Emergency lights can be hard to understand. The following guide will help you decide which type is best for your needs!
What Exactly is Emergency Lighting Used For?
Emergency lighting is often used in place of traditional lighting in an emergency. This could be a power outage, fire, or another emergency. Emergency lighting can help you see and exit a building safely.
Emergency lighting is vital for buildings, and everyone should understand why. It’s a system of fixtures that is used to help people evacuate a building safely in case of an emergency.
What Are the Different Types of Emergency Lights?
Exit Signs and Egress Pathways
You know how disorienting it can be if you’ve ever been in a smoky room or a dark hallway. Exit signs and egress pathways are there to help guide you to safety in an emergency.
Pathway lighting is another type of emergency lighting that helps guide people to safety. These are typically used in conjunction with exit signs and are placed along evacuation routes
Different types of exit signs are available to choose from, each with its unique benefits. They are usually recognized by their red or green lettering of the word EXIT or illustrations pointing towards a safe escape. Some common types include:
- Thermoplastic
- Self-Luminous
- Photoluminescent
- Edge-Lit
Egress Pathways are floor-mounted lighting that glows in the dark to offer an escape route for people during a power outage. Ceiling lights are made of small LED bulbs, which is a good way to reduce the likelihood that people will get lost in the building. These are mostly seen on airplanes and in movie theaters.
Also, there are Common emergency lighting such as battery backup lights and generator lights. Battery backup lights are powered by batteries, while generator lights are powered by a generator.
Temporary or Standby Lighting
Temporary or Standby Lighting Temporary or standby lighting is used as a backup in case of an emergency.
This type of lighting is typically less expensive and less flashy than other types of emergency lighting.
Common types of temporary or standby lighting include:
Floodlights, Portable Lights, Battery-Operated Lights
Type of Standby Lighting:
1. Thermoplastic – These emergency lights are a combination of reliable and affordable, starting at less than $20 per unit. However, these Thermoplastic lights are only meant for indoor use.
2. Steel – With a variety of voltage and wattage capacities, these emergency lights are perfect for any number of applications, including warehouses, industrial buildings, and institutes. Steel models are especially popular due to their durability. All models are remotely capable, with different lamp head wattages available.
3. Wet Location – Emergency lights are completely waterproof and can be utilized in locations where moisture or water is present. Internal heaters are used in wet location emergency lights that operate in freezing conditions to guarantee the equipment functions correctly.
4. Architectural -Emergency lights are built to provide essential emergency illumination and to look good while doing so. Architectural emergency lights complement high-end interiors, with some having recessed housing designs. Customizable finishes are available on most models.
5. Hazardous Location – These emergency lights are perfect for places with flammable and ignitable gas or vapors, as they conform to Class 1 Division 2 and Class 1 Division 1 standards.
importance of Emergency Lights
Finding your way out of the dark is hard enough, but in an emergency situation, it can be next to impossible.
Adding some emergency lighting to your home can help you see and exit the building safely in case of an emergency. There are a variety of different types of emergency lighting available, each with its own unique benefits. Some common types of emergency lighting include exit signs, egress pathways, pathway lighting, and temporary or standby lighting.
Emergency lighting is important for buildings because it helps guide people to safety in case of an emergency. It is critical that everyone understands the importance of emergency lighting and takes the time to install the necessary fixtures.
Emergency lighting is required by the NEC and OSHA regulations to give illumination in the event of a power outage or emergency. These lights are required in the following situations:
- Office buildings
- Theatres & churches
- Retail outlets
- Warehouses
- Government offices
What are these Emergency Lights?
The batteries in the emergency lights are permanently connected to the building’s electric grid, and they are powered by a single battery. They consume energy from the grid to keep their batteries fully charged. When there is a power outage, the light automatically switches on, offering enough illumination for individuals to depart safely.
Requirements For These Lights Have to Fulfill?
There are a number of specific criteria that emergency lights must fulfill:
- They must be turned on automatically as soon as the electricity goes out.
- They must remain on for a minimum of 90 minutes
- The light provided should be bright enough to see the entire egress route, and it should be measured 1 foot above the floor.
The calculations for ensuring adequate light throughout the egress route may be difficult, therefore planning an exit light system for a specific facility should be handled by architects and electrical engineers.