How do I light a stairwell on a construction site?
Light every flight and landing with 110V festoon or 110V LED rope light (also called LED strip light), and make sure part of that light stays on if the power fails. Festoon gives bright pools of light from heads at intervals; rope light gives a continuous line of light up each flight with no dark gaps. HSE guidance is that where escape routes need artificial light, you provide emergency lighting that comes on if the primary lighting fails: use emergency festoon, or add a 3-hour emergency pack to your festoon or rope light.
Your lighting options
- LED festoon (128266). 50m kits with 20 LED heads. Quick to hang through a stairwell, with bright pools of light at each head.
- 110V LED rope light, also called LED strip light or strip lighting (137890, 138162, 137891). A continuous line of light, 780 lm per metre (60 LEDs per metre) or 1,200 lm per metre on the super bright version, IP65, in 25m and 50m reels that link up to 100m. Run it up each flight so every step is lit, with none of the dark gaps you get between festoon heads.
- Bulkheads on landings and at doors. Tough 10W LED bulkheads in clear, red, or switchable red/clear (137626), with eyelid shades and security cages.
- 2ft 110V LED site fittings for large landings and lobbies.
Keep it lit in a power cut
- Emergency festoon (132706): 50m, IP54, 3 hours at 10% output when the mains fails. The UK's first emergency festoon.
- Emergency rope light (emergency strip light): add the 138223 emergency battery pack in line and your rope light keeps running for up to 3 hours at reduced brightness (up to 50W of load).
- Convert what you already have: the 137646 emergency conversion pack turns standard 110V festoon, or a floodlight up to 100W, into emergency lighting for 3 hours, maintained or non-maintained.
- Emergency site fittings: 2ft 110V LED fittings with a built-in emergency module (134740), or with a microwave sensor as well (134862).
Festoon or rope light (strip light) in a stairwell?
Both run on 110V and both can be made emergency. Festoon is quicker to hang and gives brighter spots; rope light, or strip light, gives even light along the whole flight. You can also combine them: rope light up the flights and bulkheads on the landings. See festoon vs rope light.
Planning tips
- Light every flight and landing, and the exit at the bottom.
- Test by switching off the supply and walking the route.
- Charge battery packs for 24 hours before relying on them.
- Use red bulkheads, or our switchable red/clear bulkhead, to mark exits and hazards.
