Emergency Lighting & Exit Signs Explained

Green EXIT signs and white light fittings are common in building staircases, shopping centre corridors and car parks, but it is easy to confuse emergency lighting with exit signs. During a fire or power cut, they perform different jobs: one provides illumination, while the other shows the way out. Prepared by Fire Station, Hong Kong fire safety equipment suppliers, using the FSD's Code of Practice for Minimum Fire Service Installations and Equipment and related documents, this guide explains their definitions, operation, requirements, positioning, testing and product selection.

Contents

1. Official definition: Emergency lighting systems and export signs
2. List of functions
3. Operating principles: Why is the power outage automatic?
4. Main requirements of the Fire Department and the Buildings Department.
5. I'm gonna use fire stairs, hallways, parking lots, malls.
6. Where should I put it?
7. How do you choose common styles?
8. Maintenance and testing: daily, monthly, annual
9. The most common seven issues
10. How does emergency lighting work with fire extinguishers?
11. You want to upgrade a building or write a building?
12. Common problems FAQ

I. Official definition: emergency lighting systems and export signs

Both are clearly defined in the Fire Services Department Code of Minimum Fire Devices and Equipment:

• Emergency Lighting System (Emergency Lighting): Man-made lighting systems installed in buildings to facilitate adequate lighting in emergency situations and to direct export routes.
• Export sign (Exit Sign): A fixed luminous sign instructing approval of route.

In other words, emergency lighting is a "system" that covers the entire building and all access routes to the ground; the export sign system is dedicated to the "guidelines" section, and the code requires separate requirements for its font, colour and height.

II. LIST OF FUNCTIONS

Item	Emergency lights (emergency lights)	A way-out light (EXIT)
Main functions	Lighting of passages, stairs and exits during power outages makes the road visible as a barrier.	Instructions for recently approved exits and escape directions
Normal Status	It's usually not bright (non-continuous) and batteries are charged.	It's always bright. It's always visible.
When the power's out,	Automatically switch internal battery lights	Auto-diversion of built-in batteries continues to be lit.
Appearance	White or transparent lamps, single head, double head or long box	"EXIT/Export" for green or green white comparisons, with arrows
Organisation	Corridors, stairs, passages, smallpox or wall heights, distributed by distance	Ahead of the exit doorway; corner and fork in the road signs
Specification requirements	BS 5266-1 with BS EN 1838; licensed premises renewed at least 2 hours	Paragraph 5.10 of the Code: not less than 125 mm in fonts, 2 to 2.5 m
It's all over now.	I can see the direction but I can't see the steps. I can fall.	There's light, but I don't know which way to go. It's easy to get lost on a complex floor.

Brief: Emergency lighting = lighting; out-of-the-way light = lead. Both appear together for a lot of time, but the function cannot be replaced by one another.

Operating principles: Why is the power outage automatic?

1. Batteries with chargers

Both lamps are equipped with chargeable batteries , which are normally charged by municipal circuit s, automatic trickle-down chargers , which keep the batteries fully charged. The Fire Services Department requires the use of a strong charger battery, which may not be used for any type of dry battery . The holding facility also requires chargers to have 220 volts input, a light, and to be able to recharge the battery with 100% rated capacity within 12 hours.

2. Automatically switch

When the normal lighting or power supply is interrupted, the switchway inside the lamp detects that there is no power, and immediately switch to battery power. The code requires this switch not to be disturbed by a light system switch or other control device, i.e., when an emergency light is just like a power outage, even if someone has a corridor light.

3. Time of renewal

The Fire Services Department provides for the maintenance of a minimum of 2 hours (scheduled time) of lighting for the independent emergency lighting system of the licensed/registered office . A theatre, theatre or premises with a capacity of more than 500 people, where emergency lighting is provided by a dedicated uninterrupted power supply system or a central battery system, and maintain it for not less than 2 hours (or as specified in the circular).

4. Continuing and non-continuing

• Continuing (Maintained): It's always on, and it's still on when the power is out. The exit light is mostly this.
• Non-cont inuing (non-maintainted): The power is not always on or off. Most of the emergency lighting in the corridors and stairs is this.

