Emergency lighting plays a critical role in safely guiding building occupants during power outages or emergencies. This guide explains the different types of emergency lights—thermoplastic, steel, wet location, hazardous, and more—so you can select the right fixture for your commercial or industrial needs.
What Is Emergency Lighting Used For?
Emergency lighting ensures safe egress during an emergency by illuminating exit routes in the event of a power failure. Whether it's a fire, blackout, or hazardous incident, these fixtures provide critical visibility to help occupants evacuate safely. Emergency lights are required by NEC and OSHA in all commercial, industrial, and public buildings.
Types of Emergency Lights
Wall‑Mounted & Ceiling‑Mounted Units
The most common emergency lights are wall‑ or ceiling‑mounted units with dual adjustable lamp heads and internal battery backup. These fixtures automatically illuminate corridors, stairwells, and exit pathways during a power failure to guide occupants safely.
LED-based units are now standard, offering energy savings and longevity, with compact NiMH, NiCd, or Lithium batteries included.
Recessed Emergency Lights
Recessed fixtures are installed flush with the ceiling or walls, offering a discreet and architectural look. They maintain the same emergency performance with a 90‑minute runtime but blend seamlessly with interior designs.
Remote‑Head Emergency Lights
Remote-head units allow the main housing (battery and circuitry) to be concealed while placing lamp heads at strategic locations. They're connected by cable and illuminate for 90 minutes during outages. These are ideal for high-ceiling spaces like warehouses or atriums, where extended coverage is needed.
High‑Output & Area Lights
High-output models feature powerful LEDs or HID lamp heads designed to cover large open areas such as warehouses, manufacturing floors, or parking structures. These units ensure code-compliant light levels and are often rated for harsh environments.
Wet‑Location & Hazardous‑Location Lights
For outdoor or corrosive environments, wet-location emergency lights come with waterproof housings and cold-weather batteries. Hazardous-location fixtures (e.g., Class I Division 1) are explosion‑proof and built to strict safety standards for flammable gas or dust zones.
Self‑Testing & Smart Emergency Lights
Modern units often include built-in diagnostic systems that automatically run monthly and annual tests, logging results per NFPA and OSHA codes. Some can integrate with building automation systems for centralized monitoring.
Exit Lights & Egress Path Lighting
Though not emergency lights per se, exit signs and egress path lighting (floor‑level) are essential complementary components. Together, they form a complete life‑safety system—exit signs provide directional guidance while emergency lights ensure route visibility.
Temporary or Standby Emergency Lights
These fixtures are used in critical environments—like hospitals, data centers, or prisons—where operations must continue during power loss. These lights are designed to remain on for at least 90 minutes using internal battery backups.
- Thermoplastic: Affordable, lightweight, indoor-rated fixtures.
- Steel: Durable, remote-capable lights for warehouses and industrial use.
- Wet Location: Waterproof fixtures rated for outdoor or cold climates.
- Architectural: Sleek designs for upscale commercial interiors.
- Hazardous Location: Explosion-proof units for flammable or corrosive environments.
Illuminated vs. Non-Illuminated Exit Signs
Exit signs come in two broad categories: illuminated and non-illuminated.
Illuminated Exit Signs
These signs are powered by electricity and often include LED lighting and a battery backup system. They're ideal for indoor areas with access to power and are required in most commercial settings.
Non-Illuminated Exit Signs
Non-powered signs don’t require electricity and are ideal for off-grid, remote, or high-humidity areas. They reduce maintenance costs and operate independently of the power grid. Two main types are:
- Tritium Exit Signs: Self-luminous signs that use tritium gas, a radioactive isotope, to glow for up to 20 years. They are UL 924 compliant and ideal for harsh or power-restricted environments. No wiring or batteries required.
- Photoluminescent Exit Signs: These glow-in-the-dark signs absorb ambient light and emit illumination during outages. Best for facilities with consistent lighting exposure and a need for maintenance-free egress signage.
Where Are Emergency Lights Required?
Emergency lights must be installed in any area where people may need to evacuate. Common locations include:
- Office buildings
- Theaters and churches
- Retail stores and shopping malls
- Warehouses and factories
- Government and institutional facilities
Emergency Lighting Requirements
- Must activate automatically during power loss
- Minimum 90-minute runtime on battery power
- Provide at least 1 foot-candle of illumination, measured 1 foot above floor level
System design should be handled by professionals to ensure full compliance with egress lighting codes and sufficient light distribution.
Construction of Emergency Lights
Each emergency light typically consists of a housing with a rechargeable battery, circuit board, transformer, and lamp heads. When the power fails, the battery kicks in to power the light for the full 90-minute requirement. LED and fluorescent versions are both available, with LED models offering greater energy efficiency and lifespan.