The life-saving importance of exit and emergency lighting

Emergency situations can occur at any time in a building, which is why it`s important that all occupants know exactly how to head to the nearest emergency exit. By installing exit and emergency lighting, you will be demonstrating to your staff, customers and Other visitors that your business prioritises safety and compliance with modern building codes.

Why is exit and emergency lighting important?

Fires, medical crisis, threat situations and disasters – there are a wide range of emergencies that can occur in enclosed spaces. These situations happen without a warning and can be very distressing for all involved; however, with a clearly defined path of egress you can ensure a safe and orderly evacuation. Even if there is a power outage, emergency lighting will remain on and clearly highlight where building occupants need to go.

We`ve all seen emergency lighting before with the iconic `running man` pictogram and green background lit up in everyday places such as shopping centres, cinemas and train stations. Emergency Lights can be affixed to the wall or ceiling, and they come in a range of different designs.

The different types of emergency lighting

Checkpoint Group`s range of emergency lighting includes:

Exit Lights

Available in a wide range of sizes and options such as weatherproof, recessed blade and various mounting styles, these lights are supplied with three UV related decals (standard Running Man, Running Man with left arrow, Running Man with right arrow).

Emergency Downlights

Available in Black and White options.

Emergency Light Battens

Ideal for use in areas such as fire stairs and car parks to increase light and visibility.

How do emergency lights work?

Emergency lights are designed to be energy efficient and long lasting, with most offering up to 50,000 hours of LED light runtime. They are connected to your building power supply; however, in the event of an emergency and subsequent loss of power, they are powered by the inbuilt lithium battery, which provides up to 3 hours of runtime.

Emergency lights should be tested every 6 months by a qualified professional to ensure that the battery retains a healthy level of charge. Australian Standards AS 2293 requires that all Exit Signage and emergency lighting remain illuminated for a minimum of 90 minutes.

Where should emergency lights be installed?

Emergency lighting is most commonly seen in large event spaces, public transport hubs, warehouses, shopping centres, offices, hotels and multi-storeyed apartments in addition to stairs and hallways of buildings. If there are no available exits within the immediate vicinity, you should install a directional Emergency Exit Light with an arrow pointing towards the nearest exit.