Emergency lighting is a collective name and covers a host of functionalities. The definitions are derived from the harmonised European application standard NEN-EN 1838, "Lighting applications - Emergency lighting".
Emergency lighting acts as a back-up when the power for the normal lighting fails, and therefore has its own dedicated power supply. Emergency lighting is subdivided into emergency evacuation lighting and substitute lighting. Emergency evacuation lighting helps people during an emergency and the subsequent power failure to leave the location safely, or to first shut down a (dangerous) process before they leave. Substitute lighting is regular lighting that switches on when the power fails and ensures that normal activity can be continued under virtually the same conditions. For this, the primary motive is not safety but rather technical or economic. Substitute lighting is not covered further on this website.
Emergency evacuation lighting covers escape route lighting, escape route signage, anti-panic lighting and lighting for high-risk workplaces.
- Escape route lighting: is intended to help you see where you are walking. It ensures that escape routes and any obstacles are properly identified so that premises can be exited safely. In the Netherlands an escape route must be illuminated by at least 1 lux.
- Escape route signalisation: is intended to show you where you have to go. It marks the escape route, is permanently illuminated and can be identified by pictograms and colours that show how a building or structure can be exited.
- Anti-panic lighting: allows people to reach a place from which they can take an escape route during an emergency. The minimum lighting level for this form of emergency lighting in the Netherlands is 1 lux.
- Lighting for high-risk workplaces: is present for the safety of people who, as part of their work, are responsible for (dangerous) processes or who can end up in a dangerous situation. The lighting allows them to perform the correct shut-down procedure so that the safety of other people in the building is not endangered. The lighting level for this application is 10% of the normal lighting intensity and is subject to a minimum value of 15 lux.