exit signs - on the floor?

[vbhelpski]

Was looking around for ways to clean egg off the house and saw an 'exit' sign post.... which peak my interest in this question that I have asked for years.

I've been in two fires. One in a dorm where someone's candle fell on LP records, another where a guys bed caught on fire. In both cases the black silky smoke that these fires created, especially that LP blaze, rose to the ceiling and completely blocked well lighted exit signs. You couldn't see a trace.

I've always thought that fire exit signs belonged on the floor. I've recently seen some there in Hotels. Is this code yet? Exit signs above the door are worthless in a fire, at least in my experience.

[Dan C]

You must have this group confused with "alt.hotel.repair"......

[Chip C]

This is a little off-topic for a.h.r. but an interesting question.

I remember seeing exit signs mounted about a foot off the floor somewhere too; I think it was in Japan about 7 years ago. I don't think I've seen them in the U.S. or Canada. I have no idea what US or Canadian code says, but certainly among the safety aware there is wide awareness that the top part of any space becomes think with smoke as a fire progresses.

However, there are counterarguments. Much evacuation is done well before the smoke spreads, and even for reasons other than fire (bomb threats, personal security threats); and low-level exit signs are blocked from view by crowds, debris and furniture. Obviously a simple solution is to have them in both spots.

I think the stock response is to take note of the exits when you enter a room, memorize the little maps on the back of your room door, etc.

I'd like to see a standard scheme to distinguish emergency-only exits (opening door triggers alarm, or door unlocks only if alarm is triggered) from routine ways out.

Chip C Toronto

[vbhelpski]

How is this for bazaar. AFter the World Trade Center disaster I often thought about putting a couple hundred feet of rope, gloves and a hammer in my suitcase. I haven't felt comfortable in a hotel room from which I can't jump for years. Paranoia?

And with that I leave it. :-)

Chip C wrote:

[John Harlow]

I have a rope and gloves in my light plane flight bag.

[Frank J Warner]

In my new 2800 sq ft shop the exit signs are in both places: One above each door, one next to each door just above the baseboard.

-Frank

[Goedjn]

YOu don't want rope for that, you want 5/16" kevlar cord, and a couple of carbiners.

>

[HeyBub]

And they let you get on a plane with that stuff?

[TKM]

There's a growing consensus that a near-to-floor location would provide better exit-sign visibility under the conditions that you describe. The Lighting Research Center did some visibility research on the subject and you can find it at:

But, as you can imagine, there are years-old practices to consider. People are used to looking up, not down, for exit information so any changes are likely to take some time or involve signs in both locations. In the US, local codes determine such practices with guidance and standards from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

TKM

[Stormin Mormon]

I've seen baseboard level exit signs. Not often, but it sure is a good idea.

[maradcliff]

Personally, I dont need a sign to tell me where an exit is. I just look for a thing called a DOOR. Easily identified by a doorknob with a special feel. I have always thought that a special door knob on doors that exit to the outside would make more sense. That way you dont end up in a closet or some other interior room during a fire. This of course applies to commercial buildings. In a home, it's pretty obvious where the outside doors are, unless you live in a huge mansion.

To the OP of this thread, you ought to be ashamed of yourself burning those LP records. Good music going up in smoke :)

[Dan C]

You've never been in a smoke-filled room, have you? It's not that simple.

Maybe they were Disco LP's, and therefore the world is better off... ;)