Article 7 - Exit Signs and Other Markings

Section 27-383

Section 27-383

  §  27-383 Requirements. (a) Exit signs. Except in occupancy groups J-2
and J-3, the location of every exit on every  floor  and  every  opening
from  a  room  classified in occupancy group J-1 and containing cubicles
shall be clearly indicated by exit signs. Such signs shall be placed  at
an  angle  with  the  exit opening if such placement is required for the
signs to serve their purpose. In long corridors, in  open  floor  areas,
and  in  all  other situations where the location of the exit may not be
readily visible or understood, directional signs shall  be  provided  to
serve as guides from all portions of the corridor or floor.
  (b)  Exit path markings in high rise office buildings and in occupancy
group E high rise buildings. On and after July 1,  2006  all  high  rise
office  buildings  and  all  high rise buildings classified in occupancy
group E shall have exit path markings conforming  to  this  subdivision.
This  provision  shall  be  retroactive  and  shall  apply  to buildings
constructed on and after such date and to buildings in existence on such
date. All exit path markings required herein shall  be  of  an  approved
photoluminescent  material.  The  markings shall be washable, non-toxic,
non radioactive, and if subjected to fire  must  be  self  extinguishing
when the flame is removed.
  (1)  All  doors  opening  to  corridors,  to  an  exit,  or to an exit
passageway, shall be marked with the word "exit".
  (2)  Within  exit  stairs,  horizontal  extensions  in  exit   stairs,
horizontal  exits,  supplemental  vertical  exits  and exit passageways,
except within street level lobbies, there shall be directional markings.
  (3) Required markings for exit paths shall comply with  the  technical
standards  for installation and placement to be set forth in a reference
standard. Such reference standard shall be designated RS 6-1  and  shall
be adopted on or before January 1, 2006.

Section 27-383.1

Section 27-383.1

  §  27-383.1 Additional requirements for high rise office buildings and
occupancy group E high rise buildings. In high rise office buildings and
in occupancy group E high rise buildings:
  (a) Illuminated exit signs  complying  with  section  27-386  of  this
subchapter  shall  be placed in stairwells with horizontal extensions to
indicate the transition from vertical to  horizontal  direction  and  at
turns along the horizontal path.
  (b)  A supplementary sign complying with sections 27-394 and 27-395 of
this subchapter, except that the lettering  and  numerals  shall  be  at
least  one  inch  high,  indicating  the location of a recessed re-entry
door, shall be securely attached on the wall of the landing  that  faces
the evacuee on the stairs.
  (c)  In  stairs where there is no entry or exiting from such stair for
more than four floors, a sign complying with sections 27-394 and 27-395,
except that the lettering and numerals shall be at least one inch  high,
shall  be  securely  attached  at the beginning of the descent into such
portion of the stair on the wall of the landing that faces  the  evacuee
on  the  stairs  stating  the  location  of the next re-entry or exiting
floor. On each floor within such portion of the stair a  sign  complying
with  sections  27-392 and 27-395 shall be securely attached to the wall
of the landing that faces the evacuee on the stairs  approximately  five
feet above the floor indicating the floor number.
  (d) Signs shall be readily visible from the egress direction.
  (e)  High  rise office buildings and high rise buildings classified in
occupancy group E in existence on the effective  date  of  this  section
shall  comply  with  this  section  on  or  before July 1, 2007. For the
purpose of this section, a high rise building shall be deemed to  be  in
existence  on  the  effective  date of this section if on such effective
date it is complete or under construction or where  an  application  for
approval  of plans was filed with the department prior to such effective
date and construction commenced within two years  after  such  effective
date.

