New York City Fire Code
All boroughs of New York City must follow more stringent egress lighting requirements than the rest of the US. Exit sign lettering must be 8" tall, red in color and have a metal body. Emergency lights must also be steel or aluminum, and must provide a higher amount of illumination along the path of egress than fixtures sold throughout the nation.
Title 27 Subchapter 6 of the New York City Fire Code refer to Means of Egress. The following are excerpts from Article 6, 7, 8 and 11 which refer specifically to Exit Lighting Design Requirements.
Source: NYC Fire Code
ARTICLE 6 EXIT LIGHTING
§[C26-605.1] 27-381 Requirements.
Corridors and exits shall be provided with artificial lighting facilities, except as otherwise permitted by the provisions of subchapter twelve of this chapter, in accordance with the following:
(a) Illumination of at least two foot candles measured at the floor level shall be maintained continuously, during occupancy, in exits and their access facilities for their full length, at changes in direction in and intersections of corridors, balconies, exit passageways, stairs, ramps, escalators, bridges, tunnels, landings, and platforms, and as provided in subchapter eight of this chapter for places of assembly, except that this requirement shall not apply to dwelling units.
(b) In buildings classified in occupancy groups B-1 and B-2, exit lighting need only be maintained when a section of floor is occupied.
(c) Illumination shall be so arranged that the failure of any one light shall not leave any area in darkness. (d) Phosphorescent materials shall not be used as a method of providing illumination, nor shall battery operated electric lights or portable lamps or lanterns be used as primary sources of lighting.
*(e) (1) Buildings and existing buildings containing an F-4 place of assembly with an occupant load of three hundred or more persons shall install emergency lighting in each vertical exit serving the floor on which the place of assembly is located so as to provide a continuously lighted passage to the exterior of the building. Such lighting shall be connected to an emergency power source or to storage battery equipment meeting the requirements of the commissioner.
(2) Existing buildings required to comply with this subdivision shall install the emergency lighting on or before April first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven.
*Local Law 59-1996.
§[C26-605.2] 27-382 Power source.
*(a) Where a total of more than four lights is required, exit lighting shall be connected to an emergency power source or to storage battery equipment meeting the requirements of the commissioner, provided, however, that in existing buildings, the exit lighting may be on circuits that are separate from the general lighting and power circuits, taken off ahead of the main switch. (b) Existing high rise buildings classified in occupancy group C, D or H and existing buildings classified in occupancy group E, G or J-1 (except for "residential hotels," as such term is defined by the commissioner pursuant to rules and regulations) shall comply with the requirements of this section on or before April first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven.
***ARTICLE 7 EXIT SIGNS AND OTHER MARKINGS ***
§[C26-606.1] 27-383 Requirements.
(a) Exit signs.- Except in occupancy groups J-2 and J-3, the location of every exit on every floor and every opening from a room classified in occupancy group J-1 and containing cubicles shall be clearly indicated by exit signs. Such signs shall be placed at an angle with the exit opening if such placement is required for the signs to serve their purpose. In long corridors, in open floor areas, and in all other situations where the location of the exit may not be readily visible or understood, directional signs shall be provided to serve as guides from all portions of the corridor or floor.
(b) Exit path markings in high rise office buildings and in occupancy group E high rise buildings.- On and after July 1, 2006 all high rise office buildings and all high rise buildings classified in occupancy group E shall have exit path markings conforming to this subdivision. This provision shall be retroactive and shall apply to buildings constructed on and after such date and to buildings in existence on such date. All exit path markings required herein shall be of an approved photoluminescent material. The markings shall be washable, non-toxic, non radioactive, and if subjected to fire must be self extinguishing when the flame is removed.
(1) All doors opening to corridors, to an exit, or to an exit passageway, shall be marked with the word “exit”.
(2) Within exit stairs, horizontal extensions in exit stairs, horizontal exits, supplemental vertical exits and exit passageways, except within street level lobbies, there shall be directional markings.
(3) Required markings for exit paths shall comply with the technical standards for installation and placement to be set forth in a reference standard. Such reference standard shall be designated RS 6-1 and shall be adopted on or before January 1, 2006.
***Local Law 26-2004.
**§27-383.1 Additional requirements for high rise office buildings and occupancy group E high rise buildings.
In high rise office buildings and in occupancy group E high rise buildings:
(a) Illuminated exit signs complying with section 27-386 of this subchapter shall be placed in stairwells with horizontal extensions to indicate the transition from vertical to horizontal direction and at turns along the horizontal path.
