EN 1838 is the European standard for the lighting requirements of emergency lighting: it specifies how bright escape routes, open (anti-panic) areas and high-risk task areas must be in emergency mode, how quickly the light must come on and how legible safety signs must be. Typical values are 1 lx on the centre line of escape routes, 0.5 lx in open areas and 5 lx vertical at fire-fighting equipment and first aid points. Whether emergency lighting is required at all is not decided by the standard but by national building and workplace law.
What is EN 1838?
EN 1838 "Lighting applications – Emergency lighting" is the European standard that defines the light an emergency lighting installation must deliver. Its purpose is to let people leave a building safely, or shut down hazardous processes, when the normal power supply fails. It covers illuminance, uniformity, glare limitation, colour rendering, response times, minimum duration and the visibility of safety signs.
EN 1838 is purely a lighting standard. It does not specify which luminaires, batteries or cables to use, nor how often the system must be tested. Those topics are handled by other standards, explained further below. For an overview of the full framework, see Emergency lighting standards.
Is EN 1838 the same across Europe?
Yes. EN 1838 is a standard of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Member countries adopt it unchanged as a national standard, adding only their own prefix. The content of these editions is identical:
| Country | National designation |
|---|---|
| Germany | DIN EN 1838 |
| Austria | ÖVE/ÖNORM EN 1838 |
| Switzerland | SN EN 1838 |
| Norway | NS-EN 1838 |
| United Kingdom | BS EN 1838 |
| France | NF EN 1838 |
| Netherlands | NEN-EN 1838 |
| Belgium | NBN EN 1838 |
So whether you look up "BS EN 1838" or "NS EN 1838", you will find the same lighting requirements as in the German DIN edition. Differences between countries lie not in the standard but in national regulations, which decide where emergency lighting is required and how long it must last. See Emergency lighting in Europe.
What about ISO 30061?
At international level, ISO 30061 covers emergency lighting and is also published by the International Commission on Illumination as CIE S 020. It addresses the same core questions as EN 1838: escape route lighting, open area lighting, high-risk task area lighting and safety signs. In Europe, however, design and acceptance are based on the national edition of EN 1838.
Which types of emergency escape lighting does the standard cover?
EN 1838 divides emergency escape lighting into three applications, each with its own minimum values that must be met throughout the rated duration:
| Area | Illuminance | Uniformity | Response time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escape routes up to 2 m wide | at least 1 lx horizontal at floor level on the centre line; central band at least 50 % of that | Emax : Emin no more than 40 : 1 | 50 % within 5 s, 100 % within 60 s |
| Open (anti-panic) areas | at least 0.5 lx horizontal on the empty floor area, excluding a 0.5 m border | Emax : Emin no more than 40 : 1 | 50 % within 5 s, 100 % within 60 s |
| High-risk task areas | at least 10 % of normal illuminance, minimum 15 lx | at least 0.1 (Emin : Eaverage) | 100 % permanently or within 0.5 s |
| Safety equipment | at least 5 lx vertical at the equipment | – | as escape route |
Escape route lighting ensures that defined routes to an exit can be used safely. Open area lighting, often called anti-panic lighting, provides a basic light level in larger spaces without defined routes so that people can reach an escape route – see Anti-panic lighting. High-risk task area lighting allows people to shut down dangerous processes, for example at machinery.
For all areas the standard requires a colour rendering index of at least Ra 40, so that safety colours remain recognisable, and it limits glare. The values in detail, with worked examples, are covered in Emergency lighting illuminance.
How long must emergency lighting stay on?
EN 1838 sets a minimum duration of 1 hour for escape routes and open areas. That is a floor. National building regulations require longer for many building types, frequently 3 hours. In high-risk task areas the light must be available for as long as the hazard exists.
What does EN 1838 require for safety signs?
Besides lighting the space, the standard defines when an illuminated safety sign is sufficiently legible. Three criteria matter:
- Luminance: the green safety colour must reach at least 2 cd/m² in all relevant viewing directions. Within one colour, the ratio of maximum to minimum luminance must not exceed 10 : 1.
