This article discusses the strata exit sign 90 minute requirement and why non-compliant lights must be replaced.
Question: We’ve been told to replace exit signs that do not stay on for 90 minutes. We are only a small block. Is this a requirement?
For our recent fire audit, we’ve been told to replace exit signs that do not stay on for 90 minutes. A few of our signs only stay on for up to 80 minutes.
Is this a requirement? We only have 12 lots. If owners aren’t out of the building within 10 minutes in a block this size, you would be in trouble.
Answer: If this relates to an annual fire safety statement, there can be no leeway on 90 minutes.
AS2293.1 requires that new exit and emergency lights remain illuminated for 2 hours. The referenced maintenance code for emergency lights is AS2293.2, requiring them to remain illuminated for 90 minutes. Not lasting for 90 minutes indicates degradation from new performance, and, therefore, complete failure could occur at any time.
If this relates to an annual fire safety statement, the assessor must sign (endorse) that measure as performing in accordance with those standards, so there can be no leeway on 90 minutes.
Further reasoning is that the standard operating procedure for the fire brigade entering a building to rescue those remaining and fight the fire is to turn the power off. They do this so firefighters are not crawling through live wires and/or spraying water on them. For this reason, lights operating on battery power for 90 minutes are highly relevant to the overall safety of your building.
The owners should replace the lights not lasting 90 minutes. FYI, Benchmarking shows that exit lights up to 5 or so years ago had an expected life expectancy of 3-5 years due to heat build-up from Fluro tubes destroying its electronics. LED lights have substantially improved this to more than 6-10 years.
This post appears in the July 2024 edition of The NSW Strata Magazine.
Rob Broadhead 2020 Fire Protection E: rob.broadhead@2020fire.com.au P: 1300 340 210