Exit signs are green safety signs with a white symbol that mark the way out, emergency exits and emergency equipment such as first aid. The best known is the ISO 7010 "emergency exit" sign showing a running person and a door, available as E001 (left) and E002 (right) and usually combined with a direction arrow. Where emergency escape lighting is required, exit signs must stay illuminated during a power failure, typically as an exit sign luminaire.
What is an exit sign?
An exit sign is a safe condition sign that marks an escape route, an emergency exit or emergency equipment. These signs are rectangular or square, green with a white symbol. Their design and meaning are standardised internationally in ISO 7010, adopted in Europe as EN ISO 7010. How they must be applied is set by national rules – in Germany, for example, by workplace rule ASR A1.3.
Exit signs are part of the wider escape route signage, which also includes evacuation plans and, where needed, floor-level guidance systems. Their job is to lead people who do not know the building to the nearest way out in an emergency.
What do the colours of safety signs mean?
ISO 7010 safety signs use a fixed colour system. The colour tells you what kind of information a sign carries even before you recognise the symbol:
| Colour | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Green | Safe condition: escape, rescue, first aid | Emergency exit, first aid, assembly point |
| Red | Fire equipment or prohibition | Fire extinguisher, fire alarm call point; no smoking |
| Blue | Mandatory action | Wear ear protection, wear eye protection |
| Yellow | Warning | Electrical hazard, slippery surface |
Along escape routes, the green safe condition signs and the red fire equipment signs matter most. Both must remain recognisable in emergency mode. To keep green and red distinguishable under emergency lighting, EN 1838 requires a colour rendering index of at least Ra 40.
What do E001 and E002 mean?
The "emergency exit" sign shows a running person heading towards a door. It comes in two mirror-image variants:
- E001 Emergency exit (left): the person runs to the left.
- E002 Emergency exit (right): the person runs to the right.
The sign means: this way leads to an exit that can be used in an emergency. The running direction alone is not yet a direction instruction; the direction you should take is given by the supplementary arrow.
Other green signs mark, for example, first aid facilities or the outdoor assembly point. An overview with sizes and viewing distances is given in Exit sign viewing distance.
How are exit signs combined with arrows?
E001 and E002 are normally used with a direction arrow as a supplementary sign. Some basic rules apply:
| Combination | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Left arrow with E001 | Escape route continues to the left |
| Right arrow with E002 | Escape route continues to the right |
| Arrow pointing up | Straight ahead, or through here |
| Arrow pointing diagonally up or down | Usually stairs going up or down |
Arrow and running direction always match, so a right arrow never goes with E001. As a rule, the arrow is placed on the side it points to. Directly above the exit, the sign is chosen so that it is clear this door is the emergency exit. National guidance, such as the examples in ASR A1.3 in Germany, shows the exact combinations.
Tip: After any alteration, check every arrow along the escape routes. Signs must never contradict each other, and wrong arrow directions are among the most common findings during inspections.
Old national signs or ISO 7010?
Before ISO 7010, Europe used several different exit sign designs. In Germany, signs to DIN 4844 and BGV A8 were common, with a differently drawn "running man" and different door and arrow layouts; other countries had their own variants. ISO 7010 signs are now the standard for new installations, and German workplace rule ASR A1.3 uses them.
Existing signs do not always have to be replaced immediately. During alterations, extensions or luminaire replacement, however, they should be converted to ISO 7010. Above all, avoid mixing old and new designs in the same building, as this can confuse people.
Exit sign luminaire, escape route luminaire: what is the difference?
Several terms are used in everyday language that do not mean the same thing:
- Exit sign luminaire: a luminaire with the exit sign built in and lit from within (internally illuminated). Often simply called an illuminated exit sign.
- Emergency luminaire for escape routes: a luminaire that lights the floor of the escape route, an open area or safety equipment in emergency mode. The term escape route luminaire usually refers to this type, not to the sign.
- Externally lit sign: an exit sign without its own light source, lit by a nearby emergency luminaire.
- Photoluminescent sign: a sign with pigments that store light and glow for a time after the lights fail.
Internally illuminated signs can be read from twice the distance of externally lit signs of the same size: EN 1838 applies a distance factor of z = 200 instead of z = 100. Photoluminescent signs need no power, but their luminance falls steadily after the lights go out. Where emergency lighting is required, they generally supplement rather than replace illuminated exit signs. Whether your building needs emergency lighting is covered in When is emergency lighting required?.
The NOTLUX Series 19 exit sign luminaire is designed for a viewing distance of 30 m, provides up to 3 hours of emergency operation and has an interchangeable pictogram film, so the direction can be changed after alterations without replacing the luminaire. It tests itself and can be read out via Bluetooth and an app.
Where do exit signs belong?
The basic principle: from every point on an escape route, at least one exit sign leading to the nearest exit must be visible. Typical locations are:
- above or directly beside every emergency exit and every exit door on the escape route,
- at every change of direction and every intersection of corridors,
- at stairs where the direction of travel is not obvious,
- in long corridors at intervals that do not exceed the viewing distance,
- wherever the exit cannot be seen directly.
Why must exit signs always remain visible?
An exit sign only works if it is seen at the critical moment. Common problems in practice are signs hidden by decorations, banners, shelving, acoustic panels or open door leaves. Equally critical are exit sign luminaires that are dimmed, taped over or switched off, for example because they are considered distracting in event spaces or hotel corridors. In many high-risk buildings, exit sign luminaires operate in maintained mode and stay lit while the mains supply is healthy.
Illuminated exit signs must also meet minimum photometric values, such as a luminance of at least 2 cd/m² for the green area under EN 1838. Yellowed or unevenly lit signs often no longer meet these values. Exit sign luminaires are therefore included in the monthly function test under EN 50172 – see Emergency lighting testing intervals.
Frequently asked questions
What does the green sign with the running man mean?
It is the ISO 7010 "emergency exit" sign: E001 with the person running left and E002 with the person running right. It marks an exit, or the route to an exit, that can be used in an emergency. The supplementary arrow shows the exact direction.
What do the colours of safety signs mean?
Green stands for safe conditions such as escape routes and first aid, red for fire equipment and prohibitions, blue for mandatory actions and yellow for warnings. Exit signs are green with a white symbol; fire equipment signs are red with a white symbol.
What is the difference between an exit sign luminaire and an escape route luminaire?
An exit sign luminaire contains an internally illuminated exit sign. An escape route luminaire usually means an emergency luminaire that lights the floor of the escape route in emergency mode.
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.
Does an exit sign have to be illuminated?
Where emergency escape lighting is required, exit signs must be illuminated during a power failure. Without that requirement, photoluminescent signs are often sufficient. The deciding factors are the building permit, fire strategy and, in workplaces, the risk assessment under national law.
May exit sign luminaires be covered or dimmed?
No. Exit signs must be recognisable at all times and meet the photometric values of EN 1838. Covered, obstructed or dimmed signs are a defect that can be raised during inspections.
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