Egress Group is actively involved in developing new concepts in wayfinding, with a new form of exit and emergency signage. Everyone needs a safe working environment or safe public space. Safe accessible exit and emergency signage strategies should form part of any emergency egress solution for a building or facility.
We even established an international campaign that promotes the need for an accessible means of egress in all buildings, this is called The Accessible Exit Sign Project.
There is now a growing awareness around the need to provide suitable exit signs showing an accessible path out of a building. These signs are available in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, United States and Canada and are manufactured by licensees using the Egress Group images and interest continues to grow in their use. Please visit the Egress Group international website for more information on licensing – www.egressgroup.net.
Accessible exits are important for all occupants. Information during an emergency is critical and the use of an accessible form of exit signs, with Braille and tactile components, will help provide the necessary information to occupants so that they people can make appropriate decisions based on their own abilities and exit path options available.
The adoption of the Accessible Means of Egress Icon on exit signs could help to identify the accessible path from a building or facility, and could include:
- To direct people to Exit Doors provided an illuminated sign over each exit door, or to direct you to a required exit door.
- Exit Doors, on the wall adjacent to any required Exit Door, at an accessible height.
- Emergency Evacuation Lifts, by providing a sign adjacent to the lift, at an accessible height.
- Refuge Areas (or Refuge Points) within fire protected compartments of the building such as a fire-isolated stair landing, where people requiring assistance can move to.
- Emergency Evacuation Chairs within Refuge Areas (i.e. on enlarged fire stair landings).
- Paths of travel from accessible exits leading to a Safe Area or Assembly Area outside the building.
You can read more about this concept on the following websites:
- The Accessible Exit Sign Project
- The Universal Design Meets the Exit Sign
- Egress Group Pty Ltd licensing website
Visit www.egressgroup.net to learn more or discuss the use of the accessible exit signs with your building surveyor or fire engineer.