Collection: Emergency Lighting

Emergency lighting is a comprehensive, battery-backed life-safety system designed to provide clear exit marking and path illumination during a power failure or other emergency. This critical system is comprised of two essential components that work in tandem: exit signs, which clearly identify the direction and location of the nearest exits, and emergency lights, which cast light upon the egress path to ensure it is safe and visible to navigate. Mandated by law and detailed in safety codes like the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code®, a properly functioning emergency lighting system is one of the most important investments in building safety, guiding people to safety when every second counts. At Bees Lighting, we offer a complete selection of code-compliant exit signs, emergency lights, and combination units to ensure your facility is safe, secure, and fully compliant.

Why Emergency Lighting is Essential for Commercial Applications

In any commercial building—from offices and retail stores to hotels and warehouses—the safety of employees, customers, and visitors is the highest priority. During a power failure, fire, or other emergency, a reliable emergency lighting system is the single most important tool for ensuring a safe and orderly evacuation. Its role extends far beyond simple compliance; it is a fundamental pillar of risk management and occupant safety.

• Prevents Panic and Injury: Sudden darkness in an unfamiliar public space can cause confusion and panic. Emergency lighting instantly illuminates the environment, allowing people to orient themselves, avoid obstacles, and move calmly and safely toward the exits, drastically reducing the risk of trips, falls, and other injuries.
• Ensures Safe Egress: The system works in two parts: emergency lights illuminate the path, while exit signs provide clear, unambiguous direction. Together, they form a complete egress path, guiding people through potentially complex layouts, even in smoke-filled or chaotic conditions.
• Limits Business Liability: In the event of an incident, having a fully functional, code-compliant emergency lighting system is critical for demonstrating due diligence in protecting occupants. Non-compliance can lead to severe legal penalties, fines, and significant financial liability.
• Aids First Responders: A properly lit building allows firefighters and other emergency personnel to navigate the space more quickly and effectively, enabling them to perform their duties more safely and efficiently.

Understanding Building and Safety Codes

The installation, performance, and maintenance of emergency lighting systems are strictly regulated by law. While local jurisdictions may have specific amendments, most codes in the United States are based on standards set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and enforced by OSHA.

1. NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®: This is the primary standard governing all aspects of emergency lighting. It dictates where fixtures must be placed, how bright they must be, and how they must perform.
2. NFPA 70®, National Electrical Code® (NEC): This code details the technical requirements for how emergency lighting systems must be wired and installed to ensure electrical safety and proper function.
3. International Building Code® (IBC) and Fire Code® (IFC): These model codes are widely adopted by cities and states and incorporate the NFPA standards, making them legally enforceable.
4. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration): OSHA requires employers to provide adequately lit exit routes in all workplaces for employee safety.

Compliance Regulations for Emergency Lighting

These points summarize the core rules from major safety codes like the NFPA 101®, International Building Code® (IBC), and UL standards.

• Placement
  • Exit Signs: Must be installed at all designated exit doors. They are also required in any location where the direction to the nearest exit is not immediately obvious, such as at corridor intersections, stairwells, and in long hallways.
  • Emergency Lights: Must be strategically placed to illuminate the entire path of egress. This includes hallways, aisles, stairways, ramps, changes in floor level, and the area immediately outside the final exit door.
• Visibility & Legibility (for Exit Signs)
  • The letters on a standard exit sign must be at least 6 inches high with a 3/4-inch stroke width to ensure they are readable from a distance.
  • The sign itself must be clearly visible from 100 feet away.
  • No decorations, furnishings, or other objects may be placed in a way that obstructs the view of an exit sign.
• Illumination (for Emergency Lights)
  • When activated, emergency lights must provide an average of at least 1.0 foot-candle (fc) of light along the walking surface of the egress path.
  • The light must be distributed evenly to prevent deep shadows or completely dark spots between fixtures.
• Power Source & Duration
  • All emergency lighting must have a backup power source, most commonly a rechargeable battery.
  • This backup source must be able to power the lights and signs for a minimum of 90 minutes after a loss of normal power.
• Automatic Activation
  • The system must be fully automatic. It must sense a failure of the main building power and switch to its backup source within 10 seconds.
• Testing & Maintenance
  • To ensure readiness, building owners must perform a 30-second functional test on all fixtures every month.
  • A full 90-minute discharge test must be performed once a year to verify the battery's capacity.
  • Written records of these tests must be maintained and available for inspection by the local fire marshal.
• Product Certification
  • All components—exit signs, emergency lights, and combo units—must be tested and listed by a nationally recognized laboratory to ensure they meet performance and safety standards. In the U.S., the primary certification is UL 924.

Emergency Drivers: The Integrated Alternative

For a modern and seamless approach to safety, emergency drivers provide a powerful alternative to traditional emergency light fixtures. Instead of adding separate, bulky "bug-eye" units to your walls or ceiling, an emergency driver is a compact battery backup system that is installed directly with your existing LED troffers, downlights, or panel lights. During a power failure, the driver automatically activates and uses its battery to power the everyday light fixture it's paired with, providing the required 90 minutes of illumination. The result is a fully compliant emergency lighting system that is completely invisible during normal use, preserving the clean ceiling lines that architects and designers demand. Explore our emergency drivers to see how you can make your general lighting double as your safety lighting.

Your Complete Source for Life Safety

A compliant and reliable emergency lighting system is a non-negotiable part of modern building safety. From the clear direction of an exit sign to the vital illumination of an emergency light, every component must work together flawlessly to protect lives. At Bees Lighting, we are committed to being your single, trusted source for all life-safety solutions. We offer a comprehensive catalog of products, from standard fixtures to specialized architectural, industrial, and city-approved models. Let us help you build a complete system that meets all codes and provides unwavering peace of mind. Browse our categories or call our lighting experts at 855-303-0665 for assistance.