Emergency lighting and exit sign codes exist to assist with the safe evacuation of a building during a fire or similar event where visibility may be reduced. During an emergency, facility occupants may panic as they seek a way to escape the situation. Providing an illuminated path to an exit can be the difference between life and death.
In the United States, emergency lighting and exit signs are regulated by various agencies, including The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), International Building Code (IBC), and in some cases local municipalities may dictate additional requirements.
NFPA Guidelines for Emergency Lighting and Exit Signs
The NFPA is the most commonly referenced set of standards. The National Fire Protection Association publishes guidelines for emergency lighting and exit signs in the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code. NFPA 101 provides guidelines for all occupancies, with requirements for egress, fire protection features, sprinkler systems, alarms, emergency lighting, smoke barriers, and special hazard protection. The guidelines state that exit signs must be clearly visible, legible, and have a distinctive color and design. The path to the exit door should be marked with visible signs. In the event of a power failure, the standards require that the emergency lighting come on automatically. The lights must provide illumination for a minimum of 1.5 hours. The illumination should be at least an average of one foot-candle (10.76 lux) at foot level along the path toward the exit. The NFPA 110 and 111 address the standard requirements for Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems. These standards cover the performance requirements for emergency and standby power systems intended to provide an alternate source of electricity in buildings and facilities if the regular electrical power source fails. Systems include power sources, transfer equipment, controls, supervisory equipment, and accessory equipment needed to supply electrical power to the selected circuits. NFPA 70, also known as The National Electric Code, is on which most US cities base their emergency lighting and exit sign standards.
OSHA Workplace Exit Route Lighting Requirements
OSHA established regulations for emergency lighting and workplace exit signs and set those forth in its Standard 1910.37. According to these regulations, the exit route must be adequately lit for employees with normal vision. Exit doors must be marked with an exit sign that must be visible and illuminated at all times.
JCAHO Testing Standards for Battery-Powered Emergency Lighting
The JCAHO’s regulations pertain to testing requirements for battery-powered emergency lighting systems, exit signs, and task lighting. The standard EC.02.05.07 EP 1 establishes that battery testing takes place for these items each month for at least 30 seconds. In addition, battery-powered emergency lights must be tested every 12 months for a minimum of 90 minutes. Medical facilities must test their battery-powered lighting for at least 30 minutes annually.
IBC Path of Egress Lighting Standards
The IBC provides guidelines for egress and exit sign requirements. Section 1009 states that the path of egress, including exit access, exit discharge, and the exit itself, must be adequately illuminated during a power failure or emergency. Emergency lighting systems should automatically activate and remain on for a specific amount, the standard being 90 minutes. Exit signs must mark the path of egress and be visible and illuminated. Exit signs must be easily distinguishable from surrounding signs. Emergency lights and exit signs must have a reliable power source that will provide the necessary amount of illumination for the minimum amount of time. Emergency lights and exit signs must maintain a high level of testing, inspections, and record-keeping to comply with code requirements.
New York City Emergency Lighting and Exit Sign Codes
As mentioned, some local municipalities may have additional requirements. New York City is one of the more notable cities that mandates additional code requirements over and above the standard national agencies. New York City’s emergency lighting and exit sign requirements primarily concern visibility. Below is a list of these requirements:
– All exits to the outside, hallways, stairwells, and doors leading to exits must be marked with an approved exit sign.
– The signage must be easily seen from any direction. Depending on the door’s orientation or exit to the corridor or hallway leading to it, the sign may be either flat against the wall or perpendicular to it. In some cases, when an exit door is at the intersection of two hallways, both orientations of exit signs may be required.
– The letters for the word “Exit” must be red and 8 inches tall, with a 1-inch stroke or line width. The sign itself, not including the letters, must be white, translucent, or aluminum (light grey) in color. For internally lit signs, the lighting must be red, not white, with a luminescence of at least 250-foot-lamberts.
– New York City’s Local Law 26 requires commercial buildings over 75 feet in height to have visible photoluminescent egress markings that must be placed on the lower part of walls so that they can be seen in the event of smoke from a fire.
– Photoluminescent markings must remain visible for at least eight hours after exposure to light and be inspected for brightness periodically. They must also be tested for washability, non-toxicity, non-radioactivity, and surface flammability.
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