraging residents to switch off non-essential lighting in their rooms when not in use.

 

  1. Compliance

All lighting installations and maintenance activities comply with:

 

  1. Review of Policy

This policy is reviewed annually, or sooner if legislation, safety guidance, or accommodation requirements change.

 

 

Annexe:  Blackfriars Hall Student Accommodation Lighting Inspection Schedule

This schedule outlines the required inspection, testing, and maintenance activities for lighting systems within Blackfriars Hall student accommodation. All tasks must be carried out by appropriately trained and competent personnel, in line with statutory safety requirements and Hall policies.

 

  1. Monthly Inspections and Testing

 

1.1 Common Facilities Lighting – Monthly Inspection – undertaken together with Emergency Lighting tests

Responsible party: Appointed maintenance contractor (appropriately trained)
Scope:

  • Kitchens, lounges, study rooms
  • Corridors, stairwells, entrance halls
  • External pathways and entrances
  • Activities:
  • Check all luminaires for correct operation
  • Identify flickering, dim, damaged, or non?functioning lights
  • Inspect light switches, motion sensors, and automatic controls
  • Report and remedy defects in accordance with maintenance procedures

 

1.2 Emergency Lighting – Monthly Functional Test

Responsible party: Maintenance contractor
Scope:

  • Escape route lights
  • Stairwell and corridor emergency fittings
  • Exit sign lighting
  • Activities:
  • Conduct a short-duration functional test
  • Confirm that each unit illuminates correctly on test mode
  • Log any failures and arrange repairs promptly
  • Record test results in the Emergency Lighting Logbook
  1. Biannual Testing of Emergency Lighting

 

2.1 Emergency Lighting – Six-Month Full Test

Responsible party: Appointed fire safety contractor
Activities:

  • Carry out full-duration discharge testing in accordance with required standards
  • Inspect batteries, charging units, and fittings
  • Verify correct placement and orientation of emergency luminaires
  • Document results and any corrective actions needed
  • Ensure compliance with fire safety and emergency lighting regulations

 

  1. Annual PAT Testing and Accommodation Facilities Inspection

3.1 Annual PAT Testing (Portable Appliance Testing)

Responsible party: Appointed, appropriately trained contractor
Scope:

  • Lamps and lighting appliances provided by Blackfriars Hall in student bedrooms
  • Lamps and lighting appliances in shared/common facilities
    Activities:
  • Safety testing of plugs, cables, and fixtures
  • Labelling of tested equipment
  • Removal or replacement of unsafe appliances
  • Documentation for compliance records

 

3.2 Annual Accommodation Facilities Inspection

Responsible party: Hall Bursary team
Scope:

  • All student accommodation blocks, bedrooms, and communal areas
    Activities:
  • Review overall condition of lighting across the estate
  • Confirm that routine maintenance and testing schedules are being followed
  • Assess need for repairs, replacements, or upgrades
  • Ensure adequate lighting levels in all spaces
  • Review compliance with health and safety standards

 

  1. Record Keeping
  • Routine lighting inspections and testing is recorded in the Every facilities management system.
  • Emergency lighting test results must be recorded separately in the Emergency Lighting Logbook.
  • Annual PAT testing certificates are retained for compliance and audit.
  • Records must be stored for a minimum of five years or longer if required by policy or regulation.

 

  1. Non-Compliance or Defects

Any defects identified during inspections or testing must be:

  • Logged immediately,
  • Prioritised in line with health and safety risk,
  • Repaired by a qualified contractor as soon as reasonably practicable,
  • Verified after repair to ensure correct operation.