Exit signs

[Dave22]

Just a quick question

 

We have emergency lighting in the office in the form of 5ft flourescents.

 

So my question is do the exit signs have to be illuminated, or can they be the glow in the dark style.

 

Is it our landlords responsability to provide them or ours.

 

Thanks

 

Dave

[Ynot]

I would say that your local fire officer should be able to advise on what is required, but I suspect that it won't be glow in the dark signs. For those to be effective they need to have been in the light for some time to 'charge' up.

 

As for responsibility I'd say it depends on your landlord, and the terms of your lease...

[Roderick]

For our Australian readers, the answers would be:

- It has to be an illuminated sign, with battery back-up, in accordance with AS2293.

- In a commercial building, they are seen as part of the 'fabric' of the building and as such the installation and maintenance of these signs would fall to the landlord.

[adam2]

In the UK exit signs must be lit so as to be clearly seen if the power fails.

This normaly requires the internaly illuminated style, containing backup batteries, or connected to a central battery system.

 

In some circumstances non illuminated signs may be acceptable if the surrounding area is well lit (even in a power failure)

 

The glowing signs come in two types, those that must be charged up by expousure to bright light, and those containing tritium gas, which glow for decades without any type of charging or renewal.

Neither type will be acceptable on theire own, in most cases.

Your fire officer may be able to advise.