(b) A supplementary sign complying with sections 27-394 and 27-395 of this subchapter, except that the lettering and numerals shall be at least one inch high, indicating the location of a recessed re-entry door, shall be securely attached on the wall of the landing that faces the evacuee on the stairs.
(c) In stairs where there is no entry or exiting from such stair for more than four floors, a sign complying with sections 27-394 and 27-395, except that the lettering and numerals shall be at least one inch high, shall be securely attached at the beginning of the descent into such portion of the stair on the wall of the landing that faces the evacuee on the stairs stating the location of the next re-entry or exiting floor. On each floor within such portion of the stair a sign complying with sections 27-392 and 27- 395 shall be securely attached to the wall of the landing that faces the evacuee on the stairs approximately five feet above the floor indicating the floor number.
(d) Signs shall be readily visible from the egress direction.
(e) High rise office buildings and high rise buildings classified in occupancy group E in existence on October 22, 2004 shall comply with this section on or before July 1, 2007. For the purpose of this section, a high rise building shall be deemed to be in existence on October 22, 2004 if on such date it is complete or under construction or where an application for approval of plans was filed with the department prior to such date and construction commenced within two years after such date.
§[C26-606.2] 27-384 Power source.
*(a) Where a total of more than four exit and/or directional signs is required, the signs shall be connected to an emergency power source or to storage battery equipment meeting the requirements of the commissioner, provided, however, that in existing buildings, the signs may be on circuits that are separate from the general lighting and power circuits, taken off ahead of the main switch. *Local Law 59-1996.
(b) Existing high rise buildings classified in occupancy group C, D or H and existing buildings classified in occupancy group E, G or J-1 (except for "residential hotels," as such term is defined by the commissioner pursuant to rules and regulations) shall comply with the requirements of this section on or before April first, nineteen hundred eighty-seven.
**(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the existing buildings required to comply with subdivision
(b) of this section, all such existing exit and/or directional signs on circuits taken off ahead of the main switch shall be connected to an emergency power source or to storage battery equipment meeting the requirements of the commissioner on or before July 1, 2007.
**Local Law 26-2004. §[C26-606.3] 27-385 Exit sign design. - Exit signs shall read only "exit" and shall be of the externally lighted, internally lighted, or electroluminescent type, except that they may be nonilluminated in buildings not provided with artificial lighting. (a) The artificial light source on externally lighted signs shall provide a red light, either by the use of an incandescent colored bulb or other visible red light source, so as to provide at least twenty-five foot candles on the exposed face of the sign. Visibility of the sign shall not be obscured by the location of the light source.
(b) For internally lighted signs, the average initial brightness of the letters shall be at least twenty-five ft. lamberts, and where an illuminated background is used, its average initial brightness shall be at least two hundred fifty ft. lamberts. The light source shall not be modified or changed nor shall lamp life multipliers be used so as to reduce these brightness levels.
(c) The letters of exit signs shall be red. The background of externally lighted signs shall be white. The background of internally lighted signs shall be either stenciled metal with a light gray or white color, or translucent frosted, opal glass, slow-burning plastic, or the plastic edgeglow type with white plastic separators. The letters for internally lighted signs shall be translucent red.
(d) The letters shall be block lettering at least four and one-half inches high with nine-sixteenths inch strokes, except in buildings and spaces classified in occupancy group F and J-1, where they shall be at least eight inches high with the strokes at least three-quarters of an inch wide.
(e) In locations where breakage may occur, exit signs shall be of shock resistant materials, or shall otherwise be protected against breakage.
(f) Except for buildings not provided with artificial lighting and buildings which maintain one or more auxiliary systems for emergency exit lighting in the event of a public utility failure, there shall be either
(1) an illuminated exit sign with the background thereon made of an approved phosphorescent material or
(2) a material with an opaque text and placed adjacent to or as close as possible to such illuminated sign. The phosphorescent material after exposure to normal lighting conditions shall be capable of remaining visible in total darkness for a period of at least eight hours. The signs shall be washable, non-toxic, non-radioactive and if subjected to fire must be self-extinguishing when the flame is removed.
§[C26-606.4] 27-386 Directional sign design.
Directional exit signs shall comply with all of the requirements for exit signs in section 27-385 of this article, and shall read "EXIT" with a horizontal arrow or arrows indicating the direction to the exit or exits. However, when the arrow is below the letters, the letters may be three and three-eighths inches high and ninesixteenths inch strokes, except in buildings and spaces classified in occupancy group F where they shall be at least five inches high with nine-sixteenths inch strokes. The arrow or arrows shall be red. §
[C26-606.5] 27-387 False exits.
