Egress Stairs Lighting

Egress lighting includes illuminated exit signs and other wayfinding devices that direct people along the path of egress of the structure or building.

Egress stairs lighting. The IBC requires exits and exit access doors to be marked by illuminated exit signs 1011 1003210. Emergency lighting is only required for the purpose of exit access which includes only designated stairs aisles corridors ramps and escalators to a. In a Class 9a health-care building.

For the purposes of this requirement exit discharge should include only designated stairs aisles corridors ramps escalators walkways and exit passageways leading to a public way. This average illumination level is permitted to decline to 06 foot-candle 6 lux and a minimum of 006 foot-candle 06 lux at any point along the path of egress at the end of the required emergency lighting time duration. The Standards exempt aisle stairs in assembly areas stairs in non-public areas of detention and correctional facilities and stairs of play components.

The storey provides a path of travel from any other storey required by i ii or iii to have emergency lighting. In Group I-2 occupancies where two or more exits are required on the exterior landings required by Section 101016 means of egress illumination levels for the exit discharge shall be provided such that failure of any single lighting unit shall not reduce the illumination level on that landing to less than 1 footcandle 11 lux. In addition the IBC requires a tactile EXIT sign adjacent to the door to an egress stairway an exit passageway and the exit discharge 10113 10032103 2000 addresses doors to egress stairways.

This is to be provided by an approved self-contained generator set to operate whenever there is a loss of power. Unlike emergency lights egress lighting is required to stay illuminated at all times of the day and night when a building is occupied and operational. This includes stairs designated for emergency exit as well as the aisles corridors ramps escalators and other passageways that lead to an exit.

The stair pressurization system must be provided with standby power. Emergency lighting is required for all means of egress including both the exits and the pathways leading to them. Section 78 Illumination of Means of Egress requires that new stairs be illuminated at 10 fc during conditions of stair use Analysis of requirements in 78 shows that its requirements are considerably more stringent than those covering emergency lighting in 79.

Without a clear understanding of the interpretation of the required light levels for exterior egress by the AHJ some significant problems could arise at the end of the construction phase. FEMA notes that emergency lighting requirements may be different and in the ICC excerpt below we give an example of both normal and emergency lighting. The normal egress requirements for stairway lighting for new stairs is 10 footcandles per NFPA citations given at REFERENCES.