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The following information
is provided for guidance only, and should not be used as a reference
for legal requirements.
The signs
below are coloured as for luminescent signs, which absorb light
energy and glow in the dark.
TYPES OF ESCAPE ROUTE
SIGN IN GENERAL USE:
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EEC
sign |
British Standard sign |
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There is confusion over
which of the above designs is correct. The answer is that both are
legal, however most authorities recommend the British Standard
version as it is more widely understood, and was recently endorsed
by the International Standards Organisation (ISO), for ISO 6309:
Fire Protection - Safety Signs.
The signs depicted on
this web site are of British Standard design, which Gemini Fire &
Safety Solutions recommends.
Whichever design is
chosen, it should be consistent throughout, a mixture of designs
should not be used within the same premises.
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A third design of sign is
preferred by the NHS which is similar to the BS version, but
includes flames. This sign is also well understood, and is quite
acceptable. |
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ELEMENTS
of ESCAPE ROUTE SIGNS:
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Graphic symbol,
Front lit |
Graphic symbol,
Back lit |
Directional
Arrow |
Supplementary
Text |
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MEANING of SIGNS |
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Progress forward from here |
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Progress down from here |
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Progress to the left from here |
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Progress to the right from here |
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Progress down to the left |
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Progress up to the left |
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Progress up to the right |
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Progress down to the right |
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USE of SUPPLEMENTARY
TEXT
- Every escape route sign should include supplementary text to
assist in the understanding of the sign.
EXIT - Used to indicate the
conventional route leading out of a building.
FIRE EXIT
- Used to indicate an escape route provided specifically to be used
in the event of an evacuation.
EXIT for emergency use only
- Similar to FIRE EXIT, but should not be used close to FIRE EXIT
signs. They should also be used instead of FIRE EXIT and
STAFF ONLY or PRIVATE signs together, which could cause confusion.
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INCORRECT |
CORRECT |
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SIZE of SIGNS
"Signs should be
sufficiently large and clear so that they can be easily seen and
understood"
Safety signs and Signals Regulations 1996
Luminescent signs can be seen more easily than plain signs, and can
therefore generally be smaller.
The following sizes are in mm, and are for guidance only. Sizes
should be assessed on the above criteria in each individual case. |
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LOCATION of SIGNS
Signs should be located in the normal field of vision, and should be
prominent, taking precedence over all other signs, ie they should
not have to ‘compete’ with other signs |
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FIXING HEIGHTS (From floor to base of sign)
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