EN 7010 Exit Sign Laws
Upgrading To European Standards
In 1998, UK businesses had to upgrade their text-only self luminous exit signs to the widely-adopted 'running man' pictogram. The running man in question could either be in accordance with BS 5499 or Euro exit sign styles.
At the time, the now-defunct Hospital Technical Memorandum 65 sought to improve comprehension levels to the British Standard creating their own signs which added licking flames to the sign. However this caused more confusion than it meant to decrease.
See Our Red Self Luminous Exit Signs
Today, many large companies in the UK will have self powered exit signs with mixed legends that are either HTM 65, BS or Eurostyle. Our English customers have said this a preference for distinguishing fire exits from normal exits, using the licking flames featured only on HTM 65's.
The Yanks Are Coming!
If your UK business needs to update your non-compliant HTM 65 or Euro exit signs, send SLES an email to avoid international fees or call our international line at 00 1 800-379-1129.
Conforming to EN 7010
European exit sign standards are set to encompass the entire EU including Great Britain. While any of the three exit signs are fine to use in the UK, they must be uniform throughout your building. British Standard 5499 part 4 has recently been amended so that having a mix of exit signs is now illegal.
The reason for this is the 'rubber necking' effect that could happen to panicked evacuees following an HTM 65 sign, then suddenly coming across a Eurostyle sign. This will in turn cause other evacuees to be delayed, jeopardizing lives that didn't have to be.
Non Complaint Self Luminous Exit Sign Legends
The EN 7010 was drafted to match both ISO and BS 5499 good practice laws. Before the EN 7010 became mandatory, mixing exit signs was just considered bad practice by the BS 5499, and was not illegal. However it is now becoming a European Law that the UK, as a member state, must abide.
Both HTM 65 and Eurostyle signs will no longer be accepted in UK facilities.
EN 7010 Approved Exit Signs
Luckily the EN 7010 currently follows the good practice laws of BS 5499 Part 4, which features the 'running man' similar to Euro signs, only with a slight tweak in his feet.
