Exit Lighting has come a long way from the days where a metal sign was lit up using a nearby incandescent light.
In today’s world the modern Exit and Emergency Lighting uses LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology for exit signs and the 2- or 4-foot fluorescent (fluoro) Emergency Lights.
Commonly there are two main types of Exit Lights used in buildings, one that simply uses the word EXIT and the other which is referred to as the “Running Man” which depicts a person moving through an exit door.
New buildings must be compliant to the latest regulations and the ‘Running Man’ style Exit Light is now the normal format used in Australia and is the international standard.
An Exit and Emergency Light test facility is a regulatory requirement that must be installed as part of the lighting system. This is not only a requirement, but it also creates minimal interference on a customer’s day to day operations whilst the exit and Emergency Lights are being tested, as the person doing the testing does not have switch off the normal lighting to a building while carrying out the Exit and Emergency Light testing.
Exit and Emergency Lighting has advanced significantly from the days of a fluorescent light remaining on all the time to now having lights which switch on only when movement in the area is detected, this type of light saves on electricity in basements and fire stairs.
Architects have moved away from the traditional 2- or 4-foot-long fluorescent style of light to a round fluorescent or LED type that is quite commonly found in home kitchens.
The easiest way to tell the lights apart is by the presence of a LED indicator, showing the battery is on charge and a test button that are normally located on one side of the light.
Maintained and Non-maintained Emergency Lighting
Maintained Emergency or Exit Lighting means that the light is always on, both with the 240-volt power and when on battery backup during a power failure.
Non-maintained Emergency or Exit Light means that the light only comes on when the 240-volt power is interrupted, and the light is operating on battery backup only.
This system is more economical on power usage.
Standard Exit Sign with 10 watt style Fluoro bulb
Standard Running Man Style Exit Sign
