Ben Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 simple question I hope: what colour can fire exit signs be? I know the norm is green and have been told that we are ok to blue some of our stage ones in the past by the HSE when they come round, but have been asked if we can make them other colours for a coming show? also where does it say (if anywhere) anything about colours for them? Thanks in advance Ben Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted April 30, 2004 Share Posted April 30, 2004 Escape route signs are covered by BS 5499-4. They are green with white symbols and text. The provision of signs is covered by building regulations. AFAIK it is not permitted to use any other colous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew C Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 I believe the new versions will have no text at all, just a "universally understood" pictogram. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulears Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 there was some guidance a few years ago on the exact colour green allowed on the old ABTT site - I've not checked to see if it is still there. My understanding is that only green is acceptable as it is the euro signal for 'go' - this and the direction make it understandable - a blue sign wouldn't seem to be in the spec at all. My own battle is iwth maintained or not maintained. I want them out for the performance with auto on when the alarm activates ore main power fails, not on all the time. Anyone else had info on this one? H+S manager (ex-fire officer) says ok - new fire officer says no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robloxley Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 As far as I was aware you are allowed to have text (Exit or Fire Exit) in addition to the running-man pictogram - i.e. the BS new-stlye signs or the EU new-style signs but not a mixture. Text-only signs should have been replaced in 1998! As for brightness, I know places that have put neutral density gel in the exit signs to reduce glare - not sure if there's a BS-required surface brightness? - while still allowing perfect ease of reading the sign in the dark and from a distance. In general, your exit signs are illumated so people can read them, not to provide emergency illumination of your auditorium (NB some over-door ones do have light shining out of the bottom to illuminate the doorway). I'd be against turning them off during shows as I believe people do sit there and subconsciously pick up where the exits are (often not the same door they entered by) and then if there is an emergency, people have an idea of where the exits are.Any system to turn them off and on automatically would have to be pretty failsafe - what if the fire alarm failed to go off? or you are evacuating because of a bomb scare? - how would you then indicate which way to go? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomLyall Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 have you tried also having them on as the audience are entering, during the interval, and as they are leaving. This way the audience should know of their presence as they enter... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ike Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 If there was a really critical bit of the performance you wanted them off for you could always use a dead mans (persons?) handle opperated by one of the FOH staff. EDIT: Just tried to look at the ABTT info and can't as it doesn't seem to think I am loged in when I am. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmonk Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 They tried that on a show we did a while ago, the director wanted them out for a certain part of the scene, we fought to keep them on, the reasoning because you notice more that they have been turned off half way through a performance, and then back on after that moment, they had 3moments in this show, and you could just guess by the exit lights going out that something was going to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ike Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 The best bet is probably just go with Toms idea. How do cinemas get away with dimmer ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 How do cinemas get away with dimmer ones?BS5499 call for the white part of the graphic to be illuminated in the range of 2 cd/sq m to 80 cd/sq m. 2 cd/sq m is actually quite dim. The problem is that many places use standard fitting that are...a) illuminated to the top end of this rangeb) also designed to illuminate the door below. The illumination of the doorway is a secondary function of the exit sign. You can seperate these functions if required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomLyall Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 brain, presumably the seperate door light would only have to be on in a power failure or alarm state, correct? otherwise this would defeat the object of seperating them, would it not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted May 1, 2004 Share Posted May 1, 2004 There are two functions here... 'Escape Route Signs' and'Emergency Lighting' The emergency lighting should function in the same way as all your emergency lighting. There is some more information here...Hants Fire Service Also, in the 'Technical Standards for Places of Entertainment' there is talk of using signs which dim during a performance but which automatically restore to a normal level in the event of fire or mains failure. In theory this document should be used by all local councils; it was produced jointly by the ABTT and the District Surveyors Association. Everyone seriously involved in running a venue should own a copy, there is a whole load of useful info in there. I'd strongly advise anyone thinking of altering their signs in any way to talk to their local licencing people first. Armed with a copy of the 'Technical Standards' you ought to be able to work out a satisfactory solution to most problems. Oh, and in answer to the original question, the answer is still 'Green'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted May 2, 2004 Share Posted May 2, 2004 Interestingly Edinburgh council let us use Black signs with white cut-outs, we then have green gel inside meaning that you just have green symbols. We use the EU symbol and the word 'EXIT' and had the signs made up specially by a manufacturer, they weren't cheap but they do look a lot nicer than the green ones which are standard, and since we had to replace the old hand-made wooded cut-outs we would have had to spend money anyways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StuRobson Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 There is some more information here...Hants Fire Service I think every county counci lhas got it's own policy on this <- but all linked to the Health & Safety at Work Regs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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