What is Emergency Lighting?
Emergency lighting is a secondary type of lighting implemented to provide a lighting level sufficient for egress and is operational immediately following the loss of normal building lighting.

Importance of Emergency Lighting
Emergency lighting is not needed under normal conditions, but it operates in an emergency such as fire, earthquake, terror, sabotage etc. or in the case of a lighting malfunction. The emergency lighting system aims to prevent accidents and enable easy access to fire alarms, extinguishers and first aid equipment. A reliable emergency lighting system can prevent or minimize a loss of lives and property by directing people to a quick and safe evacuation from the building.

Buildings that use Emergency and Directional Lighting

Houses: Apartments, public housing (buildings up to a maximum of three storeys excluding basement detached dwellings, twin homes, row houses and other buildings, excepted).

Buildings for the Purpose of Assembly: Assemblies of 50 persons or more; accommodation, eating and drinking establishments, entertainment venues, places of worship, sports grounds, museums and exhibition spaces, etc.

Institutional Buildings: Private and public educational institutions including kindergartens, children`s play areas and clubs, dormitories, primary, secondary and higher education institutions, libraries; healthcare and rehabilitation facilities including hospitals, public and private clinics, diagnosis and treatment centres, laboratories, health centres, dispensaries, nurseries, orphanages, child care and rehabilitation centres, nursing homes, jail prisons, reformatories, etc.

Commercial Buildings: Stores, closed bazaars, arcades, markets, supermarkets, wholesale sites, vegetables and fruit groceries, fish markets, meat exchanges, repair centres, spare parts and equipment stores, etc.

Office Buildings: Banks, stock exchanges, public service buildings, general office buildings, administrative offices, etc.

Industrial Plants: Factories, production facilities, processing plants, filling stations, power plants, mineral processing plants, refineries, etc.

Storage Facilities: Warehouses, silos, tank farms, printing facilities, barns, archives, libraries, open and closed type parking lots, parking garages, car galleries, etc. (Note: Storage facilities, in which people do not enter, do not have to have emergency lighting.)

Emergency Lighting Device:
This is a device that light the escape routes of people, through open spaces, closed spaces and hazardous areas where people may be found and/or pass through. This device maybe any of the following:

Emergency Lighting Luminaire: Each lighting device consists of a lamp, emergency lighting units, rechargeable battery, a battery charge status indicator and a test switch. These units are independent of the normal lighting luminaires and operate when the normal mains power is unavailable. For optimal visibility, these luminaires should be installed at a 2 to 4.5 meter height measured from the floor. They may be mounted on the wall or ceiling. Rods, chains, wire hangers and/or other suspension elements may also be used to hang them.

Adjustable Emergency Lighting Luminaire: This luminaires may be mounted on the wall and may also be portable. In cases where it is desirable to light a specific target, high intensity, adjustable tungsten-halogen lamps may also be used. This device is also appropriate for places where large volumes of high ambient lighting level is needed, such as factories, garages, gymnasia, etc.

Emergency Lighting Conversion Kit Unit: This device adds emergency lighting capability to a conventional lighting fixture and is mounted inside or near the conventional lighting fixture. In the case of an emergency, by means of its battery, at least one lamp of the fixture is made operational. Under normal lighting conditions, the unit can otherwise still be switched on and off as a conventional lighting fixture.

Escape Route (Directional) Device:
This is a device used in an emergency to direct people to the shortest building exit. Examples of this device include.

Escape Route Luminaire: Each device consists of a lamp, emergency lighting units, rechargeable battery, a battery charge status indicator, a test switch and a sign upon which symbols and/or text are found. The sign may be single or double sided, according to its location. For optimal visibility, this device must be installed at height of 2 and 2.4 meters, as measured from the ground. They may be mounted on the wall or ceiling. Rods chains, wire hangers and/or other suspension elements may also be used to hang them.

Externally Illuminated Routing Sign: They are devices in which there is no internal lighting element. Typically the pictograms are printed, painted, or etched with easily recognisable symbols and/or text. The pictogram may typically be found on acrylic, engraved acrylic or phosphorous acrylic. When these devices are used, another emergency light luminaire must be placed in its vicinity in order to visibly indicate the escape route. These signs are also mounted at a height of 2 and 2.4 meters, as measured from the ground.