As a business or commercial property owner, you must create an emergency plan for staff and customers to clear out of the building safely in the case of a power outage or other emergency situation. Public locations that are required to abide by these regulations include school, government and commercial buildings.
A vital part of your plan is to ensure that all three exit areas are properly illuminated. First, exit signs need to be placed above the door or exit. Proper lighting is also required in the exit pathway to help people find the exit door. The third exit area that needs to be illuminated is the exit discharge area, located on the exterior of the exit door. All of these areas need substantial illumination for visibility and safety.
The specific kind of lighting you install depends on the type of building and its location. States, cities and townships may have their own ordinances that define additional emergency lighting requirements for your building.
Check locally
OSHA and NFPA are both governing bodies that regulate commercial emergency lighting requirements. Before you finalize your emergency lighting implementation, you’ll need to check with these regulatory agencies to make sure you’re in compliance with their codes. There may also be local requirements or state codes in addition to the ones required by OSHA and NFPA. Educate yourself on local ordinances as well.
Another aspect of emergency lighting to be aware of is how long the three exit areas must remain illuminated. All areas should stay lit for a minimum of 90 minutes after the initial power loss to give occupants ample time to safely exit the building.
Testing and updating
Once installed in public buildings, the law requires testing emergency lighting monthly and yearly. The guidelines set by NFPA dictate that once a month the system should be activated for 30 seconds. To comply with the annual testing requirements, each light in the exit areas must stay lit for 1.5 hours — the same amount of time as is required during an actual emergency. Testing specifications will also depend on the type of light, including traditional, self-testing and computer-based testing. If the emergency lights you install conduct computer-based testing, you’re required to keep a log that can be presented during an inspection.
While there are no official requirements regarding lamp type or style, the rules stipulate that the word “exit” must be appropriately visible and illuminated in all exit areas. If your company works with hazardous materials, you’ll need more specific emergency lighting. Arcus specializes in LED luminaires for these types of operations; advanced lighting and signaling solutions such as exit signs for hazardous locations.
We strive to provide the best hazardous location emergency lighting options by employing the latest, most intelligent engineering and design. Whatever your specific needs, we can help ensure you have state-of-the-art, reliable emergency lighting. Call today and let us help you implement the best lighting solutions for your location.
