# Red vs. Green Exit signs



## erics37

I've installed butt-tons of both colors. It's mostly a matter of customer preference for the color, but here's an interesting blurb:



> There still is a controversy regarding the color of exit signs. Should it be red or green? NFPA 101 states that exit signs must be a “distinctive color”. However, Regional/National Building Codes might be more specific than NFPA 101, thus leading to certain areas having red signs and others having green. There are many theories on red vs. green. It has been said that green exits are easier to read since the human eye cannot see red light as easily, especially through smoke; green signs will never be confused with actual fire itself and that the color green has positive psychological and emotional effects on people as compared to red.


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## kaboler

Red is the color of "No Entry" signs and stop signs. If you can't read english, and run across an EXIT sign with a serious-looking fire door, I dunno....


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## MDShunk

I install about equal amounts of both. Normally, in my work, I'm matching what's already there. Edge lit glass (plexiglass) signs are an EASY upsell. Everyone loves them. They look classy for just a tiny bit more money.


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## kaboler

MDShunk said:


> I install about equal amounts of both. Normally, in my work, I'm matching what's already there. Edge lit glass (plexiglass) signs are an EASY upsell. Everyone loves them. They look classy for just a tiny bit more money.


They are damn sharp. I have YET to install an exit sign. Unfortunately for me, I know for a fact that there's 2 dozen old ugly red exit signs at our shop. Poor me.

There's so much safety BS out there. I wonder if our company could specialize removing old ugly exit signs and put up THOSE ones, but with a green edge lit look.


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## frenchelectrican

For most of the moderen European exit luminaires majorty of them are green colour now the older one used to be red but not any more that was change about 15 years ago. 

There is quite few places still use the red sortie luminaires even few new spots I have see it.

But the red luminaires are still allowed but slowly changing the treands.

here one of the signs we used in France.










and this is one of newer signs we use them as well.



















Merci.
Marc


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## Wingnut

varies town-by-town consult the local fire marshal


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## kbsparky

20 years ago, we wired up a new Boater's World store. I installed red exit signs. But the color scheme of the store had the wall painted red at the same height of those exit signs.

Fire Marshal required us to change `em to green, since the red ones blended in and were not easily discernible at a distance.


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## fraydo

what about exit signs a few inches off the floor? a local city hall has them in the hallways and it's the only place i know that does it.


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## randas

kaboler said:


> Any green exit signs in America yet? They don't even SELL them here. I really should start a business.


And sell them to who? :laughing:

They have to be red per building code.


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## Edrick

randas said:


> And sell them to who? :laughing:
> 
> They have to be red per building code.


Maybe where you are, I see them in both colors here and our supply house stocks them in both.


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## randas

Edrick said:


> Maybe where you are, I see them in both colors here and our supply house stocks them in both.


He is in Canada and so am I. I was talking to him


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## Edrick

randas said:


> He is in Canada and so am I. I was talking to him


I misread it I thought he was saying he should start selling them in America and then you said why they don't even allow them. So I thought you were speaking about the US. Sorry


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## randas

The reason I know is we were doing a kids toy store, a international chain that had design specs that the outlets had to follow. One of the details was funky colored exit signs.. The inspector shot them down :laughing:


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## goose134

I know Chicago has little bearing on the rest of the country electrically speaking. LED exits were just approved but must be white LED, red lettering and steel frame signs.


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## Edrick

Why is Chicago so crazy about their standards?


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## Mshea

Edrick said:


> Why is Chicago so crazy about their standards?


Great Fire


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## Frasbee

frenchelectrican said:


> For most of the moderen European exit luminaires majorty of them are green colour now the older one used to be red but not any more that was change about 15 years ago.
> 
> There is quite few places still use the red sortie luminaires even few new spots I have see it.
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> But the red luminaires are still allowed but slowly changing the treands.
> 
> here one of the signs we used in France.
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> Merci.
> Marc


They spelled 'Exit' wrong.


