Exit Signs & Emergency Lighting

Emergency lighting is different from regular lighting in that its primary function isn’t to illuminate areas. In cases of emergencies, emergency exit lights and signs may be the occupants’ only guide to safety. When you lose power, emergency lights that show your egress path have to stay on for 90 minutes, your exit signs have to stay on, and your fire alarm has to stay operable. All of these life-safety systems have to continue to work even if you lose power.

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Your fire alarm systems and emergency lighting equipment should also be inspected several times a year. If there is a generator, it should be put on a test and a tune-up cycle with an oil change. Same thing with UPS (uninterrupted power source) systems. The batteries are only good for three or four years and need to be replaced regularly.

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A survey conducted online by Harris Poll, May 3-5, 2017, among 2,072 U.S. adults ages 18 and older to identify U.S. worker concerns during power outages. The study found that more than a third (34 percent) would not feel very confident in their ability to navigate the building safely. Additionally, 42 percent of employed Americans would not feel very confident in their ability to calmly execute their workplaces’ emergency plan.

 

Power outages have been on the rise and are nearly four times more likely to occur now than in 2000. The average U.S. power customer loses power for 3.5 hours per year, dramatically exceeding the average compared to countries like Japan whose average customer experiences only six minutes of power loss per year.

 

Emergency and exit lighting is often de-prioritized from life safety programs. Make sure your emergency lighting and exit signs are installed by a professional fire safety company and inspected regularly, according to codes and standards established by OSHA and the NFPA.