AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for inspecting and maintaining emergency lights and exit signs once they’re in place. In practice, it means every light and sign in your building needs emergency exit light testing every six months, including a discharge test where the lights run on battery power for at least 90 minutes, with each result recorded in a logbook. This guide covers what the standard asks of building owners and managers, what gets checked at each service, and what happens when a light fails.
Understanding these aspects is imperative for creating and maintaining a safe environment in both commercial and residential structures.
What AS/NZS 2293.2 Covers (and What It Doesn’t)
AS/NZS 2293 is a three part series, and each part handles a different stage of an emergency lighting system’s life. Part 2 is the one that applies to building owners and managers day to day, because it sets out how existing emergency lights and exit signs are inspected, tested and maintained once the building is occupied.
| Standard | What it covers | Who it mainly applies to |
|---|---|---|
| AS/NZS 2293.1:2018 | System design, installation and operation | Designers and electricians fitting new systems |
| AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 | Inspection and maintenance | Building owners, managers and their testing provider |
| AS/NZS 2293.3:2018 | The emergency luminaires and exit signs themselves | Manufacturers and suppliers |
So if your building already has emergency lighting, Part 2 is your compliance rulebook. It tells you how often the system must be checked, what each check involves and what needs to be recorded. If you want to see what that looks like on the day, we’ve explained how emergency lights are tested step by step, including the 90 minute discharge test.
Why this section: it answers “what is AS/NZS 2293.2” directly for AI answers, uses the related standards as entities for NLP, and the link points readers to your “how it works” blog, so the two blogs support each other instead of competing.
Verified: the three parts and their scopes are confirmed by the editions listed in a New Zealand council’s emergency lighting compliance schedule (2293.1:2018, 2293.2:2019, 2293.3:2018). The “who it mainly applies to” column is my plain English summary of each scope, not wording from the standards.
How Often Emergency Lighting Must Be Tested
Under AS/NZS 2293.2, emergency lights and exit signs are tested every six months. At each six monthly service, the lights are switched over to battery power and must stay lit for at least 90 minutes. Any fitting that drops out early, dims badly or doesn’t come on at all is recorded as a failure and repaired or replaced.
On top of that, the system gets a more thorough annual service. As well as the discharge test, this typically includes cleaning the diffusers and reflective surfaces so the light output isn’t reduced, and checking that each sign and light still works as intended alongside the building’s normal lighting.
| Service | How often | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Routine service | Every 6 months | Discharge test on battery power (at least 90 minutes), failures logged and fixed |
| Annual service | Every 12 months | Discharge test plus cleaning and a full visual check of every light and sign |
The rules apply the same way across Australia, though some states add their own licensing requirements for who can do the work. If your building is in WA, our guide to emergency light testing in Perth covers the local detail.
What Records You Need to Keep
Every inspection and every repair needs to be written down. The standard expects a logbook, kept on site, that shows when each test was done, which lights passed or failed, and what was fixed afterwards. If a council officer, fire safety auditor or insurer asks to see proof that your emergency lighting is maintained, this logbook is what they’ll want.
A complete record usually includes:
- The date of each six monthly and annual service
- The location of every light and exit sign tested
- The result for each fitting, including any that failed the 90 minute discharge test
- What was repaired or replaced, and when
- Who carried out the work
Gaps in the logbook are one of the most common problems found during audits, even in buildings where the lights themselves work fine. A professional testing provider should hand you a report after every visit, so the paperwork stays up to date without you having to chase it.
Who Is Responsible, and Who Can Do the Testing?
Responsibility sits with the building owner. In Victoria, for example, emergency lighting is one of a building’s essential safety measures, and owners must maintain those systems for the life of the building and complete an Essential Safety Measures Report every year. Other states have their own versions of these rules, but the principle is the same: if you own or manage the building, keeping the emergency lighting compliant is on you.
The testing itself should be done by a competent person who understands the standard and has the right equipment to run and record a discharge test. Some states go further. In Queensland, emergency lighting inspection and testing is a licensed class of work, so the person doing it needs a QBCC fire protection licence that covers inspecting and testing emergency lighting.
Most owners hand this to a professional provider, because it keeps the six monthly schedule on track and produces the compliance records an auditor will ask for. If you’re comparing providers, our guide on choosing the right professionals for emergency exit light testing covers what to look for.
What Happens When an Emergency Light Fails
A failed light doesn’t mean your building is out of action, but it does need to be dealt with promptly. When a fitting doesn’t stay lit for the full 90 minutes, or doesn’t come on at all, it’s recorded in the logbook as a failure and then repaired or replaced.
The fix usually comes down to one of three parts:
- The battery, which may no longer hold enough charge to last the full test
- The lamp or LED module, which may have failed or dimmed
- The fitting itself, if it’s damaged or too old to repair economically
Once the repair is done, the light is tested again to confirm it now meets the standard, and the result goes into the logbook. That last step matters, because a repair without a passing retest on record won’t satisfy an auditor.
This is also where a testing provider saves you time. Many failed batteries and lamps can be replaced on the spot during the same visit, so the light is fixed, retested and recorded before the technician leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AS/NZS 2293.2?
AS/NZS 2293.2:2019 is the Australian and New Zealand standard for the inspection and maintenance of emergency lighting and exit signs. It sets out how often existing systems must be tested, what each test involves and what records must be kept.
How long do emergency lights need to stay on during a test?
During the discharge test, emergency lights and exit signs must stay lit on battery power for at least 90 minutes. Any fitting that goes out or dims badly before then fails the test and must be repaired or replaced.
What’s the difference between AS/NZS 2293.1 and AS/NZS 2293.2?
AS/NZS 2293.1 covers how an emergency lighting system is designed and installed. AS/NZS 2293.2 covers how that system is inspected and maintained once the building is in use, which makes it the part building owners need to follow day to day.
Do I need to keep a logbook for emergency lighting?
Yes. Every inspection, test result and repair should be recorded in a logbook kept on site, so you can show auditors, councils or insurers that the system has been maintained.
Who is responsible for emergency lighting maintenance?
The building owner. In Victoria, for example, emergency lighting is an essential safety measure that owners must maintain for the life of the building, with an Essential Safety Measures Report completed every year.
