Emergency lighting and exit sign service
They install, test and repair battery-pack emergency lights, remote heads, exit signs (including the green 'running man' signs now required in new Canadian buildings), and the inverters or generators that power them. Annual work usually means a full-duration battery discharge test and replacing failed batteries and lamps. Fire extinguisher and alarm companies often do this on the same visit.
Who needs one
Businesses: most commercial, institutional, industrial and multi-unit residential buildings need emergency lighting along exit routes and lit exit signs under the building code. Owners must test and maintain them under the fire code. Homes: not required in single-family homes.
How often
US (NFPA 101): monthly functional test of at least 30 seconds and annual 90-minute full-duration test on battery units. Self-testing units still need a monthly visual check of the indicator. Generators tested monthly under NFPA 110. Canada (NFC 6.5 as adopted): monthly inspection or test of unit equipment, and an annual test for the rated duration, which is usually set by the building code (often 30 minutes for many occupancies, longer for some high or care buildings). Check your province's fire code for exact wording.
What it costs
No reliable public price survey was found. It is usually billed per fixture on a service visit (often bundled with extinguisher service), with batteries and lamps extra. Ask for per-fixture test and per-battery replacement prices in writing.
Codes and standards
- Canada
- NBC Section 3.2.7 (emergency lighting) and 3.4.5 (exit signs, pictogram style in NBC 2010 and later). Maintenance under NFC Section 6.5 and provincial equivalents (e.g., Ontario Fire Code Section 6.5). Unit equipment is certified to CSA C22.2 No. 141. Emergency generators: CSA C282.
- United States
- NFPA 101 Sections 7.9 (emergency lighting) and 7.10 (exit marking), or IBC/IFC Section 1008/1013 where adopted. Generator-backed systems: NFPA 110/111. Electrical: NFPA 70 (NEC) Article 700. Equipment listed to UL 924.
Licences and credentials to look for
- Canada
- BC: ASTTBC 'EM' designation (emergency power and lighting) and 'GS' for generators. Other provinces: a licensed electrical contractor for wiring and repairs (ESA/ECRA in Ontario; CMEQ/RBQ in Quebec). Testing is often done by fire-protection technicians.
- United States
- A licensed electrical contractor for installation and repair (state or local licence). Testing can be done by a trained person, but many AHJs expect a fire-protection service company's report. NFPA 110 generator testing should be done by the generator service provider.
Questions to ask and red flags
- Ask whether the annual test is a full-duration discharge (90 minutes under NFPA 101; the code-set duration in Canada) or just a push-button check. Only the full test meets the annual requirement.
- Ask for a fixture-by-fixture report with battery dates.
- Ask whether they hold the right designation or licence (ASTTBC 'EM' in BC; an electrical licence for repairs).
- Ask whether they will flag non-pictogram exit signs or dark spots on exit routes, without forcing replacements the code does not require for your building.
- Red flag: replacing every battery pack on every visit regardless of test results.
What they install or service: Emergency Lighting, Exit Signs & Fire Doors