How to mark an escape route? Safety signs

Evacuation of the building should, above all, be carried out smoothly and calmly. It is important to have composure, good organization, but also to properly mark the evacuation route. What safety signs should be there and how they should be arranged to facilitate the entire evacuation process?

Safety signs clearly indicating the direction of evacuation

Safety signs on the evacuation route should always be placed in such places where there may be doubt about which way to go next. Thus, this applies to m.in. the following safety signs:

• Direction of the escape route
• Direction to the exit of the escape route up the stairs to the right
• Direction to the exit of the escape route down the stairs to the left
• Direction to the exit of the escape route to the left

This means that at every fork in the road or the appearance of a door or staircase, an appropriate sign must be posted to indicate the further direction of the escape route.

Visible and unambiguous safety signs

The escape route must be marked accurately and unambiguously. So each sign should indicate exactly how to proceed. In addition, safety signs must be visible. This is influenced by their size.

In order for safety signs on the evacuation route to be visible, they must also be properly illuminated. So you have to place them in the right way in relation to the light sources. The best solution is to mount the signs opposite the light source. It is also necessary to ensure the visibility of pictograms in the absence of lighting, such as in the event of an emergency. For this reason, photoluminescent safety signs, that is, those that glow in the dark, are produced.

The speed and success of the evacuation at all in an emergency and life-threatening situation depends on what safety signs are placed on the evacuation route, and how they are placed.