ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area EXIT signs

I was called to a small office building to relamp their exit signs and they asked about adding some signs in another part of the building. One thing I noticed with the existing signs is that they are dark upon loss of power. They have no backup battery and the building does not have an emergency power generator. So I was wondering what the proper application of EXIT signs is?
Does the situation call for battery-backed EXIT signs?
Don

This is a pretty tricky area. The NEC does not require exit signs. They are required by OSHA, the Life Safety Code and building codes for most occupancy. If your building did not legally require an emergency system, and it seems it didn’t, only a reliable source of power is required. That is not necessarily generator or battery backed. The installation is probably OK. If the building were legally required to have an emergency system the exit signs would have to be wired per NEC article 700. This would require a second source of power.
Nick

Here in Minneapolis, the Fire Marshall determines the location, type and retrofit requirements. The Electrical Inspector sees that the power is installed to the NEC.

Al