When the power goes out during an emergency, people need to be able to see where they are going and identify where they need to go. This is where emergency lighting and exit signs play an important role in helping people safely leave a building.
Although the two are often mentioned together, an exit sign and an emergency light do different jobs. One helps people identify and find an exit, while the other provides enough illumination to make the path to that exit visible.
For building owners, strata managers, facility managers and commercial landlords, understanding the difference matters. Having an emergency light does not necessarily mean you have adequate exit signage, and an illuminated exit sign does not replace the need for emergency lighting where it is required.
If you're responsible for a commercial building, understanding how these systems work together can help you identify potential issues before they become a larger compliance problem.
An exit sign is an illuminated sign that identifies the location of an exit and provides wayfinding assistance so people can evacuate a building or shelter during an emergency. Typically, an exit sign will be displayed above or immediately next to a required exit door.
Often depending on the layout of a building, you may also find exit signs are required along corridors, hallways, lobbies and other areas where it may not be clear where you need to travel to access an exit. The primary role of an emergency exit sign is therefore wayfinding. If the normal lighting in a building fails, people inside should still know where they need to go to safely exit the building.
Exit signs should always remain illuminated when a building is occupied and should come on during a failure of the main lighting system for a period of time sufficient for the building to be evacuated. In Australia, the National Construction Code (NCC) outlines the requirements for exit identification and refers to AS/NZS 2293.1 for the design and operation of required exit signs.
An exit sign may depict a pictorial symbolof an exit, and may also include a directional arrow where occupants mustproceed in a specific direction.
Emergency lighting is lighting that provides illumination when needed during an emergency. Instead of directing people to safety, emergency lighting lets people see where they need to go.
Emergency lighting can be used along travel routes, within corridors and passageways, up and down stairs and ramps or anywhere else where sufficient illumination is required to safely exit the building. The requirements depend on the building classification, design and usage.
This is an important distinction. Consider a dark corridor during a power outage. The exit door may well be clearly marked with an illuminated exit sign, but if the corridor is black, persons will still be unable to see obstacles in the corridor, changes in level or where they need to go.
Emergency lighting as specified in the NCC is designed to ensure adequate illumination is provided during an emergency, such as a failure of normal artificial lighting. Required emergency lighting must be installed in accordance with AS/NZS 22931.
The simplest way to understand the difference is to think about direction versus visibility.
The two systems are designed to work together rather than replace one another. An exit sign can tell someone which door leads to safety, while emergency lighting helps that person safely reach the door.
The number of exit signs required for a building depends on its layout, as well as the exits themselves. According to the NCC, required exit signs should be visible to someone approaching the exit. These are generally placed on, above, or near the specific exits and their corresponding doors.
If it’s not obvious where an exit is located to someone inside the building, direction signs may need to be used to point towards a required exit. In short, having a sign placed halfway down a hallway isn’t always going to be enough. Considering where it is, how clear its visibility is, and if it effectively directs people to the proper exit are all crucial.
Say you have a large retail space with multiple hallways branching off in different directions. A person who’s unfamiliar with that space may not know which hallway leads to an exit. Using directional exit signs can alleviate that confusion when an evacuation occurs.
Emergency lighting is required in all fire-isolated stairways, fire-isolated passageways and ramps in buildings. Emergency lighting may also be required on certain storeys of a building, in rooms, corridors, passageways and elsewhere depending on the building classification and specific layout.
Places of particular importance where normal lighting may become unavailable, making it hard to leave, include stairways. In the event of an emergency, if someone can't see where they are placing their feet as they run down the stairs, then having an easily seen exit sign may not be enough.
This is why your emergency lighting layout should be based on your building's conditions and escape routes.
Emergency lighting and exit signs are subject to requirements under the National Construction Code and relevant Australian Fire Safety Standards. AS/NZS2293.1 covers the system design, installation and operation of emergency lighting and exit signs. The NCC references this standard for required emergency lighting systems and exit signs.
The broader AS/NZS 2293 series also covers areas including the routine service and testing of emergency lighting and exit sign systems. This means compliance is not simply about installing the correct fittings when a building is constructed.
Emergency lighting needs to remain capable of performing its intended function over time.
That makes emergency lighting testing and maintenance an important part of ongoing building management. Batteries can deteriorate, fittings can become damaged, lights can fail and changes to a building can affect whether existing lighting and signage still adequately serve the evacuation plan.
An illuminated exit sign and an emergency light have different purposes. An exit sign identifies an exit, while emergency lighting provides visibility along the path of travel.
Where both are required, having one doesnot automatically satisfy the need for the other.
Emergency lighting and exit signs need to be positioned so they perform their intended function. An exit sign that is obscured by a fit-out, building alteration or other obstruction may no longer be clearly visible. Similarly, emergency lighting needs to provide adequate illumination across the relevant path of travel.
Emergency lighting equipment does not last indefinitely. Older fittings, damaged signs and degraded components can affect system performance. If an emergency light or exit sign is showing signs of damage, flickering, failing to illuminate or otherwise behaving unexpectedly, it should be assessed rather than simply left in place.
Many emergency lighting systems rely on batteries so they can continue operating when the normal power supply fails. A fitting may appear to work normally during everyday conditions but fail to operate correctly when its emergency function is actually needed. Regular testing can help identify battery and other system faults that are not obvious during normal operation.
A building can change significantly after its emergency lighting system is installed. Walls may be added, layouts may change, tenancy fit-outs may alter corridors and furniture or equipment can affect visibility. Emergency lighting and exit signage should continue to reflect how the building is currently used.
Emergency lighting testing should be carried out by a suitably qualified and competent professional who understands the relevant requirements and testing procedures. The exact scope of testing depends on the building, its systems and the applicable requirements.
