Dear Reader:

The primary governing body over emergency and exit lighting is the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and their publication entitled NFPA 101, Life Safety Code is the gold standard.

But first, some definitions, as provided by 29 Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 1910.34(c) OSHA:

• Exit Route – A continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety (including refuge areas).”

An exit route includes all vertical and horizontal areas along the route and consists of the following three parts:

• Exit access − That portion of an exit route that leads to an exit. An example of an exit access is a corridor on the fifth floor of an office building that leads to a two- hour fire resistance-rated enclosed stairway (the Exit).
• Exit − That portion of an exit route that is generally separated from other areas to provide a protected wa...