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Emergency lighting plan for large public retail shopping malls
Release time：2024-11-16 10:41
Modern retail shopping malls as urban commercial public activity center ----- densely populated and the largest area of the place, once the fire, power failure and other emergencies, safety emergency lights system can be quickly and effectively start, directly related to the safe evacuation of people and the protection of mall property.
Therefore, shopping mall emergency lights plan is a very important link. In particular, the emergency lights system is not only a requirement of laws and regulations for large public retail shopping malls, but also a basic measure to protect the safety of customers and employees.
This paper will discuss emergency lights solutions for large public retail shopping malls and understanding of emergency lights standards and regulations in each country, and provide some best practices and design guidelines for emergency lights systems to help mall managers better implement and manage this system.
Emergency lights regulations and standards for shopping malls and other public buildings in the United States:
Emergency lights for shopping malls and other public buildings in the United States is subject to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
Major U.S. Standards and Regulations:
NFPA 101: Life Safety Code
NFPA 101 is one of the most important life safety codes in the U.S., dealing with emergency lights and escape requirements for buildings. It specifies that emergency lights fixtures must continue to operate for at least 90 minutes after a power outage and requires that the lights provide sufficient light to direct the safe evacuation of people.
For large retail shopping malls, evacuation lights must cover all passageways, stairways, exits and other areas to ensure that people can evacuate quickly and safely in an emergency.
The code also emphasizes the requirement for emergency exit marker lights to ensure that evacuation paths are clearly visible in any poorly lit environment.
U.S. OSHA Standards (29 CFR 1910.37)
OSHA requires that all workplaces, including commercial retail environments, must provide an effective emergency lights system, especially in the event of a power failure.OSHA states that the emergency lights system must be capable of providing sufficient brightness in an emergency and maintain continuous illumination for at least 90 minutes in the event of a power failure.
lights in shopping malls, especially in evacuation routes such as entrances, exits and passageways, must comply with the code.
U.S.IBC (International Building Code)
The IBC is an American building design and construction standard that requires emergency lights systems in commercial buildings to provide adequate illumination in the event of a fire, power outage or other emergency to ensure the safe evacuation of the building occupants.
Emergency lights regulations and standards in the UK:
In the UK, standards and regulations relating to emergency lights are mainly set and enforced by the British Standards Institution (BSI) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The main standards and regulations in the UK are:
BS 5266-1: Emergency lights
BS 5266-1 is the core British Standard for emergency lights systems and requires that emergency lights systems in commercial buildings must be capable of maintaining illumination in the event of a power failure or other emergency to ensure rapid evacuation. The standard requires emergency lights systems to last between 1 and 3 hours and to have a lights intensity of 1 lux (the lowest level of illumination in the evacuation path).
Emergency lights systems in shopping malls need to cover all public areas, evacuation routes and emergency exits, and should comply with signage requirements so that people can find the safest route out of the mall in dark conditions.
HSE Regulations (The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999)
Under the HSE regulations, all employers must ensure that their workplaces have adequate emergency lights, particularly in the event of a power failure, and that the lights system provides sufficient illumination to guide staff and customers to evacuate safely.
Emergency lights regulations and standards in Europe:
Emergency lights regulations in Europe are mainly guided by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Union (EU) regulatory framework.
The main standards and regulations:
EN 1838: lights Applications - Emergency lights
EN 1838 is the European standard for emergency lights and applies to all buildings requiring emergency lights, including shopping malls. The standard states that emergency lights must provide adequate visibility for evacuation, requiring a minimum illuminance of 1lux to be maintained during an emergency. The system should also be designed to ensure that the emergency lights will continue to operate for at least one hour after a power failure.
In addition, EN 1838 requires that all emergency lights must be capable of automatic activation in the event of an emergency and have sufficient battery life to ensure that the necessary lights is provided in the event of a power failure.
EU Directive 2006/95/EC (Low Voltage Directive)
The EU Low Voltage Directive stipulates that emergency lights systems must comply with electrical safety standards. These standards are designed to ensure that equipment can safely provide sufficient light in the event of a power failure or electrical fault to avoid any electrical safety hazards.
Emergency lights regulations and standards in Australia:
In Australia, emergency lights in shopping malls and other public buildings must comply with AS 2293.1.
The main standards and regulations:
AS 2293.1: Emergency Evacuation lights
AS 2293.1 is the Australian Standard for Emergency Evacuation lights and requires all commercial buildings, including shopping malls, to be equipped with an effective emergency lights system to ensure that adequate lights is provided to guide evacuation in an emergency.
The emergency lights equipment needs to be able to operate for at least one hour after power failure and must be able to provide a minimum illumination level of 1lux to ensure the visibility of evacuation routes and emergency exits.
