Emergency Exit Signs

Photoluminescent exit signs, a new technology, have altered the way people think about escape and safety products. What are photoluminescent signs? Such signs generally use several chemically treated layers concurrently to generate continuous light that will last for years at a time. The benefits of such an approach are diverse; the biggest is probably the financial savings.

Exit signs in public buildings show the way out, and are mandated by the existing fire regulations to tell people where they must go to get out of their workplaces in the event of an emergency. Most exit signs around the world use the pictogram variety, with or without the text supplement.

Specialists in the field of human behaviour have documented two observable facts that appear common in evacuation situations. First, occupants tend to exit a building by the route known to them, which may be the same route they used to enter the building. Second is the concept of “learned irrelevance” of exit signs, where people continually exposed to exit signage seldom consider the information it is intended to convey, i.e. the identification of alternative exits and exit access.

The most important thing about modern exit signs is that they all include a graphic symbol. Signs are required to bear a picture or symbol that clearly illustrates the sign under the United Kingdom Health and Safety Regulations 1996. Signs that do not include this symbol and simply have words on them are now no longer legal, and need to be updated.

Although modern exit signs are not required to have any words, we suggest you use suitable wording to help people understand what the sign means. The European Standard sign is preferred and more readily available, but you can also use the British Standard sign. It is now a requirement in many countries that all new commercial buildings include well-marked emergency exits.

Exit signs in the European Union, as in most regions in the world including Australia and New Zealand, Japan, Korea and China, are green, because they give directions where to go in case of an emergency. Both red and green exit signs are legal in the US, red being the emergency colour. However, red text can be mistaken for fire and vice versa, making red exit signs dangerous for use under smoke filled conditions.

To start with, place a sign over every ‘final exit’ door, such as the main entrance or a fire exit door. Also, place signs over every exit door in each main room in the building.
Other signs might be necessary to tell people that they need to change direction or move along a corridor. In listed and other similar buildings, it might not be possible to fit exit signs because they will affect the historic features of the building. It might be acceptable to use temporary signs for special events in these cases.

Signs may be propped over doors or fixed using small fixings that cannot be seen normally (such as small nails). In today’s world one of the hottest issues is how to move people in an urgent situation quickly and in safety to a secure refuge. Office buildings often have floor plans on display showing exit paths in red and regular hallways in black. Signs must not be too high and need to be plainly seen in the room.

Europe is now moving quickly in the direction of “voice evacuation,” which has been at the forefront of people movement in the USA for years. EC Directive 92/58 also states that it is a criminal offence to display any sign reading “fire exit” unless the design also carries a “Europictogram” of a running man. These differences in exit signs can lead to uncertainty and confusion between Britain and the European Union.

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