 NFPA
NAFED
OSHA
UL
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Exit/Emergency
Lighting Regulations 
Did
you know that you are required by law to have and test regularly
exit
& emergency lighting systems? Do not take a chance with
such serious matters: avoid serious liabilities and fines by
having, maintaining and testing adequate exit and emergency
lighting systems in your building(s).
All
lighting systems that we design and install rigorously adhere
to the current lighting regulations and the best practices in
your area. As for testing, rely on our exclusive, patented methodology
of testing exit signs and emergency lighting systems - it is
more affordable than you think, and it is the law!
Following
are some lighting regulations on test and maintaining Exit &
Emergency lighting systems:
OSHA
Code of Federal Regulations
• Requires adequate and reliable illumination for all exits
• Requires proper maintenance to assure that exit lighting
is in continuously proper operating condition
NFPA
70 - National Electric Code
• Requires specific illumination and performance of emergency
and exit lights
• Provides functional standards for battery-powered emergency
and exit lighting
NFPA
101 - Life Safety Code
• Requires a monthly inspection of all emergency and exit
lighting systems
• Requires an annual test of all emergency and exit lighint
systems
International
Fire Code
• Requires proper illumination of means of egress
• Requires assurance that emergency and exit lighting systems
will provide illumination for at least 60 minutes
An annual test shall be conducted for a
1-1/2 hour duration. Equipment shall be fully
functional for the duration of the test.
A functional test shall be conducted on
every required emergency lighting system
at 30-day intervals for a minimum of
30-seconds.
SECTION
5-8 ILLUMINATION OF MEANS OF EGRESS
5-8.1 General.
5-8.1.1 Illumination of means of egress shall
be provided in accordance with section 7.8 for every building
and structure where required in Chapters 11 through 42. For
the purposes of this requirement, exit access shall include
only designated stairs, aisles, corridors, ramps, escalators,
and passageways leading to an exit.
5-8.1.2 Illumination of means of egress shall
be continuous during the time that the conditions of occupancy
require that the means of egress be available for use. Artificial
Lighting shall be employed at such places and for such periods
of time as required to maintain the illumination to the minimum
footcandle {Lux(lx)} values herein specified.
5-8.1.3*
The floors of means of egress shall be illuminated at all points
including angles and intersections of corridors and passageways,
stairways, landings of stairs, and exit doors to values of not
less than 1 footcandle (10 lx) measured at the floor. Exception:
In assembly occupancies, the illumination of the floors of exit
access shall be not less than 1/5 footcandle (2 lx) during periods
of performances or projections involving directed light.
5-8.1.4 Any required illumination shall be
so arranged that the failure of any single Lighting unit, such
as the burning out of an electric bulb, will not leave any area
in darkness.
SECTION 5-9 EMERGENCY Lighting
5-9.1 General.
5-9.1.1 Emergency Lighting facilities for means
of egress shall be provided in accordance with this section
for every building or structure where required in Chapters 8
through 30. For the purposes of this requirement, exit access
shall include only designated stairs, aisles, corridors, ramps,
escalators, and passageways leading to an exit.
5-9.1.2 Where maintenance of illumination depends
upon changing from one energy source to another, there shall
be no appreciable interruption of illumination during the changeover.
Where emergency Lighting is provided by a prime mover-operated
electric generator, a delay of not more than 10 seconds shall
be permitted.
5-9.2 Performance of System.
5-9.2.1* Emergency illumination shall be provided
for a period of 1 1/2 hours in the event of failure of normal
Lighting. Emergency Lighting facilities shall be arranged to
provide initial illumination that is no less than an average
of 1 footcandle (10 lx) and a minimum at any point of .1 footcandle
(1 lx) measured along the path of egress at floor level. Illumination
levels may decline to .6 footcandle (6 lx) average and a minimum
at any point of .06 footcandle (.6 lx) at the end of the emergency
Lighting time duration. A maximum to minimum illumination uniformity
ratio of 40 to 1 shall not be exceeded.
5-9.2.2* The emergency Lighting system shall
be so arranged as to provide the required illumination automatically
in the event of any interruption of normal Lighting, such as
any failure of public utility or other outside electrical power
supply, opening of a circuit breaker or fuse, or any manual
act(s), including accidental opening of a switch controlling
normal Lighting facilities.
5-9.2.3 Emergency generators used to provide
power to emergency Lighting systems shall be installed, tested,
and maintained in accordance with NFPA 110, Emergency and Standby
Power Systems.
5-9.2.4* Battery-operated emergency lights
shall use only reliable types of rechargeable batteries provided
with suitable facilities for maintaining them in properly charged
condition. Batteries used in such lights or units shall be approved
for their intended use and shall comply with NFPA 70, National
Electrical Code.®
5-9.2.5 The emergency Lighting system shall
be either continuously in operation or capable of repeated automatic
operation without manual intervention.
5-9.3 Testing and Maintenance.
SECTION 5-10 MARKING OF MEANS OF EGRESS
5-10.1 General.
5-10.1.1 Means of egress shall be marked in
accordance with this section where required in Chapters 8 through
30.
