Where the Cost Comes From
Emergency lighting is a critical part of your building's life safety system. Keeping it tested is mostly a labor cost.
NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code, sets the test schedule. Battery-powered emergency lights need a functional test every month for at least 30 seconds. They also need a test once a year for at least 90 minutes. The owner must keep written records of the tests for the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).
Every one of those tests takes staff time. The number of fixtures you have drives most of the cost.
What Manual Testing Involves
Monthly 30-Second Tests
A manual monthly test means someone visits each unit. They press the test button or cut normal power to the circuit. They watch the light for at least 30 seconds, confirm it stays fully on, and write down the result.
The 30 seconds is the short part. Walking to each unit, finding a ladder or a key, and filling out the log take longer. Twelve months a year, that adds up.
Annual 90-Minute Tests
The annual test runs for at least 90 minutes. Staff need to cut power to the emergency lighting circuits, watch for units that dim or go out early, restore power and record the results.
If you run it during off-hours to avoid disrupting occupants, price it at your off-hours labor rate.
Records
Each test needs a written record. Logging results, filing them and pulling them together for an inspection is part of the labor too.
How to Estimate Your Own Cost
You can build a rough estimate from four numbers you already know or can measure.
Annual testing cost = fixtures x minutes per test x tests per year x hourly rate, divided by 60
Run it twice: once for the monthly tests and once for the annual test. Then add the two.
- Fixtures: Count every emergency light and battery-backed exit sign. NFPA 101 applies the same testing rules to exit signs with battery backup.
- Minutes per test: Time a real test walk. Include travel between units, access and logging, not just the 30 seconds or 90 minutes of light time.
- Tests per year: Use 12 for monthly tests and 1 for the annual test.
- Hourly rate: Use the loaded rate for the staff or contractor who does the work. Use your off-hours rate if the annual test runs then.
A few things this formula leaves out:
- Time spent on repairs after a failed test
- Time spent preparing records for an inspection
- Disruption to occupants during testing
Your own records are the best source for these numbers. If you already keep test logs, they show how long past tests took.
What Self-Testing Changes
NFPA 101 recognizes two kinds of automated testing.
- Self-testing/self-diagnostic units run a 30-second test and a diagnostic routine at least every 30 days. They show failures on a status light. A monthly visual inspection and the annual 90-minute test are still required.
- Computer-based self-testing systems also run the annual 90-minute test automatically. They must be able to provide a history of tests and failures at all times.
The ABB Emergi-Lite Nexus Pro system is a computer-based option. Here is what changes for your staff:
- Monthly 30-second and annual 90-minute tests run on a schedule or on demand, so no one has to walk the building to start them
- Defective units trigger push notifications that show the issue and the part number needed
- Reports in the ABB cloud cover test results, maintenance history and offline devices
- One dashboard covers many properties
- There are no per-device subscription fees
- The system comes with a 5-year warranty
What does not change: failed units still need a person to repair or replace them. Ask your AHJ how they want records presented and whether they expect any visual checks.
A Real Example: UT Tower
At UT Tower on the UT Austin campus, Nexus Pro covers 235 fixtures across 27 floors. Automated testing eliminated 470 annual labor hours, worth $30,550 a year in staff costs.
Your numbers will depend on your fixture count, building layout and labor rates. That is why it helps to run the formula on your own building.
Key Takeaways
- Manual emergency lighting testing is mostly a labor cost, driven by fixture count
- NFPA 101 requires monthly 30-second tests, annual 90-minute tests and written records
- Estimate your cost with fixtures x minutes per test x tests per year x hourly rate, divided by 60
- Computer-based self-testing systems run both tests automatically and keep a test history
- Repairs still need hands on the unit
LivSafe Solutions is an authorized ABB Emergi-Lite distributor and commissioning provider serving Austin and San Antonio, and our free assessment includes a written summary for your building.