Escape routes in Europe are marked with safety signs to EN ISO 7010, applied under national workplace and building rules – in Germany, for example, ASR A1.3 – and supplemented by evacuation plans designed to ISO 23601. Where emergency escape lighting is required, the signs must remain illuminated during a power failure, either as exit sign luminaires or as externally lit signs. Where no emergency lighting is required, photoluminescent signs are commonly used; in Germany their afterglow is measured to DIN 67510.
What does escape route signage include?
Escape route signage is the complete set of signs, plans and guidance systems that show people the way out of a building, or to a place of safety, in an emergency. It covers much more than the green luminaire above the door:
- safe condition signs such as "emergency exit" (E001/E002) with direction arrows,
- fire equipment signs such as "fire extinguisher" (F001), marking equipment along the route,
- signs for emergency equipment such as first aid (E003) or defibrillator (E010),
- evacuation plans showing the viewer's location,
- where needed, floor-level safety way guidance systems.
Electrical emergency lighting ensures this signage stays visible when the power fails. All key terms are explained in the Emergency lighting glossary.
Which rules apply: ISO 7010 and national regulations
The design, colour and meaning of safety signs are standardised internationally in ISO 7010, adopted in Europe as EN ISO 7010. Safe condition signs are green with a white symbol, fire equipment signs red with a white symbol. How the signs must be applied is a matter for national law. In Germany, workplace rule ASR A1.3 governs safety signage and ASR A2.3 requires escape routes and emergency exits to be marked accordingly; other countries have equivalent workplace and building regulations.
For buildings beyond workplaces, requirements follow from building codes, rules for high-risk buildings and the fire safety strategy. The core standards are introduced in Emergency lighting standards.
| Standard / rule | Content |
|---|---|
| EN ISO 7010 | Design and meaning of safety signs |
| EN 1838 | Viewing distance, luminance and contrast of illuminated signs |
| ISO 23601 | Design of evacuation plans |
| ASR A1.3 (Germany) | Application of safety signage in workplaces |
| ASR A2.3 (Germany) | Escape routes, emergency exits, evacuation plans |
| DIN 67510 (Germany) | Measurement and marking of photoluminescent products |
Illuminated or photoluminescent?
Exit signs come in three versions:
- Internally illuminated: the sign is part of an exit sign luminaire and lit from within. For the same size it can be recognised from twice the distance of an externally lit sign.
- Externally illuminated: a sign lit by a nearby emergency luminaire.
- Photoluminescent: the sign contains pigments that store light and glow for a period after the lighting fails. In Germany, afterglow luminance is measured to DIN 67510.
Photoluminescent signs need no power supply, but they must be charged sufficiently by the normal lighting, and their luminance falls steadily after the lights go out. They are therefore a solution for areas where no emergency lighting is required, or a supplement, for example in floor-level guidance systems. As a rule, they do not replace required electrical emergency lighting.
When are illuminated exit signs required?
The rule of thumb: where emergency escape lighting is required, the exit signs must also be illuminated during a power failure. This typically applies to high-risk buildings such as places of assembly, retail premises, hotels, hospitals and high-rise buildings, and to workplaces where the risk assessment calls for emergency lighting. In many such buildings, exit sign luminaires are also operated in maintained mode, staying lit while the mains supply is healthy.
Where no emergency lighting is required – for instance in smaller workplaces with short, clear escape routes – non-illuminated signs are often sufficient. To keep them legible when the normal lighting fails, they are usually photoluminescent in practice. Whether lighting is required is covered in When is emergency lighting required?. Size and spacing of illuminated signs depend on viewing distance, see Exit sign viewing distance.
How are exit signs and direction arrows combined?
The "emergency exit" sign exists in two variants: E001 (person running left) and E002 (person running right). It is combined with a direction arrow as a supplementary sign. Some basic rules apply:
- Arrow and running direction match: an arrow pointing left only with E001, an arrow pointing right only with E002.
- As a rule, the arrow is placed on the side it points to, so to the left of a sign pointing left.
- An arrow pointing up means "straight ahead" or "through here".
- Arrows pointing diagonally up or down usually indicate stairs going up or down.
- Directly above the exit, the sign is chosen so that it is clear this door is the emergency exit.
- Signs along a route must never contradict each other; after any change in layout all arrows are checked.
National guidance, such as the examples in ASR A1.3 in Germany, shows the exact combinations. Exit sign luminaires with interchangeable pictogram films allow the direction to be changed after alterations without replacing the luminaire.
Tip: Walk the escape route from every room yourself and look only at the signs. Wherever you hesitate about which way to go, a sign is missing or an arrow is wrong.
Evacuation plans
An evacuation plan (fire escape plan) is a floor plan showing escape routes, emergency exits, first aid and fire-fighting equipment, the assembly point and the viewer's own position. In Germany, ASR A2.3 requires one where the location, size and use of the workplace make it necessary; ISO 23601 sets out the design principles used across Europe. Key features:
- a "you are here" marker at the display location,
- correct orientation, aligned with the viewer standing in front of the plan,
- escape routes in green, safety signs to ISO 7010,
- instructions for fire and accidents,
- display at clearly visible points, for example in stairwells and corridors,
- updating after every structural or organisational change.
Floor-level safety way guidance
In a fire, smoke collects under the ceiling first, so high-mounted signs can become hard to see. Floor-level safety way guidance systems are continuous markings near floor level, photoluminescent or electrically powered, that show the way to the exit. They are used, for example, in hotels, on ships, in tunnels and in complex buildings, supplementing emergency lighting. Whether they are required follows from the fire strategy and risk assessment.
Common signage mistakes
- Contradicting arrows after alterations or new partitions.
- Wrong combination of arrow and pictogram, such as a right arrow with E001.
- Old and new pictograms mixed, for example pre-ISO national designs next to ISO 7010 signs.
- Obstructed signs behind decorations, shelving, advertising or open door leaves.
- Photoluminescent signs in dark areas that are never charged sufficiently.
- Outdated evacuation plans with the wrong layout or no location marker.
- Fire equipment without signs or without the required 5 lx in emergency mode.
Frequently asked questions
Which standard applies to exit signs?
Design and meaning are set by EN ISO 7010. EN 1838 specifies viewing distance and luminance for illuminated signs. How signs must be applied is governed nationally, in Germany for workplaces by ASR A1.3.
Are photoluminescent exit signs sufficient?
Where no emergency lighting is required, photoluminescent signs are a common solution. Where emergency lighting is mandatory, they generally do not replace illuminated exit signs but supplement them, for instance in floor-level guidance systems.
When must an exit sign be illuminated?
Generally wherever emergency escape lighting is required. The deciding factors are the building permit, fire strategy, rules for high-risk buildings and, in workplaces, the risk assessment under national law.
Which arrow goes with which exit sign?
Arrow and running direction must match: a left arrow with E001, a right arrow with E002. An upward arrow means straight ahead; diagonal arrows usually indicate stairs.
When is an evacuation plan required?
That depends on national law. In Germany, ASR A2.3 requires one where the location, size and use of the workplace make it necessary, and building permits or high-risk building rules often require it too. ISO 23601 sets out how such plans are designed.
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