5-10.1.2* Exits shall be marked by an approved
sign readily visible from any direction of exit access.
Exception: Main exterior exit doors that obviously and clearly
are identifiable as exits.
5-10.1.3 Access to exits shall be marked by
approved readily visible signs in all cases where the exit or
way to reach it is not readily apparent to the occupants. Sign
placement shall be such that no point in the exit access is
more than 100 ft (30 m) from the nearest visible sign.
5-10.1.4* Where floor proximity exit signs
are specifically required by Chapters 8 through 30, exit signs
shall be placed near the floor level in addition to those signs
required for doors or corridors by 5-10.1.2 and 5-10.1.3. These
signs shall be sized and illuminated in accordance with the
requirements of 5-10.2 and 5-10.3. The bottom of the sign shall
be not less than 6 in. (15.2 cm) nor more than 8 in. (20.3 cm)
above the floor. For exit doors, the sign shall be mounted on
the door or adjacent to the door with the closest edge of the
sign within 4 in.(10.2cm) of the door frame.
5-10.1.5* Every sign required by Section 5-10
shall be so
located and of such size, distinctive color, and design as to
be readily visible and shall provide contrast with decorations,
interior finish, or other signs. No decorations, furnishings,
or equipment that impair visibility of an exit sign shall be
permitted, nor shall there be any brightly illuminated sign
(for other than exit purposes), display, or object in or near
the line of vision of the required exit sign of such a character
as to so detract attention from the exit sign.
5-10.1.6 Where floor proximity egress path
marking is specifically required by Chapters 8 through 30, a
listed and approved floor proximity egress path marking system
that is internally illuminated shall be installed within 8 in.
(20.3 cm) of the floor. The system shall provide a visible delineation
of the path of travel along the designated exit access and shall
be essentially continuous, except as interrupted by doorways,
hallways, corridors, or other such architectural features. The
system shall operate continuously or at any time the building
fire alarm system is activated. The activation, duration, and
continuity of operation of the system shall be in accordance
with 5-9.2.
5-10.2* Size of Signs.
5-10.2.1 Externally illuminated signs required
by 5-10.1 and 5-10.4.11 shall have the word “EXIT”
or other appropriate wording in plainly legible letters not
less than 6 in. (15.2 cm) high with the principal strokes of
letters not less than 3/4 in. (1.9 cm) wide. The word “EXIT”
shall have letters of a width not less than 2 in. (5 cm) except
the letter “I,” and the minimum spacing between
letters shall be not less than 3/8 in. (1 cm). Signs larger
than the minimum established in this paragraph shall have letter
widths, strokes, and spacing in proportion to their height.
5-10.2.2 Internally illuminated signs required
by 5-10.1 and 5-10.4.1.1 shall have the word “EXIT”
or other appropriate wording in letters legible from a distance
of at least 100 ft (30 m) under all normal and emergency Lighting
conditions (30 fc and 1 fc, respectively). Internally illuminated
signs shall be listed in accordance with UL 924.
.
5-10.3 Illumination of Signs.
5-10.3.1* Every sign required by 5-10.1.2 or
5-10.1.3 shall be suitably illuminated by a reliable light source.
Externally and internally illuminated signs shall be visible
in both the normal and emergency Lighting mode.
5-10.3.2* Externally illuminated signs shall
be illuminated by not less than 5 footcandles (54 lx) and shall
employ a contrast ratio of not less than 0.5.
5-10.4 Specific Requirements.
5-10.4.1 Directional Signs.
5-10.4.1.1* A sign complying with 5-10.2 reading
“EXIT” or a similar designation with a directional
indicator showing the direction of travel shall be placed in
every location where the direction of travel to reach the nearest
exit is not apparent. Directional signs shall be listed.
5-10.4.2* Special Signs. Any door, passage,
or stairway that is neither an exit nor a way of exit access
and that is so located or arranged that it is likely to be mistaken
for an exit shall be identified by a sign reading “NO
EXIT.” Such sign shall have the word “NO”
in letters 2 in. (5 cm) high with stroke width of 3/8 in. (1
cm) and the word EXIT in letters 1 in. (2.5 cm) high, with the
word EXIT below the word NO.
Exception: Approved existing signs.
Figure 5-10.4.1.2
SECTION
31-1 OPERATING FEATURES, GEN. REQUIREMENTS
31-1.3.7 Periodic Testing of Emergency Lighting
Equipment. A functional test shall be conducted on every required
emergency Lighting system at 30-day intervals for a minimum
of 30 seconds. An annual test shall be conducted for the 1 1/2
hour duration of the test. Written records of visual inspections
and tests shall be kept by the owner for inspection by the authority
having jurisdiction.
Exception: Self-testing/self-diagnostic, battery-operated emergency
Lighting equipment that automatically performs a minimum 30-second
test and diagnostic routine at least once every 30 days and
indicates failures by a status indicator shall be exempt from
the 30-day functional test, provided a visual inspection is
performed at 30-day intervals.
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NFPA
1997 5-9.3
Fire Protection Products