PAP Group · · Fire safety · 2 min read
What is the difference between emergency lighting and exit signs?
This article explains how the roles of exit signs and emergency luminaires differ, what escape lighting involves and what information you need to get a procurement started.
Emergency lighting, exit signs and escape lighting often come up in the same conversation. The terms are related, but they do not mean quite the same thing. Understanding the difference helps you see what kind of overall solution is being planned for a building.
Put simply, a sign helps you find the way, and emergency lighting helps you see the route when normal lighting fails.
An exit sign shows the direction
An exit sign is also known as a safety sign luminaire. Its recognisable sign shows, for example, the direction of escape or an exit. The luminaire’s task is to help building users understand where they should go.
Whether a sign is suitable depends on its purpose and location. Guiding people out of a building must therefore be considered as a route, not just as a single luminaire above a door.
An emergency luminaire lights the route
An emergency luminaire provides lighting on an escape route or in another area important for safe movement when normal lighting fails. It helps people see the route and their surroundings.
An emergency luminaire is therefore not simply a sign that shows the direction. Signs and lighting have complementary roles.
Escape lighting is a complete system
When planning escape lighting for a building, both recognising the route and moving along it must be taken into account. The equipment required, its positioning and the other parts of the system are designed to suit the site.
PAP supplies emergency lighting and exit sign equipment, design services, and maintenance and servicing of the systems. Our sales team helps you choose a system, and electrical designers can get expert support from us even before a project starts.
A change in use can also change lighting needs
When the use of premises or the routes through them change, the suitability of the existing escape lighting must be reassessed. The previous solution may not suit the new situation as it stands.
The same applies when replacing equipment. Choosing a replacement product requires information about its purpose and its compatibility with the rest of the system.
Getting started
Tell us the building’s intended use, the planned changes and details of the current system. Floor plans and equipment identification details make it easier to assess a suitable solution.
Our sales team helps with equipment and system choices and prepares a quotation. The detailed designs for the approved solution are drawn up during project design. Explore our products or contact us to get your procurement started.