Section 27-384

Section 27-384

  § 27-384 Power source. (a) Where a total of more than four exit and/or
directional  signs  is  required,  the  signs  shall  be connected to an
emergency power source or  to  storage  battery  equipment  meeting  the
requirements  of  the  commissioner, provided, however, that in existing
buildings, the signs may be on  circuits  that  are  separate  from  the
general lighting and power circuits, taken off ahead of the main switch.
  (b) Existing high rise buildings classified in occupancy group C, D or
H  and  existing  buildings  classified  in  occupancy group E, G or J-1
(except for "residential  hotels,"  as  such  term  is  defined  by  the
commissioner  pursuant  to  rules and regulations) shall comply with the
requirements of this section on or before April first, nineteen  hundred
eighty-seven.
  (c)  Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the existing buildings required
to comply with subdivision (b) of this section, all such  existing  exit
and/or  directional signs on circuits taken off ahead of the main switch
shall be connected to an emergency power source or  to  storage  battery
equipment meeting the requirements of the commissioner on or before July
1, 2007.

Section 27-385

Section 27-385

  § 27-385 Exit sign design. Exit signs shall read only "exit" and shall
be  of the externally lighted, internally lighted, or electroluminescent
type, except that they may be nonilluminated in buildings  not  provided
with artificial lighting.
  (a)  The  artificial  light  source  on externally lighted signs shall
provide a red light, either by the use of an incandescent  colored  bulb
or other visible red light source, so as to provide at least twenty-five
foot  candles  on  the  exposed face of the sign. Visibility of the sign
shall not be obscured by the location of the light source.
  (b) For internally lighted signs, the average  initial  brightness  of
the  letters  shall  be  at least twenty-five ft. lamberts, and where an
illuminated background is used, its average initial brightness shall  be
at  least  two hundred fifty ft. lamberts. The light source shall not be
modified or changed nor shall lamp life multipliers be  used  so  as  to
reduce these brightness levels.
  (c)  The  letters  of  exit  signs  shall  be  red.  The background of
externally lighted signs shall be white. The  background  of  internally
lighted signs shall be either stenciled metal with a light gray or white
color,  or translucent frosted, opal glass, slow-burning plastic, or the
plastic edge-glow type with white plastic separators.  The  letters  for
internally lighted signs shall be translucent red.
  (d)  The  letters  shall be block lettering at least four and one-half
inches high with nine-sixteenths inch strokes, except in  buildings  and
spaces  classified  in occupancy group F and J-1, where they shall be at
least eight inches high with the strokes at least three-quarters  of  an
inch wide.
  (e)  In  locations  where  breakage  may occur, exit signs shall be of
shock resistant materials,  or  shall  otherwise  be  protected  against
breakage.
  (f)  Except  for  buildings  not provided with artificial lighting and
buildings which maintain one or more  auxiliary  systems  for  emergency
exit  lighting  in the event of a public utility failure, there shall be
either (1) an illuminated exit sign with the background thereon made  of
an approved phosphorescent material or (2) a supplemental exit sign made
of  an  approved  phosphorescent material with an opaque text and placed
adjacent to or as close  as  possible  to  such  illuminated  sign.  The
phosphorescent  material  after  exposure  to normal lighting conditions
shall be capable of remaining visible in total darkness for a period  of
at   least   eight  hours.  The  signs  shall  be  washable,  non-toxic,
non-radioactive and if subjected to fire must be self-extinguishing when
the flame is removed.

Section 27-386

Section 27-386

  §  27-386 Directional sign design. Directional exit signs shall comply
with all of the requirements for exit signs in section  27-385  of  this
article,  and  shall  read  "EXIT"  with  a  horizontal  arrow or arrows
indicating the direction to the exit or exits. However, when  the  arrow
is  below the letters, the letters may be three and three-eighths inches
high and nine-sixteenths inch strokes, except in  buildings  and  spaces
classified in occupancy group F where they shall be at least five inches
high  with  nine-sixteenths  inch  strokes. The arrow or arrows shall be
red.

Section 27-387

Section 27-387

  §  27-387  False exits. Any door, passageway, stair, or other means of
communication that is not an exit or that is not a way to an  exit,  but
is  so located as to be mistaken for an exit, shall be identified with a
sign reading "NOT AN EXIT", shall be identified by a sign indicating its
use or purpose or shall be provided with a directional exit sign.