Emergency lights regulations and standards in Canada：
In Canada, emergency lights standards for shopping malls and other buildings are regulated by the National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) and the Canadian Electrical Code (CEC).
Key Standards and Regulations:
National Building Code of Canada (NBCC)
The NBCC requires that emergency lights systems in commercial buildings must be capable of ensuring that evacuees are able to leave the building quickly and safely, especially in the event of a fire, power outage or other emergency.
The standard requires emergency lights systems to provide continuous illumination for at least 90 minutes in the event of a power failure.
Canadian Electrical Code (CEC)
The CEC establishes safety requirements for electrical equipment to ensure that the power supply to the emergency lights system is not interrupted during an emergency and that the lights equipment operates properly.
What is an emergency lights system?
Emergency lights system refers to the lights system that is used to ensure safe escape and evacuation guidelines and rescue work by firefighters when there is an interruption in the power supply of normal lights.
Intelligent emergency lights systems are emergency lights devices that are automatically activated in the event of a circuit interruption. These devices usually include emergency lights escape exit signage, emergency lights evacuation indicator lights, and LED emergency lights fixtures. Guidance, lights, and escape are provided in emergency situations.
For large retail shopping malls, implementing a complete emergency lights plan includes the following key components:
Mall emergency lights system components.
Emergency lights design and installation.
Emergency lights Periodic Inspection and Maintenance.
Compliance Inspections & Code Compliance.
What can Emtrons emergency lights specialists do for hotel emergency lights?
Intelligent remote controlled DALI 2.0 emergency lights system:
Emtrons Emergency lights Experts specialize in providing DALI 2.0 emergency lights solutions. Our DALI2.0 systems are professionally designed and rigorously certified to fully comply with international emergency standards and regulations. Whether in the cold or the heat of the tropics, Emtrons DALI 2.0 emergency lights systems are able to operate stably and provide reliable security for all types of premises.
Increased efficiency:
Emtrons emergency specialists not only provide high-quality emergency lights solutions, but also a full range of emergency lights products. We are committed to providing our customers with a comprehensive emergency lights professional service from a single source.
Compliance with international regulations:
Emtrons products have been awarded the ENEC 18 mark, UKCA UK certification and TUV mark, enabling Emtrons to provide customers with emergency lights products that meet regulatory requirements for safety and security.
Sustainability:
Emtrons provides emergency lights systems that typically utilize LED emergency lights fixtures, DALI 2.0 intelligent emergency systems, which can provide emergency lights in emergency situations while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.
Large shopping mall emergency lighting system should include the following parts:
Mall emergency lighting escape indicator exit signs (lights) are an integral part of the emergency lighting system. These Led green emergency exit signs can guide shoppers to quickly find their way out in case of a power outage, avoiding confusion and panic. For large shopping malls, multiple exits and passageways require led emergency lighting to ensure that safe exits can be found from any location.
Evacuation indicator emergency lights evacuation indicator lights provide a clear indication of evacuation escape routes in large shopping mall areas where normal lighting fails. They are usually set up along passageways, stairways and other key locations in the mall to ensure that crowds can be directed quickly in the event of an emergency.
Backup emergency lighting for shopping malls: Critical areas within malls such as reception, first aid stations and electrical control rooms require backup lighting to ensure that these areas remain operational in the event of a power failure.
How to design and implement an emergency lighting system?
Layout of emergency lighting fixtures: the power supply scheme provides, in the event of evacuation emergency lighting fixtures are set up in critical locations such as evacuation routes, stairwells, aisles, etc., to ensure that personnel in an emergency can quickly find their way to the exits.
Assessing risks and developing a plan before designing an emergency lighting system, malls need to conduct a risk assessment. The results of the assessment will help the mall determine which areas are potential risk points and prioritize where emergency lighting should be installed. For large retail malls, emergency lighting installations should cover every common area, including shopping areas, food and beverage areas, parking lots, and so on.
Choose the right equipment Different emergency lighting equipment has different functions and characteristics. When choosing, shopping malls should select the right equipment according to specific needs. For example, LED emergency lighting fixtures should have sufficient brightness and continuous operating time, while emergency escape exit signage lights need to be designed to be clearly visible and automatically activated in case of emergency.
Regular inspection and maintenance Emtrons DALI 2.0 emergency lighting system can be controlled and tested remotely. Therefore, regular inspection and maintenance saves time and labor costs. Shopping malls should conduct regular testing of lighting equipment to ensure that all equipment works properly in case of emergency. At the same time, malls should have a maintenance program for emergency lighting to ensure the long-term effectiveness of the equipment.
Compliance with local regulations and standards Different regions and countries have different regulations and standards for emergency lighting systems in public buildings. Shopping malls should ensure that the emergency lighting system they design and install complies with local laws and regulations. A compliance check not only reduces legal risks, but also ensures that the mall has the support of the local fire department in the event of an emergency.