Testing should not simply involve switching a fitting on and checking whether the lamp illuminates. The emergency function, batteries, fittings and overall system performance may all need to be assessed.
Regular testing can help identify faults before an emergency occurs and provide building managers with records of the condition and maintenance of their emergency lighting systems.
Emergency lighting and exit signs serve different functions, but both play an important role in creating a safe evacuation plan for your building. Exit signs help people identify where they need to go, while emergency lighting provides the visibility needed to follow the escape route.
For building owners, facility managers, strata managers and commercial landlords, keeping these systems properly installed, tested and maintained is an ongoing responsibility. Requirements can also change depending on the building's classification, layout and use.
Alexon provides emergency exit lighting services across Melbourne, including emergency lighting testing, installation, maintenance and replacement. Our team can help identify issues with existing systems and provide support with maintaining the emergency lighting and exit signage your building relies on.
If you're unsure whether your emergencylights and exit signs are working as they should, contactAlexon to arrange an inspection or request a quote.
Understanding emergency lighting standards and providing clear signage to indicate the location of building exits is an essential safety requirement for all Australian commercial and residential buildings. The definition of building exits for Australian fire safety standards includes all external doors as well as fire stairways, fire escapes, ramps, enclosed passageways, and all other means of egress from the building that are safe and accessible to the public.
Just as all exits are required to boast exit signage, all emergency exits come with their own unique requirements for ensuring regulatory compliance. For instance, fire stairways must be kept clear of obstructions to boost efficiency and maintain the safety of evacuation procedures. Similarly, all emergency exit lighting in your building requires routine maintenance and testing performed in accordance with Australian & New Zealand Standards (AS/NZS 2293).
In truth, regularly testing and replacing emergency lighting is just as crucial to ensuring building safety as scheduling routine fire equipment maintenance appointments. So what maintenance requirements should Australian building managers and business owners be aware of?
Our fire safety technicians here at Alexon have used their industry know-how to provide an overview of Australian emergency lighting standards in order to illuminate the process of maintaining regulatory compliance. Read on to unearth answers to some of the most common questions surrounding emergency lighting standards.
View our frequently asked questions when it comes to understanding emergency lighting standards:
Just as fire extinguishers and other fire equipment are accompanied by their own unique classifications, so too are emergency lights. Classifications for emergency light fittings include numeric and alphabetical elements, varying from anywhere between a Class A and Class E fitting, with this alphabetical classification then being followed up by a numeric value that generally ranges between 1-180 to represent degrees on an axis.
The alphabetical value of a light fitting classification refers to the five different classes of photometric light distribution curves. Contrastingly, the numeric value refers to the lux requirements (or illumination intensity) for that particular light distribution curve. In other words, the higher the alphabetic and numeric value, the greater the lux intensity of that light fitting.
Some emergency exits may come with their own requirements surrounding light fitting classifications. For example, emergency exits like enclosed passageways with no natural light availability boast emergency lighting standards that require a minimum of 1 lux. On the other hand, open air evacuation points may possess more modest emergency light standards, opting instead for a combination of 0.5 lux lighting and reflective signage for directing evacuators in both daylight and evening low light conditions.
The placement of emergency light fittings can also be determined by their lux intensity. If a single emergency light is bright enough that it’s visible from the end of a passageway, for instance, then it’s unlikely that you’ll need to install a secondary light to maintain compliance. If that emergency light isn’t visible, however, a secondary installation may be required. If in doubt, we recommend consulting with a commercial electrician that’s experienced with the installation of emergency light fittings.
By Australian Standards (AS/NZS 2293.2-1995), all emergency lighting and signage should be inspected at least once every 6 months. These inspections should include lamp flicker tests, swapping out any bulbs that are deemed defective or have surpassed their usable lifespan, and the conducting of a 90 minute electrical discharge test. This test involves an electrical technician powering off the battery charger for all emergency lighting in order to simulate a power outage for a period of 90 minutes.
Australian emergency lighting standards stipulate that lights should be able to retain illumination in the face of power outages, allowing building occupants to find their way out of buildings in the event of electrical grid failures, adverse weather, and other emergency situations that may result in your building’s power being cut. Therefore, emergency lighting systems are powered by an isolated battery off the main circuit. This places the 90 minute discharge test amongst the most essential safety measures for all Australian commercial and residential businesses.
Alongside these 6-monthly inspections, emergency lighting standards also stipulate that light fittings and reflective surfaces are cleaned and generally maintained at least once every 12 months. This is to ensure that your emergency lighting systems and signage are clearly visible in all light conditions.
As you can imagine, keeping a strict testing and maintenance schedule to ensure your emergency lighting stays in good working order, is integral to maintaining compliance with Australian emergency lighting standards. This is why enlisting the assistance of specialised lighting technicians and building safety professionals is a non-negotiable for all modern Australian building managers and business owners.
Considering light classifications and lux intensity requirements for select settings is also crucial for maintaining regulatory compliance. Alongside this, building managers are required to develop at least two separate emergency evacuation routes for their building to be compliant. This is to ensure that traffic moves promptly and the building can be cleared with minimal disruption in the event of an emergency evacuation.
As leading providers of fire protection services in Melbourne, Alexon is designed to be your first point of call for both the assurance of emergency lighting standard compliance as well as any and all other concerns you may have about your building’s fire and emergency systems. With impeccable, transparent processes, thorough inspection reporting, and only the most experienced and knowledgeable fire safety technicians on our team, you can be rest assured to receive the results you seek with each and every scheduled emergency lighting inspection, as well as all other services we offer here at Alexon.
Contact the Alexon team today via our website or call at 1300 001 004 to book your next emergency lighting inspection.
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