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Emergency Exit Signs and Lighting: What Are Your Requirements as a NYC Property Owner?

If you own or manage a property in New York City, your tenants’ safety is in your hands. Therefore, it’s essential to understand your requirements regarding emergency exit signs and lighting. Here are the basics you need to know about which buildings need special signs, backup power, lighting requirements and placement, and testing of your emergency system.

Who Needs Emergency Exit Signs and Lighting?

What the building code says

Most New York City properties need emergency exit signs and lighting, according to the city’s building code. If you do not comply with this, you could face citations and steep fines.

If you own or manage a property in one of these categories, you should have the proper lighting and signage for emergency egress, whether for a power failure, fire, or other disaster:

• Buildings more than three stories tall
• Buildings with 12 or more residential units
• Hotels and rooming houses
• Buildings with elevators
• High-rise apartment and office buildings
• Educational institutions
• Daycare providers
• Shopping malls
• Places of worship and public assembly
• Medical and dental facilities
• Commercial, industrial, and manufacturing facilities
• Correctional institutions

Do You Need Backup Power?

Emergency and standby power

Because your emergency lighting and signage must function in the event of a blackout or other power loss, it should have a power supply independent of the city grid. The most vital parts of your emergency system should have independent backup power that comes on within 10 seconds of your main power loss. This includes power for:

• Fire alarms
• Smoke evacuation
• Building egress
• Fire pumps
• Elevator elements
• Voice/alarm communications
• Life support systems

Some buildings also have separate standby power to make egress easier and help firefighters. This should come on within 60 seconds of your building losing power.

We often recommend having a third tier of backup power. This can cover non-emergency but important aspects of running your property, such as data security, communications, appliances, etc.

What Are the Emergency Signage Requirements?

Regulations regarding display

There are many rules about the display of signs that help people exit your building in an emergency. The team at Bolt Electric is happy to come out to your building to help you make sure everything meets these requirements. Some of the most common rules include:

• Signs must have white backgrounds with red lettering.
• All exit and directional signs must be illuminated, not drawn or painted.
• The font on your signs must be uppercase sans serif.
• Letters must be 8 inches tall, with strokes 1 inch wide. The entire letter (except for “I”) should be 2 inches wide. You must leave at least ⅜ inch of space between each letter.
• Most signs need to be at least 25 foot-candles in brightness.
• Signs must remain on for at least 90 minutes after a power outage to give people enough time to exit the building.
• Self-luminescent signs (tritium-powered) are forbidden, and photoluminescent signs are discouraged in lieu of those fueled by backup electrical power.

Where Should Emergency Signs and Lighting Be Placed?

Paths for egress

It’s crucial that you place your signs in places that both follow regulations and follow common sense for your unique building. It’s always better to have too many signs and lights than too few. That means placing signs in these locations:

• Hallways
• Interior stairways
• Elevators and platform lifts
• Ramps
• Places where disabled people might take refuge or await rescue
• End points for exits
• Outdoor accessible routes

Every exit must be marked as such, but there are other specific rules to which you should adhere as well:

• Signs must be made of aluminum or another fire-resistant metal, not plastic.
• Signs should have no more than 100 feet of distance between them.
• Illumination should be sufficient between signs (about 22 lux).
• Place exit signs perpendicular to the exit opening.
• Use chevrons (arrows) on long corridors and in office cubicle areas.
• Doors that go to an exit pathway should also have an exit sign, as should stairs and landings (with floor numbers posted and an indication if no re-entry is permitted and where the nearest point of re-entry is located).
• Doors that do not lead to an exit should be clearly marked “NOT AN EXIT.”
• Elevator landings should have signs that read: “IN CASE OF FIRE, USE STAIRS UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED.”
• Buildings in Occupancy Group J1 for day-to-day or week-to-week residency must have a diagram on the back of each interior door indicating that room’s location and the path to safe egress (such as what is found in hotels).

Do You Have to Test Your Emergency Signs and Lighting?

Monthly and annual testing

As your emergency lighting and signage system is so crucial, it must be tested regularly for safety. Every 30 days, your emergency lighting must be tested for at least 30 seconds to ensure it functions properly. Once per year, it must be tested for at least 90 minutes.

Most systems require manual testing by pressing a test button or inserting a special key. Some very new high-tech systems have computerized self-tests, which you would know about from your equipment owner’s manual.

Bolt Electric offers testing of emergency exit signs and lighting, in addition to helping with setup and placement of your lights and signage. As licensed electricians, we can also assist with any wiring or changes to your electrical system to accommodate your emergency equipment, including installing backup power.

Does your property need help with elements of emergency egress? Call us at 212-434-0098 or schedule an appointment online using our easy contact form.