Maintenance Free Self Luminous Exit Signs
Buy-and-Forget Exit Signs
One of the best reasons for buying a self luminous exit sign (and there are many) is their incredibly low maintenance requirements. In fact, there aren't any maintenance requirements!
Any electrical exit sign, from the $20 thermoplastic units up to the $1,000+ hazardous location signs, require preventative maintenance checks performed regularly. This is an unseen cost factor that most exit sign distributors don't want you to know.
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A maintenance person will need to be hired if your building does not already have one employed. He or she will be tasked with maintaining these units as well as other emergency fixtures like emergency lights. The more equipment they have to check, the longer their work hours will be.
OSHA Requirements for Self Luminous Exit Signs
The Operational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will routinely send out field agents to inspect buildings for safety violations. Your maintenance person will have to be an expert on all of his/her lifesaving equipment, as well as the overall safety of the building, as the OSHA agent will be asking lots of questions
These agents will demand to see your maintenance logbooks. These books will typically contain:
- A map of all exit signs in the building
- A catalog of all the units
- A log of the monthly and yearly checks performed on each unit, complete with maintenance person initials
Maintenance on Electronic Exit Signs
Your building manager or maintenance person must perform monthly and yearly checks on electronic exit signs and emergency lights.
Monthly Check - test the battery via a diagnostic push-button, which will cut off AC power and switch on the battery backup. Test should take 90 seconds.
Yearly Check - perform the same as above, this time for 90 minutes. You must also open the sign, inspect the circuitry and clean out any unwanted dust or debris.
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These tests, especially the yearly test, is a bane on your maintenance person's existence, since multiple units need to be checked.
Buying self powered exit signs will eliminate the need for all this expensive, time consuming maintenance. However, your maintenance person should have some training with tritium disposal and identification.