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## knowshorts

Edrick said:


> Why is Chicago so crazy about their standards?


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## BBQ

Edrick said:


> Why is Chicago so crazy about their standards?


Some say the fire they had.


Personally I think it has much more to do with the strength of the unions.


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## fondini

fraydo said:


> what about exit signs a few inches off the floor? a local city hall has them in the hallways and it's the only place i know that does it.


I think thats a great idea since you would drop to floor in event of smoke.


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## mdfriday

Mshea said:


> Great Fire


:no: has to do with the number 134.


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## mdfriday

BBQ said:


> Some say the fire they had.
> 
> 
> Personally I think it has much more to do with the strength of the unions.


:yes: That is it.


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## Edrick

So because of a fire in the late 1800's that wasn't electrically related they have complete crazy standards? Do they actually help in your opinion is there statistics that say Chicago has less electrically related fires due to this?


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## knowshorts

Since the wire is protected in EMT it is a much safer installation for barn lighting, thereby eliminating the need for lanterns, which in turn means less fires.

It probably does have to do with 134, though. If they really cared that much for safety, I would think they would care equally about their health. For some reason, when I think of the healthy folk of Chicago, I think of the "Da Bears" guys from SNL.


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## nrp3

I've seen the low signs in hotels before, can't remember whether it was Vegas or New York.


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## Electric_Light

randas said:


> The reason I know is we were doing a kids toy store, a international chain that had design specs that the outlets had to follow. One of the details was funky colored exit signs.. The inspector shot them down :laughing:


Have you heard of a restaurant called Shari's? Basically every single location has exactly the same layout :laughing:


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## CEC

In Canada green exit lights are acceptable as well as the long time used red. The NBC of Canada allows this. The NBC in its new version is changing so no words on sign ,just the symbol of a peson walking and arrow and green as noted in post above from Paris.


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## Englishsparky

Frasbee said:


> They spelled 'Exit' wrong.


They also have the running man wrong, all the the UK electrician are taught it is MAD man-arrow-door.


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## drsparky

BBQ said:


> Some say the fire they had.
> 
> 
> Personally I think it has much more to do with the strength of the unions.


Yep, the exit sign union runs city hall.


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## BBQ

drsparky said:


> Yep, the exit sign union runs city hall.


:laughing:

I was speaking in a much more general sense ........ the exclusive use of conduit etc.


Now if you really want to pretend the union is not powerful in Chicago we can laugh at that as well. :laughing:


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## fraydo

fondini said:


> I think thats a great idea since you would drop to floor in event of smoke.


 I do too and I believe that's why it's like that. The funny thing is that no other building in that city does that. Not even the other city owned property.


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## mattsilkwood

I'm trying to think back but I don't think I've ever seen a green exit sign.


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## frenchelectrican

Frasbee said:


> They spelled 'Exit' wrong.


 
Maybe so but I have one exit luminaire did have both *SORTIE* et *EXIT* on the same lumiaire.

here it is.











Merci.
Marc


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## Mr. Sparkle

Big Orange has all the green ones on clearance, at least near me.


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## mikeh32

Edrick said:


> Why is Chicago so crazy about their standards?


some stupid ass cow. 


the green signs also have some scientific reasoning behind them too. 

I could go all technical but i wont. Lets just say the temp of green light is easier for the eye to see then red.


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## oldtimer

frenchelectrican said:


> Maybe so but I have one exit luminaire did have both *SORTIE* et *EXIT* on the same lumiaire.
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> here it is.
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> Merci.
> Marc


 Quebec code requires signs to be EXIT/SORTIE. Language law!


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## CEC

Apparently in the new edition of the N.B.C. this is going to change that green with the walking figure will be required


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## CTshockhazard

Far more important than the color of an exit sign is knowing where the exits are _before_ there is a problem. Why this isn't drilled into people's heads, I'll never understand! I guess that's asking too much of society. 

The first thing anyone should do upon entering a building is to be aware of your surroundings, i.e. know how to get the  out.:thumbsup:


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