How to Keep Your Building Up to Code?

Emergency Lights and Exit Signs

Regulatory agencies such as the OSHA and NFPA dictate rules for your building to be a safe place to its occupants and visitors. Part of the elements that are required for your facilities to be up to code is emergency lighting & exit signs. All commercial, industrial and architectural environments should install them in specific places to illuminate and identify areas that will aid people to find a way out of the building. From churches, medical centers, offices, to prisons, schools, and shopping centers, the paths of egress must be properly illuminated by emergency signs and pathway lights.

Emergency Lights

Also known as egress lighting, these lights can be lit by using LED or incandescent technology. Use them to illuminate and identify hallways, stairwells, and exits to facilitate a safe and orderly evacuation from a building or facility.

Exit Signs

This type of sign can illuminate different portions of a building, but they all have the same purpose, provide guidance to evacuate a building during a power outage. They must be illuminated always, even when the building is not occupied.

Exit Access

This highlights an exit route that leads to an exit.

Exit

This section is usually separated from other areas and represents a protected way of travel to the exit discharge of a building.

Exit Discharge

This is the exit route that leads directly to public access or to a street, walkway, and open space with access to the outside, or a refuge area.

General Code Requirements

Many specific codes apply to your building exit signs and emergency lighting. Specific cities and areas have additional stipulations on the kinds of emergency lights used in buildings. Just make sure they comply with the below standards:

• All exit pathways are properly illuminated
• Appropriate exit pathway and exit signs are posted
• Lights and signs are kept in working order
• Monthly and annual inspections are conducted

Exit signs and emergency lighting are essential in contributing to the overall fire safety of a building.

Emergency Lights & Exit Signs Experts from GN Electric will help you stay compliant with codes in Baltimore. Call us at 410.893.5560 to speak with a professional electrician.