As technology begins to change the very basis of a sign into a fluid message, the very nature of an exit signs may be changing. Recent patents, for example patent application 20070203840, are creating the notion of a ‘community’ sign.
The technology being proposed integrates planned retail messages into display signs, through an “open content” network. […]
Emergency lighting, as the best technicians know, blends with standard egress lighting to create a comprehensive lighting system. Specific codes address these common purposes, as well. Take for example the National Fire Protection Association’s Life Safety Code (NFPA), found at section 101.
The code requires the installation and maintenance of emergency lighting under section 5-8, […]
The use of emergency light fixtures will always be a balance of competing functions. Specifically, can the appearance of the fixture support the occasional emergency capacity, reliably? I’m always looking for the two sides of this equation: a new invention, and the occasional breakdown in fixture reliability (especially if they result in recalls).That’s why the […]
Exit signage must meet at least the minimum standards for use, found (as one prominent example) in the National Fire Protection Association’s Life Safety Code (NFPA). This section also develops rules for the installation of exit signs (section 5-1, “Marking of Means of Egress”). As history has shown, the rules are always changing. It’s as […]
Emergency lighting under all applicable code requirements must be tested. Furthermore, these tests must have results committed to writing. In some occasions, however, there has been logistical confusion over when the writing may not be required.
This apparent inconsistency is explained by the instance when self-testing emergency lighting systems are being employed. It is still generally […]
One increased area of interest in emergency light fixtures comes from the integration of self-diagnostics into the fixture. While no one is (yet) making claims of robotic fixtures and self-repairing units, there are significant advantages in new, more elaborate fixtures. These programs are especially important to meet increasingly strict requirements for 30-day and annual diagnostics […]
Exit signs can be interesting plot devices, in the theater of life. On a freeway, there are generally eight shapes and sizes and exit signs. And exit signs are generally always going to be on the right-hand side of the designed exit, whether in a building or alongside a road. These rules suggest the certain […]
To the uninitiated, the range of code requirements for emergency lighting can be staggering. Three major code requirements are the Life Safety Code, the NFPA, and the National Electric Code. One of the major codes address the required need for a monthly check-up (the Life Safety Code).
Two of the codes also require annual inspection (NFPA […]
One practical reason for regular inspections of emergency lighting fixtures has to do with the nature of emergencies. They are sporadic events, and when requisite emergency fixtures are ‘deployed,’ then the chance of finding failures can be catastrophic. The old axiom, ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ comes into play. Then, it may be too […]
One current interest is the best, or varied, placement of exit signs. Very often, the placement of exit signs is calculated to be use before an emergency…to help people plan ahead. There’s no reason to suspect that the use of exit signs above eye level have not been helpful. The emerging issue, however, addresses the […]
