5 Essential Tips for a Safe Emergency Egress
In day to day life the thought of an emergency exit plan may never cross our minds. From our places of work to our homes, we don’t think we will be the ones caught in the midst of an emergency. The unfortunate reality, however, is that emergency situations are much more common than we think.
We may be diligent in checking the batteries of our smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors, but beyond that, how much thought do we put into emergency evacuation plans? When an emergency strikes though, you want to have a clear plan to exit the buildings as quickly and safely as possible. Emergency egress may not be in your day to day thoughts, but being prepared can make a potentially lifesaving difference in a dire situation.
Have a Clear Evacuation Plan
Although there is no way to predict when an emergency will occur, or what will happen, having an emergency egress plan can help to ensure all occupants can exit the building quickly and safely.
An emergency evacuation plan can protect the lives of occupants and should include considerations for persons of all abilities. Create an emergency evacuation plan that includes more than one way out of the building, in the event an emergency exit becomes blocked. Ensure to educate occupants of the evacuation plan, and post emergency egress signage around the building. Ensure the evacuation path is clearly marked with luminous egress path markings, so occupants can quickly find their way to the exit discharge.
Keep the Exit Path Clear
Keeping litter, clutter and debris out of the way in an emergency egress pathway is critical, as providing a clear exit pathway will speed up egress times, allowing occupants to safely exit the building.
In cases where obstructions cannot be moved, such as standpipes, ensure to clearly mark these obstacles so occupants can avoid injury during an emergency egress. A luminous egress path marking object is ideal, as it will keep the obstacle visible in all lighting conditions, alerting occupants of the potential hazard.
Adequate Emergency Lighting
In the event of an emergency it is likely the building will lose power, leaving occupants, and emergency responders, in the dark, during what is an already stressful event. In order for a safe emergency egress to occur, there must be sufficient emergency egress lighting along the exit pathway.
Luminous egress path markings are required by international building, fire and life safety codes in high-rise buildings to ensure the egress path remains well lit. Luminous egress path markings must be installed in several key areas of the egress pathway, including step-edges, handrails, exit doors and around the perimeter and any obstructions. Because they rely only on surrounding light sources to gain a charge, luminous egress path markings are a fail-safe, non-powered emergency lighting system you can rely on.
Only Gather the Essentials
When emergency strikes you may only have a few minutes to safely exit the building. In these stressful moments it is critical to exit the building and not spending time collecting belongings. If at home, ensure pets and children come with you as you exit the building.
Remember, possessions can be replaced so getting yourself out of the building quickly and safely is the priority.
Clearly Mark the Exit Doors
In order to guide occupants to the exit discharge, all exit doors must be clearly marked. Final exit doors should always remain unobstructed and undecorated. Additionally, any doors along the exit path way that could be mistaken for exit doors, should be labeled as “not an exit” to clearly communicate egress instructions.
Exit doors should be marked with large, visible letters stating “exit” as well as door hardware markings, door frame markings and the emergency exit symbol. It is important only final exit doors have these markings as to not confuse occupants during emergency egress.
Although it may not cross our minds daily, being prepared for an emergency situation can make a vital difference in occupant safety. Luminous egress path markings ensure the exit pathway remains visible and easily followed in all lighting conditions, enhancing egress speeds.
Ecoglo has been proudly providing the nation with industry-leading, code compliant luminous egress path markings for over 20 years. Our wide range of path markings products ensure you can build a completely custom, code compliant solution for your building. From luminescent exit signs to non-slip step-edge markings, rely on Ecoglo for the visibly better solution in egress markings!