Category Archives: Codes & Laws

The Exit Light Company Blog | Codes & Laws

A Brief History of the EXIT Sign

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They are everywhere! “EXIT Signs” are so ubiquitous that most people rarely ever pay attention to them. Even so, all public buildings (restaurants, offices, and even large residential buildings like hotels or multi-unit condos) are required to have emergency lighting and exit signage to clearly illuminate egress locations and provide well-lit, easy to follow direction to them. In the event of an emergency, when every second counts, they provide a potentially life-saving path to quickly get out of the building.

Yet these signs did not exist a little over 100 years ago. It took a deadly industrial accident, one of the worst in American history, to bring about the changes to code and regulations resulting in the EXIT sign.

On March 25, 1911 a fire burst out in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory, located on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the Asch building in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. This event would go down in history as one of the deadliest fires ever, with 146 garment workers losing their lives. 

Many of those who died fell or leapt to their deaths, being unable to get out of the burning areas of the building. It turned out that the stairwell doors had been padlocked, a common practice of the times, to discourage employees from stealing product or leaving early.

The resulting media coverage and public outcry led to the establishment of new fire safety regulations including new standards regarding building egress.

Following the recommendations of the state commission, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) ratified codes for the first Exit signs. The NFPA had been founded in 1895 by a coalition of Insurance companies. Their purpose was to establish a standardized set of guidelines to help reduce and hopefully eliminate death, injury and economic loss caused by fire. The NFPA guidelines and codes were codified into the basic building codes and standards used throughout the US today. Similar regulations are also used throughout the world.

The Exit Light Company has compiled some useful history and data behind the various codes and regulations. [ https://www.exitlightco.com/Fire-Codes-Regulations.html ]

So the next time you are in a public building, take a minute to look around and make note of the exit signs. Remember, they are there for your safety.

Battle of the Power Free Exit Signs: Tritium vs. Photoluminescent

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Which Power-Free Exit Sign is Right for You?

Picture the scene… a centuries old brick building receives the designation as a protected historical site. The owners want to open a museum on the premises and begin the daunting task of bringing it up to code for public use. The fire marshal says all that’s left is the matter of egress lighting…

What to do? An exit sign is required to be mounted on that beautiful brick wall but there is no electricity at that location.

Many find themselves in this predicament, whether it’s a historical site or not. Do you really want to shell out upwards of $1000 to have an electrician run power to a location that doesn’t have it? There must be a better way right?

Enter the Power-Free Exit Sign options

Tritium Exit Signs

In the blue corner we have the self-luminous tritium exit sign. These signs are lit by tritium gas, which is contained within hermetically sealed, phosphor-lined glass tubes. Electrons emitted by the gas bombard the phosphor causing it to produce illumination. This all happens without the need for any outside power or intervention. It’s the same technology used in watch hands and firearm optics. Click here to see our full line of tritium exit signs.

Tritium Pros:

  • Set and forget – truly self-contained and maintenance free
  • Easy installation – no electrician needed
  • Code compliant – meets UL924 and NFPA 101 life safety standards

Tritium Cons:

  • High cost – starting in the upper $200’s, there is a high entry cost
  • Disposal – the costs don’t stop at the purchase price. Once the lifespan has expired, there is a high cost for disposal as well
  • Paperwork – due to their nature, these need to be registered with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Photoluminescent Exit Signs

In the red corner we have the photoluminescent exit sign. Made with photoluminescent pigments, these signs can absorb and store energy from ambient light. In the case of sudden darkness, such as a power outage, the photoluminescent material is immediately visible. Think ‘glow-in-the-dark’ toys from childhood, only much better quality. Click here to see our full line of UL listed photoluminescent exit signs.

Photoluminescent Pros:

  • Set and forget – maintenance free. No need for batteries, bulbs or even testing
  • Easy installation – no electrician needed
  • Code compliant – meets UL924 and NFPA 101 life safety standards
  • Low cost – UL Listed exit signs starting in the $40 range, so these offer the most value when installation costs are factored in

Photoluminescent Cons:

  • Light charging – 54 lux light requirement at installation location needed to maintain the “charge” of the photoluminescent pigment (light can be from manmade or natural sources), so these are not suitable for dark locations

And the Winner is…

In our opinion, the low cost and ease of installation make photoluminescent exit signs the clear winner. The one caveat is the light requirement needed to keep the photoluminescent material functioning correctly. There is a place for tritium where this light is not available, but the high initial cost as well as price of disposal make it a harder pill to swallow. If you have any questions, please contact our award winning customer service team at 877-352-3948.

Emergency Lighting and UL 924 – What do you need to know?

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Understanding the UL 924 standards

While shopping for emergency lighting fixtures or exit signs, you have probably seen that many products come with a label or description that says “UL 924 listed”. In this post, we’re going to briefly discuss what UL 924 means, what the UL 924 requirements are, and why Emergency Exit Signs and Lights with this certification are encouraged. 

