Safety & Health Effects of Shift Work - ASSE Members

WORKPLACE SAFETY
NEMA Launches
Premium Exit Sign Program
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association
(NEMA) Emergency Lighting Section, launched a
Premium Exit Sign Program in April 2011, that
establishes standards for and encourages the use of highperformance
exit signage.
Unlike other NEMA premium programs, this effort
does not focus strictly on energy efficiency. Instead, the
goal of the NEMA Premium Exit Sign Program is to
increase visibility and attract attention. The program is
managed by NEMA and is driven largely by the requirements
set forth in NEMA EM 1 Exit Sign Visibility
Testing Requirements for Safety and Energy Efficiency,
a standard maintained by the Emergency Lighting
Section.
Prior to the creation of this program, the only discerning
mark used on exit signs was that of the Energy Star
program. That exit sign program, which was based solely
on energy efficiency, was terminated a few years ago
after federal mandatory minimum efficiency requirements
were established. Although new signs were better
performers, many people tried to buy products that were
labeled as Energy Star compliant, erroneously thinking
they were better because of the brand recognition.
Essentially, anything labeled as such was old stock.
Now, all exit signs sold in
the U.S. must consume less
than five watts of power per
sign face. This change in labeling
left a void in the marketplace
since many consumers
prefer to acquire and use products
that are in some way(s) a
step above others. The NEMA
Emergency Lighting Section
responded to this need first by
writing and publishing NEMA
EM 1 and has followed through
by creating a program by which
high-performance products can be recognized and
encouraged.
According to Eric Bailey, chair of the Emergency
Lighting Section, the NEMA program has established a
minimum level of visibility almost twice that of the UL
924 Emergency Lighting and Power Equipment.
Any exit sign manufacturer may apply to this program,
regardless of NEMA membership.
For more information on the NEMA Premium Exit
Sign program and related programs, click here.
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7
Safely Made www.asse.org 2011