Understand what Fire Exit Signs are used for and where to fit with this short how-to Fire Exit Sign guide.
Where to locate Fire Exit Signs?
In order for employers and business owners to comply with the current fire safety legislations and fulfil their legal requirements of keeping their employees safe, commercial premises must be fitted with fire exit signs at relevant locations within their building.
While every premises is different and will have differing access points, fire exit signs perform the same job in each and every building. Ultimately the signs are there to direct people to the quickest escape route out of a building in the event of a fire or other emergency.
Green and white in colour with arrows to denote which direction to travel, fire exit signs should be placed at each and every change in direction on any given route to a fire exit. This includes changes in direction in corridors, stairs, open spaces (if the direction to the fire exit is ambiguous) as well as above all doors or junctions. This is of course dependent on the size of your premises – for example, a small, one-roomed premises may only need a sign above the door if there is no other way out!
Wherever you are in your building, a fire exit sign should always be visible. And once you’ve past it, the next sign should be visible from there, with arrows indicating the direction to exit. The only fire exit sign that doesn’t require arrows is the final fire exit sign, which should just state "Exit" or "Fire Exit" and should be positioned above the fire exit door which provides access out of the building.
How to position and fix Fire Exit Signs
Fire exit signs can be positioned on walls, suspended from ceilings or fixed above doors. There are numerous Fire Sign fixing kits available, with most signs being hung, drilled and screwed, or glued (clear adhesive silicone works really well for plastic signage) on a wall.
Fire Exit Signs should be fitted at ceiling level not less than 1.8m above the floor level, to ensure it can be seen over the heads of people. Ideally whatever height you fix your signs at, this should be consistent throughout (where possible). But wherever it is positioned, it needs to be clearly visible, even if lighting fails during a fire.
Photoluminescence fire exit sign variants glow in the dark and are typically able to be seen at night or in low light conditions - they are ideal for buildings that do not have emergency backup lighting.
The difference between Fire Exit Signs and Fire Safety Signs?
While the role of both is to ensure the safety of those within the building, they do serve different purposes. A fire exit sign is there to indicate the direction of an exit in the event of a fire, while a fire safety sign can have many other functions, such as alarm call point signs, fire extinguisher signs, fire door signs and assembly point signs.
What if there are multiple exits to the premises?
The purpose of a fire exit sign is to show people the shortest route out of the building, which will change depending on your location within the building (especially if it’s a big building). Signs should be positioned to direct you to the closest possible exit, which may mean you have signs leading you to different exits depending on where you are when the times comes to vacate the premises.
Please note; You should be guided by your fire safety assessment information, this article is an informational guide only.
