Not all emergency lights are created equal. While standard thermoplastic fixtures are perfect for office settings, Special Use Emergency Lights are engineered for extreme environments, extended runtimes, high-abuse areas, or international electrical systems. These advanced fixtures are purpose-built to address needs that go beyond standard code requirements.
What Are Special Use Emergency Lights?
Special use units are designed to operate in situations where traditional 90-minute backup lighting may be insufficient or where fixtures face environmental stress, abuse, or complex voltage configurations. Examples include:
- High-abuse public spaces (vandal-prone areas)
- Large-scale industrial operations requiring extended shutdowns
- Regions with unstable power infrastructure
- Global facilities with varied voltage/hertz configurations
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Extended Runtime Emergency Lighting
Standard emergency lights are rated to operate for 90 minutes, which meets NFPA and OSHA codes. However, many industries—such as manufacturing plants, refineries, and power generation facilities—require lighting that remains operational well beyond 90 minutes to safely shut down systems.
Fixtures in this category offer runtimes of 3, 4, 6, 8, and up to 24 hours, making them ideal for:
- Industrial equipment shutdown procedures
- Remote or high-risk environments
- Developing nations with frequent power cycling
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Heavy-Duty Emergency Lights
Heavy duty emergency lights are designed for large industrial settings and feature two high-intensity, fully adjustable lamp heads capable of illuminating wide areas. These models come with impact-resistant enclosures and can be equipped with non-corrosive or polycarbonate housings for wet location compliance.
Vandal-Proof Emergency Lights
Vandal proof emergency lights are ideal for schools, correctional facilities, apartment complexes, and public access areas. These units feature:
- Thick die-cast aluminum housing (0.420")
- Stainless steel hardware
- High-output MR16 halogen lamp heads
- Wet-location rated construction
These fixtures use nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries and are virtually tamper-resistant while delivering powerful light in both indoor and outdoor environments.
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Why 90 Minutes Isn’t Always Enough
While 90 minutes is sufficient for most building evacuations, it may not cover extended crisis events. For example, during the 2011 Fukushima disaster in Japan, power loss lasted for days—highlighting the need for emergency lighting with longer runtimes in certain critical facilities.
In scenarios where systems must be safely shut down to prevent further damage (such as in nuclear, chemical, or refinery settings), longer runtime lighting becomes essential. Even without catastrophic events, frequent blackouts or power instability can compromise a building’s safety plan if lights don't recharge fully between outages.
Applications for Extended Runtime Lights
- Petroleum refineries
- Nuclear power plants
- Automated manufacturing lines
- Facilities in storm-prone or blackout-heavy regions
- Global installations requiring voltage flexibility
Conclusion
Whether you need vandal resistance, extended runtime, or global voltage compatibility, special use emergency lights are designed to meet the most demanding requirements. All models are UL listed and available with multiple battery and lamp head configurations.
When standard 90-minute fixtures won’t cut it, extended runtime and heavy-duty emergency lights offer the performance and durability you need to protect people, equipment, and operations—no matter the circumstance.