IV. MAIN REQUIREMENTS OF THE FIGHT Office AND HOUSING OFFICES

Source	Request for focus
Fire Services Department Code of Minimum Fire Protection Devices and Equipment	Emergency lighting systems shall conform to BS 5266-1 and BS EN 1838; Reserve emergency power (emergency generators or stand-alone batteries) is required; (b) Automatically open when electricity is interrupted; The whole building must be installed along with all access routes to the ground; The exit sign is not less than 125 millimeters, installed at heights of 2 to 2.5 metres, located directly above the exit door.
Fire Services Department circular 1/2006	Emergency lighting systems (except for export signs) shall conform to BS 5266-1 and BS EN 1838; they shall be charged with strong power and not use dry batteries; there shall be no uninterrupted power supply or centralized battery systems for theatres/theaters/sites of 500 or more persons
Fire Safety Provisions for the Independent Emergency Lighting System of the Fire Services Department ( licensed/registered office)	Maintenance of at least 2 hours for lighting; automatic pick-up chargers recharge 100% within 12 hours; automatic start-up when power breaks
The Buildings Department's Code of Practice for the Provision of Fire-Assessment Paths	Artificial lighting and backup emergency lighting are required for each part of the export route; the exit sign is an example of "EXIT/Export" in English, with a font height of not less than 175 mm, white or white/green.
Fire Safety (Buildings) Regulations (Chapter 572)	Building for combined use on or before 1 March 1987. Owner may be required to provide or improve emergency lighting in the public sector
Fire Protection (Equipping and Equipment) Regulations (Chapter 95B)	Equipment must remain operational at all times and be inspected by the registered contractor at least once every 12 months and issued within 14 days

The fire department code differs from the House Office code ' s requirement for the height of the exit sign (125 mm and 175 mm) and the construction of the new building is to be matched with the renovation work, so it would be preferable for the pre-installation confirmation to be made by the registered contractor or accredited person.

V. STEPS OF FREEDOM, THE BRANCH, THE ROCK, THE MARKET

Take the fire stairs.

• Stairwalls or smallpox have emergency lights, light steps when power goes out and avoid emptiness.
• There are exit lights at the corner of the stairwell or above the exit door, indicating direction to the ground or the safety layer, and some stairwells will use a “downward” arrow to warn against going up.

The signs are not bright enough, people can see the direction but cannot see the steps; the lights are not marked and the exit to which is not known on the complex floor.

Long corridor.

The exit light is placed at the end of the corridor, around the corner, off the road and above the fire gate.

Garage

The parking lot is usually dark and is more vulnerable to loss of direction following power cuts. Emergency lighting lights are used to provide basic lighting for each other's passages in the driveway, often in a double-headed format, which is much wider; The exit light is placed above the pedestrian exit, the entrance to the stairs and the door leading to the mall or lobby. The parking lot is equipped with fire extinguishers that can Fire Extinguishers for Car Parks & Industrial Buildings.

The mall and the big public space.

There are multiple store buildings, interlocking corridors, and dense traffic. Emergency lights ensure that there is still enough light when power is out; exit lights are used more often, with two-sided hanging s from smallpox in both directions.

Residential building

The old building is regulated by Chapter 572 and the French delegation may receive fire safety instructions for Home Fire Safety Essentials.

VI. Where should it be?

Principles for installation of emergency lighting

• The corridor, the stairs, the passageway, the smallpox near the entrance or the upper wall.
• The light should cover the same steps of the walking route and not be purified by smallpox or corners.
• The long corridor is installed in a distance segment to avoid the middle black slot.
• The electrical watch room, machine room, pump room, etc. should be available.
• The position of the shift in direction, the elevator lobby and the entrance to and exit from the fire stairs.

Principles for the installation of exit lights (in accordance with paragraph 5.10 of the Code)

• The exit sign is set directly above the exit doorway.
• Installation height: 2 to 2.5 metres above the floor, counted from the bottom of the sign.
• There is no sign directly above the exit, or the part of the building that is occupied is not visible, and a direction sign (Arrow) is required to ensure that all the exit routes on each level are clearly shown.
• They may not be covered by renovations, signs, signs or goods.
• Where this is not practicable, the Chief of Fire Services Department should be consulted.

