What characteristic must required emergency lighting have?

Emergency lighting is a critical safety feature in nursing homes and other facilities, as it ensures that occupants can safely navigate the space in the event of a power outage or other emergency situation. The key characteristic that required emergency lighting must have is automatic operation. This means that the lights should turn on automatically when a power failure occurs, without the need for manual intervention. This automatic response is crucial in emergencies when immediate action is necessary, as individuals may not have the presence of mind or ability to activate the lights manually.

While regular maintenance and battery backup are important considerations for the effectiveness and reliability of emergency lighting, they do not define the essential operational characteristic of these systems. Regular maintenance ensures the lights function when needed, and battery backup allows the lights to operate during a power outage, but the fundamental requirement for emergency lighting is that it operates automatically to provide immediate illumination when conditions necessitate it.