Thursday, June 17, 2010

'Paint it black' isn't just a song by the Rolling Stones


Dontcha just hate those glaring  EXIT  signs?  Some director's sure do.  They'll go so far as having the stage crew cover them up, or better yet:  Paint over them!

This is a great way to get a big fat fine from your Fire Marshal or the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), as it is an obvious deliberate act.

While we're on the subject of  EXIT  signs, it is important that you file a written request for repairs whenever you find them damaged or otherwise disfunctional.  Common problems with  EXIT  signs are:
  • Lamps burned-out (LED replacement lamps are very cost-effective).
  • Glass / Acrylic letters broken or missing (leaving exposed bulb).
  • Failed Battery Back-up (you have to test these at prescribed intervals per the NFPA).
  • Broken or Missing Covers.
  • Sign units torn from the wall and hanging by wires.
  • Sign units missing (I see these in brand new buildings!)
  • Sign units over doors that are not really Fire Exits (I see these in brand new buildings!).
  • Sign units above / adjacent to overhead rolling doors.
  • Sign units in  Black Box  theatres covered by perimeter drapery tracks so that audience can't see them.
  • 'Light-pipe' designs that don't effectively pipe the light to the sign (internal obstruction or bad product design?).
  • Sign units that are obscured by pipes, ducts, tracks, junk, stuff, scenery, greenery, or other crud.

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