Emergency Lighting And Exit Repairs Sydney

Emergency lighting and exit signs are lights and signs that will power on when there has been a power outage. These will have their own dedicated circuit connected to a battery or generator switch. In the case of an emergency and the power is out, these will automatically switch on and guide people. 

How Does Emergency Lighting Work?

Emergency signs and lights are wired to the main building’s electrical switchboard and have their own circuit. A battery or generator switch is connected to them to work while the power to the building has gone out. Once the building has lost power the emergency lights and signs switch on automatically in most places. This battery as it is a backup power supply will work for a minimum of 90 minutes.

What are the Different Types of Emergency Lighting?

Emergency signs and lights come in many different shapes and sizes to be used in different places. They are designed in unique ways to best suit the environment they are installed in and be most effective. Below is a guide on the most common types of lights and signs used for guidance in an emergency:

Lights

• Lifelight – mounted or recessed onto ceilings
• Batten – longer shape used in car parks, outdoor settings, corridors, pathways and stairways
• Circular – circular shape used in internal and external settings
• Flood – designed for loading bays, car parks and other areas that may be exposed to flooding

Signs

• Standard Box – box shape and often the most common and recognisable 
• Blade – contains a more aesthetic or architectural design
• Waterproof – used in external settings, such as where it would rain more
• Low Temperature – designed to work in commercial freezers and alike settings
• Vandal Resistance – often used in public areas, such as train stations and bus stops, to prevent vandal

The regulations with emergency lighting and signs are under the Australian Standard AS2293. These state that the emergency lights and signs need to illuminate for a minimum of 90 minutes after power has been lost. The main types of buildings they are installed in are Class 6 buildings more than 100m2 in size, such as shops, restaurants and offices. They need to be tested by a qualified electrician once every 6 months to ensure they work correctly. 

Emergency Lighting Requirements

Short descriptions of the requirements with emergency lighting and where they need to be located are:

• Every fire-isolated, ramp, passageway and stairway
• In Class 5, 6, 7 and 8 buildings on every storey where the area is larger than 300m2
• Where there is a passageway, hallway, corridor or alike that leads to a path towards an exit
• In rooms where they are larger than 100m2 and has no open access to spaces with emergency lighting or rooms with a floor area bigger than 300m2
• In paths where they have a length of 6m or more away from the entrances of doorways
• On external balconies that lead to fire-isolated stairways, passageways or ramps
• Where exits do not lead to an open space or road or to a place that leads to an open road or space
• At points that are more than 20m from doorways directly joining to ramps, passageways, stairways, open spaces or roads

Emergency Exit Signs Requirements

Short descriptions of the requirements with emergency signs and where they need to be located are:

• Where doors are located and give access to an exit from a storey
• At enclosed stairways or paths leading to an exit
• At external stairways or paths that go to an exit
• Where balconies grant access to exits