You can go to the emergency lighting product page if you want to see the lamps with the actual installation Emergency Lighting & Exit Signs.

VII. How to choose between common formulas

Type	Characteristics	Fit to Location
Wall-mounted emergency lighting	Most common, single headlights hanging on the wall.	Corridor, stairwell platform, near the exit.
Two-headed emergency lights	Two headlights can be singled out, wide-covered.	Long corridor, stairwell corner, parking lot
LED Emergency lighting	Low electricity consumption, long life, and the same battery continues to be more stable.	All positions, especially those where long voyages are required.
Wall-mounted exit light	One side, wall above the exit door.	Fire stairwell doors, unit exits.
Labeling out of the way.	From smallpox, double-sided	Malls, open offices, high-rise floor space
Direction light (Arrow)	Left, right, top, bottom.	The corner of the corridor, the fork in the road, no exits.

Select to consider

• Con formity: The lamps must meet BS 5266-1 and BS EN 1838, and the export sign must meet the same colour as the code.
• Use environment: The parking lot is wet as dust and dust, and the lamps are protected.
• Extension: The holding of a licence will take at least two hours, and other locations will be advised by the fire-fighting chart or the contractor.
• Installation: wall-mounted, smallpox, hanging, embedding, along with building structures.
• Accompanying the fire-fighting chart with fire extinguishers, larynx, exit locations.
• Post-maintenance: Select a formula that can easily replace batteries with light sources.

VIII. Maintenance and testing: daily, monthly, annual

Such equipment does not normally "go out" and it is important to test regularly as soon as the power is out. Emergency lighting is a fire-fighting device and equipment, which, according to Article 8 of Chapter 95B, is inspected at least once every 12 months by a registered fire-fighting operator. The contractor is required to issue an FS251 certificate within 14 days. An independent emergency lighting system, with a monthly functional test and a yearly rated time discharge test , must be recorded in the record book.

Frequency	Which one?	Do something.
Daily building patrol.	Security/Management Service	Observation exit light is all on, in the right direction, unshielded; emergency light charge sign is normal
Monthly	Management Service	Short-term performance tests by testing buttons or power cuts to confirm the switch to battery lights; log results and bad lights position
Every 12 months	Registered fire-fighting contractors	Rating time discharge tests, charger inspections, light source checks, comprehensive checks, access to FS251
Post-engineering	Management Service + Contractor	Recheck sign positions and arrow directions after spacing, false smallpox or change of gate position

Focus on basic maintenance

• Lights should be kept clean on their surfaces and should not be covered by refurbished materials, signs or signs.
• Do not pile any groceries in the vicinity of the lamps, which hinders the sight.
• The lamps are twinkled, the light is significantly reduced and replaced as soon as possible.
• The lights are activated normally, but when the power is out, they go out fast, and most batteries are ageing and need to be replaced.
• No emergency light power has been installed for the electricity, otherwise the battery has not been charged for a long time.

A complete check item for the same building can be consultedOffice Fire Safety Checklist.

IX. The most common seven issues

1. Indices are covered: renovations, posters, goods or temporary works block EXIT cards.
2. The arrow pointed in the wrong direction: the rear door was changed and the arrow pointed at the sealed door.
3. Battery ageing: it's usually light, power out in a few minutes.
4. Used dry batteries: Not meeting the fire department's requirements.
5. Emergency light power has been cut: the battery has not been charged for the turn-off.
6. Only signs have no lighting: they see direction but do not see steps.
7. Yearly inspection is not documented: it was done without documentation and it was not clear when checked.

X. How does emergency lighting work with fire extinguishers?

The complete fire safety requires three things to operate simultaneously: alert s, knowing there's a fire, lighting and instructions, walking away, fire suppression equipment that allows the initial fire alarm to be handled. Emergency lights are the second type with the exit light, Fire Extinguishers & Fire Safety Productsers are the third.

