The Importance of Glow in the Dark Signs in Office Buildings
Posted on 18. Jun, 2010 by keith in Fire Safety
For most of us, our places of employment soon become as spatially familiar as our homes. But when smoke fills the air, that sense of familiarity can quickly vanish as a sense of panic sets in. In the event of large fires, statistics show that more fatalities result from smoke inhalation than from fire. To perish from smoke inhalation, building occupants have to be in a smoky environment for certain period of time, which means that most victims of smoke inhalation probably perish simply because they can’t find their way to an exit point in an efficient manner.
Ideally, it should exit signs that guide building occupants to safety. But what if a fire is spreading quickly and some occupants are in places where exit signs aren’t immediately visible? In such cases, glow in the dark signs that direct people toward exit points can mean the difference between no casualties and multiple casualties. Most glow in the dark signs used in commercial building are electricity-free photoluminescent signs. Photoluminescence occurs when an object absorbs photons from its environment and then re-emits them when its environment darkens, creating a brilliant glowing effect. After absorbing photons, photoluminescent signs can burn for up to 96 hours in total darkness.
Typically, photoluminescent safety markings are talked about in terms of exit signs, especially concerning energy efficiency. But companies that market photoluminescent exit signs often sell photoluminescent egress markings and floor signs as well, and companies that decide to make their buildings as evacuation safe as possible usually choose to implement the egress markings, floor signs and exit signs collectively.
Chances are that your office building or industrial facility will never experience an emergency evacuation due to fire. But if and when it does, having the best safety system in place can do more than just ensure that your employees get out safely; it can also ensure that, whatever happens, your company will be more protected against lawsuits.