Any door, passageway, stair, or other means of communication that is not an exit or that is not a way to an exit, but is so located as to be mistaken for an exit, shall be identified with a sign reading "NOT AN EXIT," shall be identified by a sign indicating its use or purpose or shall be provided with a directional exit sign
ARTICLE 8 EXIT SIGNS FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS
§[C26-607.1] 27-388 Retroactive provisions.
Except as otherwise provided, the provisions of this subchapter are not retroactive except that the provisions of this article and article nine of subchapter six of this chapter for certain existing office buildings are retroactive. Signs required by this article must be installed no later than March sixth, nineteen hundred sixty-nine. Where auxiliary systems for emergency exit lighting are to be provided, the installation must commence no later than May sixth, nineteen hundred sixty-nine.
§C26-60[7.2] 27-389 Designation of required means of egress.
(a) Except for spaces classified in occupancy J-2 and J-3, the location of each required means of egress on every floor of every structure shall be clearly indicated by exit signs. Such signs shall be placed at an angle with the exit doorway if such placement shall be required for such signs to serve their purpose adequately. These signs shall be of an approved phosphorescent material, which after exposure to normal lighting conditions shall be capable of remaining visible in total darkness for a period of at least eight hours. They shall also be washable, nontoxic, non- radioactive, and if subjected to fire must be self-extinguishing when the flame is removed. Except for illuminated signs, these signs shall have a phosphorescent background and opaque text. Where means of egress were required to be indicated by an illuminated sign, there shall be either
(1) an illuminated exit sign with the lettering thereon made of the approved phosphorescent material, or
(2) a supplemental exit sign made of the approved phosphorescent material with an opaque text, and placed adjacent to or as close as possible to such illuminated sign.
(b) Except for spaces classified in occupancy groups J-2 and J-3, in long corridors, in open floor areas and in all other situations where the location of the means of egress may not be readily discernible or understood by the occupants, directional signs shall be provided and maintained to serve as guides from all portions of the floor or corridor. These signs shall be of an approved phosphorescent material which after exposure to normal lighting conditions shall be capable of remaining visible in total darkness for a period of at least eight hours. They shall also be washable, non-toxic, non-radioactive, and if subjected to fire must be self-extinguishing when the flame is removed. Except for illuminated signs these signs shall have a phosphorescent background and opaque text. Where a directional sign was required to be illuminated there shall be either
(1) an illuminated directional sign with the lettering, indicator, symbol or other device thereon made of the aforesaid phosphorescent material, or
(2) a supplemental directional sign with the same lettering, indicator, symbol or device as appears on the illuminated sign, but opaque, on a background made of the aforesaid phosphorescent material and placed adjacent to or as close as possible to such illuminated sign.
(c) Except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of any law, the lettering of exit signs shall be of letters of at least eight inches high.
(d) In those buildings not provided with artificial lighting, in those buildings which maintain one or more auxiliary systems for emergency exit lighting in the event of a public utility failure, and in those buildings for which the installation of one or more such auxiliary systems is commenced on or before August sixth, nineteen hundred sixty-nine, the signs need not be phosphorescent but shall otherwise conform to this section.
ARTICLE 11 EMERGENCY POWER
§[C26-610.1] 27-396.4 Requirements.
Where required by this article or any other provision of this code, an emergency power system shall be provided. The emergency power system shall have a power source and fuel supply sufficient to operate the following equipment in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the department, where such equipment is required to be provided by this code:
(a) Fire pumps and booster pumps.
(b) At least three elevators at one time, with manual transfer to other elevators.
(c) Alarm systems.
(d) Communication systems.
(e) Emergency lighting, if battery packs are not provided.
(f) Ventilating systems used for smoke venting or control.
(g) Stair pressurization.
§[C26-610.2] 27-396.5 Registration.
Emergency power generation equipment shall be registered with the department of environmental protection, bureau of air resources in accordance with the requirements of section 24-109 of title twenty-four of the administrative code.
§[C26-610.3] 27-396.6 Applicability.
Emergency power systems meeting the requirements of this article shall be provided in the following buildings and building sections: (a) High rise buildings and building sections classified in occupancy group C, E, G or H.
(b)Buildings and building sections classified in occupancy group E or G which do not exceed seventyfive feet in height but have a gross area of over fifteen thousand square feet per floor or a total gross area of one hundred thousand square feet or more.
(c) Spaces classified in occupancy group F-4 having an occupant load of three hundred or more persons.
(d) Buildings and building sections classified in occupancy group J-1.
(e) Buildings and building sections containing an atrium.