Emergency and exit lighting

Emergency and exit lighting in Edmonton: installation, upgrades to pictogram exit signs, battery units and remote heads, and testing with records for fire inspections.

Why it matters

When the power fails in a building, whether from a storm, a fault or a fire, people still need to find their way out. Emergency lighting lights the path; exit signs show the direction. Both are required in most commercial, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings.

We install, upgrade, test and repair emergency and exit lighting for offices, shops, restaurants, warehouses, plants and apartment buildings around Edmonton.

What the code requires

Emergency lighting and exit signs are governed by the Alberta Building Code, which sets where they are needed, and the Alberta Fire Code, which sets how they are maintained and tested. The electrical installation follows the Canadian Electrical Code.

In general, emergency lighting must light exits, corridors and other paths people use to leave, and must run on battery or another backup source for a set time when normal power fails. Exit signs must be visible along the path and at changes in direction. The exact requirements depend on building type, occupancy and when the building was built or renovated, so we check them for your building.

Equipment we install

• Battery units with built-in heads for corridors, stairwells and open areas.
• Remote heads powered by a central battery unit, to light more area from one battery.
• Combination units with an exit sign and heads in one.
• Exit signs with self-diagnostics that flag faults automatically.
• Units rated for cold or damp locations like warehouses and parkades.

In buildings with a generator, some emergency lighting may be powered from the generator instead. See emergency and backup power.

Testing and records

Emergency lighting only helps if it works when needed. Batteries age, lamps fail and units get knocked out of aim. The Fire Code requires regular inspection and testing, typically including frequent quick checks and a longer annual test that runs the units on battery for their full rated time. The exact intervals and records depend on your building, and a fire inspector may ask to see them.

We can take care of testing on a schedule, replace failed batteries and lamps, and keep records in our online job management system. This fits well into a commercial maintenance plan.

Cost

Cost depends on the number of units and signs, ceiling heights, whether new circuits are needed, the type of equipment and how many locations need upgrading. Testing programs are priced by the number of units and the visit frequency.

Common problems we find on first visits include units with dead batteries, heads aimed at the ceiling after renovations, exit signs hidden behind new signage or shelving, and areas that were added or reconfigured without updating the emergency lighting. Any time you renovate or change a layout, it is worth checking that the emergency lighting still covers the new path out.

Questions we hear