- Contrast: the luminance ratio of white to green must be between 5 : 1 and 15 : 1.
- Viewing distance: calculated as d = z × h, the pictogram height multiplied by a distance factor. z = 100 applies to externally lit signs, z = 200 to internally illuminated signs.
An internally illuminated sign with a 15 cm pictogram is therefore legible up to 30 m, an externally lit sign of the same size up to 15 m. Signs, too, must reach 50 % of their luminance within 5 seconds and 100 % within 60 seconds. Sizing and placement are covered in Exit sign viewing distance.
Where does the standard require additional luminaires?
Regardless of spacing, EN 1838 requires an emergency luminaire near certain locations, generally within 2 m measured horizontally. These points of emphasis form the framework of every design:
- at every exit door intended for emergency use,
- near stairs, so that each tread receives direct light,
- near any other change of floor level, such as ramps or single steps,
- at every change of direction and every intersection of corridors,
- at fire extinguishers, manual call points and other fire-fighting and alarm equipment,
- at first aid points,
- outside and near each final exit, so that people can reach a place of safety.
Under EN 1838, emergency luminaires are mounted at least 2 m above floor level. Only once all points of emphasis are covered is the spacing between them checked against the required lux levels.
Tip: The points most often missed in design are the area outside the final exit, single steps or ramps, and fire extinguishers away from corridors. Check these locations specifically on the drawings and on site.
How do EN 1838, EN 50172 and other standards fit together?
EN 1838 is only one building block. The roles are clearly divided:
| Standard / rule | Role |
|---|---|
| EN 1838 | Lighting: how bright, how uniform, how fast, how long, sign legibility |
| EN 50172 | System: design, installation, operation, testing, documentation |
| EN 60598-2-22 | Product standard for the emergency luminaire itself |
| EN ISO 7010 | Design and meaning of safety signs |
| National building and workplace law | Whether and where emergency lighting is required |
For building operators, EN 50172:2024 (in Germany DIN EN 50172 (VDE 0108-100):2024-10) is particularly relevant. It requires a monthly function test, an annual full-duration test and an illuminance measurement every 5 years, which checks whether the EN 1838 values are actually achieved in operation. Self-testing luminaires, such as those in the NOTLUX Series 19, run the function and duration tests automatically and record the results via an app. The intervals in detail are set out in Emergency lighting testing intervals.
Whether a building needs emergency lighting at all follows from national law – in Germany, for example, workplace rules ASR A2.3 and ASR A3.4 and the building codes of the federal states. For a specific building, the building permit, fire strategy and risk assessment are decisive.
Frequently asked questions
What does EN 1838 specify?
EN 1838 sets the lighting requirements for emergency lighting: illuminance, uniformity, colour rendering, glare limitation, response times, minimum duration and the legibility of illuminated safety signs. It does not decide whether emergency lighting is required or how often it must be tested.
Are BS EN 1838, NS-EN 1838 and DIN EN 1838 different?
No. They are national adoptions of the same European standard EN 1838 with identical content. Differences exist only in national regulations that decide where emergency lighting is required.
How many lux does EN 1838 require on escape routes?
At least 1 lx horizontal at floor level on the centre line of escape routes up to 2 m wide. The central band must reach at least 50 % of that, and the ratio of maximum to minimum illuminance must not exceed 40 : 1.
What is the difference between EN 1838 and EN 50172?
EN 1838 describes the light the emergency lighting must provide. EN 50172 governs the system: design, installation, operation, testing and documentation, including an illuminance measurement every 5 years.
What is ISO 30061?
ISO 30061 is an international standard on emergency lighting, also published as CIE S 020. It covers the same core questions as EN 1838. In Europe, design and acceptance are based on the national edition of EN 1838.
How quickly must emergency lighting come on under EN 1838?
Escape route and open area lighting must reach 50 % of the required illuminance within 5 seconds and 100 % within 60 seconds. In high-risk task areas, full illuminance must be available permanently or within 0.5 seconds.
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