04 Mar The Impact of Commercial Emergency Lighting

Emergency lighting is a crucial component of any high-functioning commercial facility. When you take a look around almost any business, warehouse, or other commercial enterprise, you can easily spot emergency lighting systems all around.

By law, emergency lighting is required, offering numerous benefits to both property owners and the people who visit their businesses. Utilize commercial lighting services to install an emergency lighting system to keep people safe and potentially save lives.

Every Business Needs Emergency Lighting

Keeping staff, customers, and guests safe is one of the most vital responsibilities of owning a commercial property. Several different entities regulate the use of commercial emergency lighting for businesses across all industries and sectors. Your property will need an emergency lighting system to pass a commercial fire inspection.

When setting up your commercial emergency lighting system, ensure that you are up to the localized standards of each of these organizations:

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• International Building and Fire Codes
• The Joint Commission (TJC)

Local codes and regulations may vary from state to state, but the overarching goal is the same: emergency lighting protects commercial and industrial entities from liabilities. Below, we’ll discuss the benefits of emergency lighting systems even further, but first, let’s look at the potential hazards that can happen without emergency lighting in place.

The Dangers of Non-Compliance

As we mentioned earlier, it’s almost impossible to find a commercial building without an emergency lighting system already built into the property. Emergency lighting systems are so prevalent because they provide immense safety benefits for both property owners and employees or visitors. Plus, they’re regulated by a variety of industry organizations and require compliance on commercial properties.

Without an emergency lighting system in place, commercial property owners run the risk of experiencing any of the following issues:

• Emergency exits are not visible.
• Emergency exit routes are not apparent in case of fires or other emergencies.
• Primary power failure causes a total loss of lighting (blackout)

Installing an emergency lighting system that complies with local and federal regulations ensures that employees and visitors can see and access emergency routes and exits quickly in case of a fire, flooding, gas leak, or other emergency issue.

The Biggest Benefits of Commercial Emergency Lighting

Leaving a commercial building without an emergency lighting system leaves property owners wide open for a ton of liabilities and potential fines. With all the benefits that a commercial emergency lighting system provides, every business or property owner should make installing one a top priority.

1. Improves Safety

First off, commercial emergency lighting systems help to vastly improve a property’s safety. Adequate lighting allows employees to move freely around their work area without worrying about tripping or falling over things. There are several different types of emergency lighting systems that commercial property owners can install to improve on safety levels, including:

• LED lighting
• Fluorescent
• Incandescent
• Solar-powered lighting systems

Improved visibility is also critical when it comes to emergency situations, and any of these types of lighting systems can help show the right way out (although LED lighting systems have the longest lifespan).

If there is ever a fire or other issue requiring staff and other visitors to move away from the facility fast, proper emergency lighting will illuminate the appropriate exit path.

2. Increases Security

Commercial emergency lighting can also provide additional protection and security for commercial properties. Motion-activated lighting, floodlights, and other additional emergency lighting products will help your building’s staff and visitors feel safer as they work or stay.

Safety lighting is a perfect solution for businesses across a variety of industries. If you need protection for valuable products, confidential projects, or have other safety concerns for your commercial property, an emergency lighting system can help put your mind at ease.

3. Makes Entry and Exiting Easier

Sometimes the people on a commercial property, whether it’s staff or customers, have to make a quick exit through emergency doors during safety drills or real emergencies. Proper emergency lighting enables employees and customers to move quickly towards the exit doors without meeting any obstacles or accessibility issues.

4. Meets Fire Safety Standards

As stated previously, emergency lighting systems also help improve safety, especially in the event of a fire. Every commercial building must meet local and federal fire safety standards by installing emergency lighting systems.

Complying with fire safety regulations is crucial if you want to keep customers and employees safe. Exit signs and other features of commercial emergency lighting systems ensure that all inhabitants can find a safe way out of the building in case of a fire, natural gas leak, or other dire emergencies.

5. Covers You in Case of Power Failure

Another issue that commercial property owners sometimes face is power failures. Main power failure can be caused by several factors, such as storm damage to power lines, failures at local energy facilities, short circuits, and other problems.

With an emergency lighting system in place, you have a backup source of light if there is ever a power outage or failure. Emergency lighting is especially important in warehouse and factory environments where access to natural light is limited. You don’t want employees stuck in the dark without a safe route to the emergency exits, so consider installing a commercial emergency lighting system right away.

6. An Environmentally-Friendly Option

These days, many commercial business owners have concerns about how much energy their businesses consume. Replacing an existing lighting system with an updated LED lighting system is an excellent way to improve your commercial property’s sustainability.

LED lights are bright and have an incredibly long lifespan, so you don’t have to worry about continually replacing and throwing away old light bulbs. LED is an energy-efficient option that can save your commercial space some money while still providing adequate emergency systems lighting. You can learn more about the fantastic benefits of LED lighting here.

Commercial Emergency Lighting Can Save Lives

When your business experiences a real emergency, you want to ensure that employees and customers can easily access emergency exits and make their way to safety. Commercial emergency lighting systems are an invaluable resource for any type of commercial entity.

Comply with local and federal fire safety regulations, OSHA codes, and other requirements with a properly installed commercial emergency lighting system. These types of lighting systems are sustainable, so they save you money, but more importantly, they also save lives. Don’t let safety fall by the wayside; install a commercial emergency lighting system today.