Australia’s Exit Light Emergency

The law requires commercial buildings have (a) exit lights (b) emergency lights so if there is a power failure or emergency people can avoid hazards and safely exit a building.  It’s also critical for our emergency services so they can safely enter and exit the building.

For many years Australian buildings have installed electric battery back-up exit signs (also known as dual functional signage), this type of signage does both (a) and (b) above.  There are multiple brands in the market selling this product.

In recent years glow in the dark exit signage (also known as photoluminescent (PL) exit signage) has become more prevalent in Australia, marketed as a cost-effective replacement for electric battery back-up exit signage.  But does it provide adequate visibility to ensure people can safely evacuate a building in an emergency. Independent research supports the conclusion that the light level of the PL exit signs is not adequate to ensure people can safely evacuate a building.

From a pure safety perspective:

• how visible are PL exit signs compared to battery back up signs?

As a guide to answering this question, we created this scenario, filming the two types of signage side by side.

It should be noted, this did not involve technical verification of luminance or other exit sign compliance requirements. The scenario filmed was purely focused on safety, that is, comparing the brightness and visibility of the signs. If I was in a building, could I easily see the exit?

The results are alarming!

The video demonstrates the performance of both lights in a scenario where the time lapse photography has been condensed into a 1 minute video. Below is a summary and timeline of the changes.

Is the signage fit to ensure safe evacuation?

In the scenario we filmed, the results raised significant concerns. Lighting Council Australia is warning building owners not to install glow in the dark exit signs. They simply fade to less than 100^th as bright as the battery backed signs, meaning the exit door locations are not adequately identified and creating a serious risk of injury or fatality in an emergency situation.

What needs to happen next?

Lighting Council Australia is advocating for two critical actions:

1. An immediate suspension of the use of PL exit signs from the National Construction Code
2. The Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) must conduct comprehensive product testing on photoluminescent signage to assess its suitability in an emergency situation.

It should be noted, the use of PL exit signs is currently allowed within the National Construction Code, in certain circumstances. The crux of the issue is that independent trials and research show these exit signs to have too low a luminance level to ensure people can safely evacuate a building. If for some reason the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) is not accepting of this, it should commission its own testing and pending that, it must implement an urgent suspension on the use of PL exit signs to support public safety.

What are the penalties for non-compliance?

Penalties for noncompliance, which may apply to employers, tenants, building owners and building managers, can be severe. The maximum penalties under WHS legislation in each state for serious breaches provide for fines up to $3 million for corporations, and fines up to $350,000 and 5 years imprisonment for individuals (with even higher penalties in some states). Where non-compliance results in a death, more serious penalties apply if workplace manslaughter has been committed.

Lighting Council Australia Advocacy

In 2023 we raised the safety issues surrounding photoluminescent lighting. International research outcomes are clear; exit sign luminance and contrast levels are the main determinates for safe egress during evacuations.

• The acceptable minimum level of exit sign luminance to ensure safe egress in emergency evacuation scenarios (irrespective of exit sign technology, that is irrespective of whether it is photoluminescent or electrically powered) is between 8 cd/m2 and 15 cd/m2.
• The National Construction Code Specification 25 has accepted a luminance level of 30 mcd/m2 (i.e., less than 1/250th of the level determined by the research) for photoluminescent exit signs.
• Photoluminescent exit signs have not been tested to ensure safe egress for building occupants in evacuation scenarios.

International and European Standards, and the Standards adopted by most countries, set their minimum luminance levels for exit signs of between 8cd/ m2 and 15cd/ m2 (ISO 30061 permits a minimum level of 2cd/ m2 where smoke is not of prime importance, and otherwise 10cd/m2).

VIEW: Lighting Council Submission to ABCB