Carry on Shopping.

[westward10]

So in Sainsbury this evening and after five minutes or so nearly all the lights go off. The only lighting is from the chilled cabinets, behind the deli and the Argos concession, some areas are pretty dark. All of the emergency lighting still have their charge indicators on so that is another well planned job. Away from the areas where there is no lighting it is very dark to the point everyone is walking around with their phone torches on because you couldn't actually see anything on the shelves, the alcohol aisles were very dark but my senses knew what I was looking for. Over the Tannoy we are told they are aware of the issue but they let people carry on what's that all about, staff carried on like nothing had happened. The bread aisle was so dark my girlfriend was showing an elderly couple the bread with her phone torch.

 

[nicebutdim]

Log book would make interesting reading. Wonder how many tests have been signed off, with not a single emergency fixture working...


Edit: Lights out and charge indicators illuminated. Could there be a key operated last man out switch that someone switched off?

 

[westward10]

I did think that but didn't look. Big failing with emergency lighting if the control circuit fails and they don't come on see it all the time.

 

[Flanders]

Think nicebutdim is correct . Sounds like someone turned the last man out switch off .

 

[jay sean]

The company who looks after Sainsburys is Arcus FM, would have thought most shops have BMS which controls lighting, and not last man switches, I wonder if the lighting is on a different circuit to the emergency lights.

 

[westward10]

There was a mix of micro down lights and combined LED modulars for the em lighting. All had their charge indicators on so this is a typical retrofit lash-up.

 

[Flanders]

I look forward to the day when I come across an emergency light system that has been correctly installed !

 

[Dustydazzler]

Most EM jobs I come across on older sites are complete and utter lash up , now I don't confess to be the guru on EM lighting but I know the rough basics but some of the stuff I have come across don't even meet the rough basics

 

[davesparks]

A few weeks ago I was in a supermarket and the fire alarm started going off. The vast majority of staff and public ignored it and just carried on regardless.

People seemed to think I was odd for putting my shopping basket on the nearest shelf and leaving.

 

[Rockingit]

Given that most supermarkets are 24hrs (operationally) would you even have a last man switch??

 

[nicebutdim]

Given that most supermarkets are 24hrs (operationally) would you even have a last man switch??

Seems unlikely in a large Sainsbury's store. I'd been thinking about shops in general when making that suggestion.

 

[snowhead]

Given that most supermarkets are 24hrs (operationally) would you even have a last man switch??

Easter Sunday and Xmas day,
I know that in the aforementioned retailer that it's no longer a physical switch and hasn't been for years,

Before someone posts a photo of one, there may be an odd one or two that still exist in old smaller stores that haven't had major refits and or the switch may still be there at the final exit, but no longer in use.

 

[jay sean]

some big supermarkets have DALI controlled emergency lights, or even a emergency lighting test button the main panel