Requirements

Standard DIN VVDE V0108-100:2010-08 contains general requirements and specific requirements for safety lighting according to building type (table 6.7). Safety lighting is mandatory e.g. for the following application areas in particular:

• escape routes;

• dedicated rooms for power stand-by units, multipliers of general and safety power supply, switchgear installations in excess of 1 kV;

• work rooms larger than 50 m²;

• places of assembly, schools and museums accommodating more than 200 persons;

• mid-sized and full stages including stage extensions;

• theatre rooms, rehearsal stages, choir and ballet practice rooms, orchestra rehearsal rooms, vocal rooms, common rooms for performers, projection rooms, rings, sports courses;

• rooms with stage and scene surfaces for film screenings as well as acoustic and visual performances for more than 100 persons;

• commercial buildings and buildings housing sales rooms larger than 50 m²;

• sales and exhibition spaces (individual or joint) with more than 2,000 m² floor space;

• buildings housing exhibition spaces larger than 50 m² (except exhibition booths in large exhibition halls or tents);

• taverns and restaurants with more than 400 seats;

• accommodation businesses with more than 60 guest beds;

• high-rise buildings with rooms whose floors are located higher than 22 m above the defined terrain surface (does not apply to apartments);

• closed-off car parks with a floor space in excess of 1,000 m²;

• schools of all types where a larger number of persons regularly participates in lessons at the same time and in which at least one storey features a floor space in excess of 3,000 m²;

• windowless classrooms;

• shaded specialist rooms.

Fundamental safety lighting requirements according to DIN VVDE V0108-100:2010-08 include:

• The safety lighting ensures that lighting is automatically provided and maintained available for a specified period of time in a defined area in the event of general power supply failure.

• The installation must ensure lighting of escape route signs, routes to exits all the way to safe areas and lighting of firefighting devices or signalling units along the escape routes as well as facilitate work related to safety measures.

• If an exit is not immediately visible, a direction sign (or a sequence of safety signs) must be provided and installed in a way that guides persons safely to an emergency exit. The safety signs must be visible from any point along the escape route.

• All signs marking exits or escape routes must be uniform in colour and design (see DIN 4844) and comply with EN 1838. In areas occupied by people unfamiliar with the location, safety signs must be in permanent operation.

• The light sources for illuminated or backlit safety signs must be executed in permanent operation and form part of the safety lighting. To facilitate arrival at a safe location where persons are no longer exposed to hazards, illuminance in the area immediately outside of the final exit should comply with the requirements of EN 1838 for escape routes.

• Darkness due to power outages in elevators can lead to injury or damage caused by the fear of being locked in a confined space for an indefinite period of time. Hence, safety lighting as anti-panic lighting according to EN 1838 must be provided in elevator cabs approved for persons. This requires a fire-resistant mains cable.

• Luminaires for safety lighting must comply with EN 60598-2-22.

• Safety lighting luminaires must be easily and safely recognised coloured red or green and be labelled with the multiplier, circuit and luminaire number.

DIN VDE 0100-718 further stipulates: If the general lighting of a room, e.g. in places of assembly, exhibition halls, theatres, cinemas or sports arenas is intended to be dimmed or switched to achieve operational obscuration, it is required to provide special lighting facilities for aid and disciplinary measures fulfilling at minimum the photometric requirements for safety lighting. It must be easily activated by monitoring staff. This does not apply to work places.

Essential requirements according to DIN VVDE V0108-100:2010-08 intended to be incorporated into an amended standard EN 50172 are contained in table.

Note: Due to the undefined ignition characteristics of fluorescent lamps with glow starters, they must not be used in safety lighting installations. Recommended light sources are e.g. LEDs.