MAC's Fire & Security Blog

A standard governing emergency lighting in commercial buildings across England changed on 31 October 2025. Most facilities managers have not been told. And most maintenance contracts have not been updated. If your contractor hasn't flagged it, we have. This article covers what changed and what it means for your site.

What is BS 5266-1 and why does the 2025 edition matter?

BS 5266-1:2025 is the UK code of practice for emergency lighting in commercial premises. It covers how emergency lighting systems should be designed, installed, tested and maintained. The 2025 edition supersedes BS 5266-1:2016, which is now withdrawn.

Before we go further: BS ...

In a lot of commercial buildings, electrical work and Fire Safety are handled as separate jobs. One contractor looks after the electrical installation. Another looks after the Fire Alarm. Someone else checks the emergency lighting. A different person again may be responsible for the Fire Risk Assessment.

On paper, that looks organised. In practice, it can leave gaps.

Why commercial electrical and Fire Safety belong together

Writing in Professional Electrician, Dr Justin Maltby-Smith - Group Managing Director of the BAFE Fire Safety Register - made a point that is easy to overlook: electrical competence and Fire Alarm certification are not the same thing. ...

We install Fire Alarm Systems in Telford that meet the legal requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Our engineers hold FIA Level 3 qualifications and design every system to BS 5839-1:2025 standards. As a BAFE SP203-1 registered company and NSI Gold Fire certificated business, your installation documentation is accepted by insurers and Building Control as meeting independently audited standards. We offer conventional, addressable, wireless and aspirating systems - matched to your premises and budget, not the highest invoice.

Call us on 0121 271 0149 or email sales@macsecuritysystems.co.uk to book your free site survey.

The Big Picture

• Our FIA Level 3 ...
  

UK fire safety legislation is biting. Real fines, suspended sentences and personal liability - what building owners and Responsible Persons need to know now.

West Bromwich had a reminder in July 2025 of what under-protected industrial premises actually means in practice. A fire on Great Bridge Street spread across 4,400 square metres of unsprinklered factory space. West Midlands Fire Service deployed 17 fire engines and more than 100 firefighters. Homes on Elwell Street were evacuated. Tom Roche, Secretary of the Business Sprinkler Alliance, described it as "yet another example of how quickly a fire can escalate in the absence of automatic sprinkler systems."

That incident happened less than two miles from some of the town's busiest industrial estates. If your premises is on Phoenix, Hill ...

The Building Safety Act is now being enforced. What Fire Alarm and Emergency Lighting duties it creates for Responsible Persons in 2026 and beyond.

If you run a business in Walsall, fire alarm installation is not optional: it is a legal requirement.

• We install conventional, addressable, wireless, and aspirating fire alarm systems across Walsall's commercial and industrial premises.
• All our installations are carried out by FIA Level 3 qualified engineers.
• As a company, we hold NSI Gold Fire accreditation and BAFE SP203-1 certification (reg. 302490), independently audited annually by a UKAS-accredited certification body.
• Every survey starts with your Fire Risk Assessment. We review it before we recommend anything.
• We offer honest, transparent pricing with no upselling. The same quality and the same price, whether you have one site or ...
  

We install Fire Alarm Systems across Solihull to BS 5839-1:2025 recommendations, covering everything from conventional zone-based setups in smaller premises to fully addressable systems in larger commercial buildings. As the responsible person, you have a legal duty under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 to maintain working detection equipment and act on identified risks. Our engineers hold FIA Level 3 qualifications, and MAC Security Systems is NSI Gold Fire certified and BAFE SP203-1 registered (reg. 302490). We handle installation, commissioning and ongoing maintenance.

The Big Picture

• MAC Security Systems installs Fire Alarm Systems in Solihull, designed and commissioned in line with ...
  

Fire Alarm Systems Installation in Redditch

MAC Security Systems installs Fire Alarm Systems across Redditch that help ensure you meet your legal obligations. We design, install, commission and maintain systems in line with BS 5839-1:2025 (the current code of practice for Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems in non-domestic premises). MAC Security Systems is BAFE SP203-1 registered (reg. 302490), holds NSI Gold Fire certification and is an FIA Full Member.

All our engineers hold FIA Level 3 qualifications - an advanced Fire Alarm engineering qualification regulated by OFQUAL through FireQual, covering design, installation, commissioning and maintenance. Whether you're upgrading an existing system ...

Fire Alarm Systems Installation in Merry Hill From MAC Security Systems

MAC Security Systems handles every stage of Fire Alarm Installation across Merry Hill and Brierley Hill. From a free site survey through to BAFE SP203-1 certificated installation and ongoing maintenance, we do the lot.

Our company is NSI Gold Fire certificated, and every engineer holds an FIA Level 3 qualification. We know the buildings around here, from the shopping centre to Waterfront Business Park. We never miss a call, and we are under three miles away in Stourbridge.

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 puts a legal duty on you as ...