Design Rules🔥 Fire Safety

Exit Sign — Mounting Height

Mounting height of illuminated exit signs
See also📖 NBC 2016🔗 NBC 2016🔗 IS 12349🧮 RCC Design📒 Handbook Topic
2.0–2.5
m
(above floor level)
2.0–2.5mabove floor level — at all exits and corridor turnsEXIT SIGN
Primary value2.0–2.5 m ((above floor level))
Applies toAll exit doors, corridor turns, and stair entries
ExceptionsLetter heightMin 150 mm — visible from 30 m
Backup duration≥ 90 minutes
PictogramInternationally standardised running-man symbol
Low-level signage (High-Rise)In high-rise buildings, supplementary signs must be installed at a low level (0.3 m from the floor) to be visible below smoke. [Ref: NBC Part 4, C-1.14.1]
Sign ColourThe colour of the exit signs shall be green. [Ref: NBC Part 4, C-1.14.2]
LanguageSigns must be in English and the primary language of the locality. [Ref: NBC Part 4, C-1.14.3]
Measured asVertical distance from finished floor to bottom edge of the exit-sign assembly.
SourceNBC 2016Part 4, Annex C, Clause C-1.14
📚 Cross-referenced
Why this matters

Signs mounted too low can be obscured by people in crowded conditions, while signs mounted too high may be missed or hidden by smoke. This height range ensures visibility above typical head-level and door frames, guiding occupants effectively during an emergency evacuation.

Typical practice

Signs are typically wall-mounted directly above the door lintel. In long corridors or open areas, double-sided ceiling-suspended signs are used to ensure visibility from multiple directions.

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