Guide to the positioning of Emergency Lighting

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CLEARLY DEFINED ESCAPE ROUTES

For escape routes up to two metres wide, the centre line illuminance at floor level must not fall below 1 lux*.

Wider routes are treated as a number of two metre wide bands with the above values applied to each band. Uniformity should not be less than a 40:1 ratio.

LARGE OPEN PLAN AREA

There are two ways of dealing with large open plan areas depending on whether clear escape routes can be defined and designated.

1. With Clearly Defined Escape Routes

It is not necessary to cover the whole area, but to illuminate the escape route(s) as described in Fig. A. The escape routes must be clearly marked.

2. Without Clearly Defined Escape Routes

This approach is particularly suited to situations where escape routes cannot be kept clear. e.g. Supermarkets.

*Permanently clear escape routes can be illuminated to just 0.2 lux min.

 Fig. A

 With Clearly Defined Escape Route

 Without Clearly Defined Escape Route

 Identify exit doors and escape routes.

 Mount within 2 metres horizontal distance of escape route junctions

 Mount within 2 metres horizontal distance of change in floor level or stairs (each tread to receive direct light).

 Areas of high risk should be illuminated to 10% of maintained illuminance or 15lux minimum.

 Fire alarms and fire-fighting equipment - mount within 2 metres horizontal distance.

 Mount within 2 metres horizontal distance of escape route direction change.

 Mount externally within 2 metres horizontal distance of final exit.

NOTE: Sufficient light will be needed to muster and read roll call.

 Rooms over 60m2 should be illuminated.

 Mount in toilets exceeding 8m2 area.

 Each area should receive light from more than one fitting. If a fitting fails then the beacon effect of the next will guide theIr way.