• Fire extinguishers should be placed on escape routes, with lighting and instructions, and could be evacuated immediately if they were securely available.
• Near the fire stairwell and the fire extinguisher in the corridor, you can put Fire Extinguishers & Fire Safety Productser along with the exit light.
• Annual inspections can arrange for emergency lights, exit lights and fire extinguishers to return to separate hours for several fire-fighting equipment companies.

Other common fire equipment in the building, such as larynx, fire alarms, smoke detectors, can be found Common Fire Safety Equipment in Hong Kong Buildings.

xi. Trying to upgrade a building or write a building? Start at this point.

If you are a member of the property management company, the owner ' s filing committee, the head of the office or the factory building, you want to examine the adequacy of the existing emergency lights and the exit light, you can start with the following steps:

1. Patrol: once in the corridor, the stairs, the parking lot, to record the bad lights, and to block the wrong position in the same direction.
2. Statistics: The initial number requires the same number of lamps to be replaced or added.
3. Prepare a plan: There is a floor plan or a broad layout, which is much faster to communicate.
4. Finding a contractor to assess: A registered fire operator is recommended by the code in the same number and location.
5. Installations and certificates: FS251 is obtained upon completion and the annual inspection dates are set for each year at a later date.

Fire StationIt's in the Bay of Wing.Fire-fighting equipment supplierThe sameSpecialized fire storesSupply of emergency lights, exit lightsFire department approved fire extinguishers.You can read it first.Emergency Lighting & Exit SignsThe sameCustomer Fire Safety Case StudiesUse it again.WhatsApp 96309976Call.3464 3987Or go.Contact Fire StationLeave information on the low building.

XII. Common issues FAQ

What's the difference between emergency lights and exit lights?

The Fire Services Department Code defines an emergency lighting system as an artificial lighting system that provides sufficient lighting in an emergency and directs the exit route. An export sign is a fixed light sign that directs approval of the route.

How do emergency lights work?

Emergency lighting lamps are equipped with chargeable batteries, which are charged at normal times by the municipal electric automatic trickle-down chargers; When normal power is interrupted, it is automatically converted to battery power, free from lighting switches or other control devices. The independent emergency lighting system of the licensed place is to maintain at least 2 hours of lighting, and the charger is required to recharge 100% of the battery within 12 hours.

How many words do you need for the exit light? How many heights do you have?

According to the Code of Minimum Fire Protection Devices and Equipment, the export sign shall have the Chinese and English characters with a font height of not less than 125 mm, Installed on the floor from 2 to 2.5 metres (from the bottom of the sign) and located directly above the exit doorway. The Buildings Department ' s Code for the Provision of Roads to Fire Surge requires that the exit sign be of a height of not less than 175 mm.

What are the criteria for the emergency lights and the exit light?

The Fire Services Department requires emergency lighting systems to meet British standards BS 5266-1 and BS EN 1838.

How long is the emergency light going to be tested?

Emergency lighting, which is a fire-fighting device and equipment, is checked at least once every 12 months by a registered fire-fighting operator and obtains a FS251 certificate.

The exit light can clean up an EXIT card without a arrow?

The exit sign is to be placed directly above the exit door; if there is no sign directly above the exit, or if the part of the premises that is usually occupied cannot be clearly seen, the direction sign (the arrow) is to be set up to ensure that all the exit routes on each level are clearly visible.

Do you need an emergency light in the hallway of a residential building?

There is an emergency lighting in the public corridor, stairs and lobby of a residential building. Chapter 572 further indicates that the owner of an old-style residential complex may have to provide or improve emergency lighting in the public sector.

Where can I get an emergency light and a exit light?

Fire Station at G/F, Karrie Industrial Centre, Pak Tin Par Street, Tsuen Wan Supply of emergency lights and exit lights, retailing, installation, annual inspection, replacement of batteries and issuance of FS251 certificates by level III fire operators. 3464 3987 ，WhatsApp 96309976 。

The emergency lights, which are not always noticed, and the exit lights, are the same as the fire alarms and the partners who "watch the road" and "guided the road" during the power outage. Early planning, periodic testing, selection of standard products, and the availability of sufficient qualified fire extinguish ers will give the building an additional security buffer at a critical moment. Need assistance, welcome Contact Fire Station.