Emergency Lighting | Primer on Commercial Emergency Lights

Emergency lighting is an important feature for any modern commercial building. Read on to learn why these fixtures are essential to your establishment.

Why Your Commercial Establishment Needs Emergency Lighting (Header 1)Are you planning to open a commercial establishment? Then, you should have an electrical contractor install proper emergency lights. Read on to learn about the reasons why you should have them:

They can shorten evacuation times.
People have difficulty finding their way out of a building when the power goes down. They can’t see where they are going, so it often takes longer to evacuate an establishment. But, during an emergency, time is of the essence. For example, when a fire happens, individuals must get out of the building as soon as possible to avoid inhaling too much smoke.

Proper emergency lighting can help shorten the amount of time it takes to evacuate a building and save more lives. Employees will be able to clearly see where the exits are located, even if the lights go out. Their surroundings will also be visible, so they can navigate around any obstacles in their path and smoothly make their way towards the exit in record time.

They help rescuers do their duty.
Emergency lights are vital for rescue work, especially if the operatives are unfamiliar with the building layout. It will be very difficult for them to find their way through the establishment if there are no fixtures to light or direct their way. These professionals and the people they are trying to find in the unstable environment will be at greater risk because the operation will take longer.

But with good back-up lighting, rescuers can assess their surroundings properly and choose the safest and fastest path to the individuals they need to help. These fixtures also help when rescuers are exiting the building, especially in the event of a fire. The light from battery-powered exit signs can cut through the smoke, helping rescuers know where to lead people.  

They aid you in meeting the safety code requirements.

Every establishment must comply with certain safety codes made by government organizations, such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). And these regulations usually require installing exit signs and emergency lights. 

Some states have additional guidelines, so building owners should check them with their local government. They are also the ones monitoring whether establishments are following the safety codes. They are responsible for checking if the lighting is up to standard and approve the building for use.

They keep stairwells well-lit.
A stairwell is a critical area of a building for evacuation and escape. Since most of the time, electricity is cut off during an emergency, elevators will not be working. And even if they are, it is ill-advised to use them during a crisis, like a fire or an earthquake. So, stairwells are the only way for people to safely get down from a structure with multiple floors.

Building owners should make sure these areas are well-lit in case of an emergency. If a stairwell is dim, it may cause people to trip and fall all over each other while hurrying to go downstairs. They may get stuck in that area, aside from getting injured. So, there should be an adequate number of emergency lights for people to clearly see where they are stepping. 

They can help keep people calm during emergencies.
During a crisis, people tend to panic and be afraid. Many of them will feel overwhelmed because they do not know what to do when faced with unfamiliar yet critical situations. A group of panicked people can sometimes create a stampede that may cause inefficient evacuation, injuries, and even mortalities.

However, strategically putting emergency lights around your establishment may help calm things down. One reason for this is that even if the power goes out, people can see their surroundings well and know what is going on around them. This can help them feel more secure. Self-lighting emergency signs will also give them visual cues and direct them where to go. Knowing what to do will help them feel more in control of the situation and aid them in keeping their cool.

These are just some reasons you should have these fixtures in your establishment. You should ask an electrical contractor specializing in emergency lighting to install them to ensure they are set up correctly.

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