What does UL 924 mean?

The Underwriters Laboratory (UL) is an independent testing organization established in 1894 that provides testing and safety certifications for all types of products, components and materials. UL 924 is the Underwriters Laboratory “Standard for Safety of Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment.”

When you see “UL 924 Listed” or “UL Listed”, this means that a product and all of its components have been tested and reviewed by the Underwriters Laboratory, and has been certified to meet or exceed specific safety, electrical and fire hazard codes required for all commercial properties in the United States.*

Continue reading “Emergency Lighting and UL 924 – What do you need to know?” »

CEC and Title 20 – New Regulations for Emergency Lighting

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Newer Lighting Regulations have come to California under Title 20.  What is Title 20?  Who Created it? Keep reading to find the answer.

What is the CEC? The CEC (California Energy Commission) is the state of California’s primary energy policy and planning agency. It is focused on reducing energy costs and the environmental impacts of energy use—such as greenhouse gas emissions— while ensuring a safe, resilient, and reliable supply of energy. While the CEC has regulatory authority for most products sold or offered for sale in the state of California, its policies impact products produced for other regions as well.

What is Title 20? Title 20 is a part of the CEC’s Appliance Efficiency Regulations, from the California Code of Regulations.  The California Energy Commission adopted new standards updating the 2015 Appliance Efficiency Regulations (Title 20) for lighting appliances. The first updates to this set of Regulations was released in January 2018 and Tier 2 will be effective July 1, 2019. Continue reading “CEC and Title 20 – New Regulations for Emergency Lighting” »

About Certification Marks

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You see them on every piece of electronics you buy — whether for personal use, business, or work. But what does that stamped UL, ETL, or CSA indicate? These are Certification Marks, and they provide assurance that you can rely on a standard of safety and performance from the products. All products sold in the United States must pass through a battery of tests performed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) to prove that the product meets or exceeds national safety standards. Products that pass this inspection and testing process carry the Certification Mark for the laboratory that provided the testing (UL for Underwriter’s Laboratories, ETL for Intertek Testing Services, and CSA for Canadian Standards Association). It doesn’t matter which mark the product carries, as long as it is from one of the organizations that are recognized by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

 

You can be assured that all products which carry an OSHA recognized NRTL mark will comply with the various safety codes (buidling codes, electrical safety codes, municipal codes and fire codes), has been thoroughly tested by third party laboratories to strict specifications, and complies with all current standards.

 

All emergency lighting and exit signs sold by The Exit Light Company carry Certification Marks. Please see our FAQs to learn more about Certification Marks and NRTLs.

Tragic “Ghost Ship” Oakland Warehouse Fire Shows Need for Stronger Life Safety Code Violation Enforcement

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Another tragic fire at a large public gathering reminds us that life/fire safety issues can not be mitigated by laws alone. A horrific fire at the Oakland warehouse known as the “Ghost Ship” has led to the deaths of at least 36 people. The warehouse was used as a residence and art studio for many of the victims as well as a party venue. The building was zoned and coded ONLY for commercial use. In fact, there was a history of code violations. There are laws regarding zoning and life safety that were knowingly violated by the tenants at the Oakland warehouse. Life safety rules are designed to keep the public safe. Rules like keeping egress paths cleared, illuminated, and marked are basic life safety codes in modern society. Strict enforcement at the “Ghost Ship” may have led to fewer deaths or even prevented the tragedy. Complaints were lodged about the warehouse, but the wheels of bureaucracy turned slowly. Now, the District Attorney’s Office has launched a criminal investigation into the incident.

 

Our blog posting of February 4, 2013 “Surviving a Nightclub Fire” offers some advice about how to 1) avoid or 2) increase chances of surviving such an event. It also offers guidance for building owners/managers.

Historical Influences on Emergency Requirements

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Tragedies such as the Bangladesh Clothing Factory Fire earlier this week highlight the need for emergency preparedness, including proper exit signage and emergency egress lighting. Unfortunately, a number of similar tragedies have shaped the laws and requirements throughout the United States:

 

 
  • On February 2, 1860 the six-story Elm Street Tenement in New York City caught fire killing 20. This fire along with a similar earlier fire led to a state law, the first in the nation, requiring fire escapes on all buildings over 6 stories, and multiple exits in new buildings.
  • On January 13, 1908, fire during a stage play at the Rhoads Opera House in Boyertown, Pennsylvania killed 171, one-tenth of the town’s population. As a result of the disaster, Pennsylvania’s first fire law was enacted in 1909.
  • On March 29, 1953, the Littlefield’s Nursing Home Fire in Largo, Florida claimed 33 lives. The fire shocked the community and led to statewide nursing home reforms.
  

Read about other historical events that shaped fire code requirements in your own state (as well as current code requirements) using our Fire Code Map.