NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 10

Feedback

MARK CONROY, ENGINEER
Brooks Equipment Company,
Charlotte, NC
The author is a principal member
of two NFPA technical committees
and an alternate member on a
third technical committee.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Email your letters to editor@nfpa.org, or mail them to Editor,

NFPA Journal, 1 Batterymarch Park, Quincy, Massachusetts, 02169. Please include your title,
company or organization affiliation, and where you're based. NFPA Journal reserves the right to
edit letters and comments for content and length.

10 | NFPA JOURNAL * J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0

nfpa.org/journalapps

NFPA Journal App 1/3 vert#2longer_black on white.indd 1

GETT Y IMAGES

To the editor:
I read with interest your recent
"Perspectives" interview on dynamic
emergency exit signage ("Exiting
Smarter," November/December). It
is great to see that NFPA is thinking
outside the box and that there is likely
to be new annex material on dynamic
exit signage in the next edition of NFPA
101®, Life Safety Code®.
The article was thought provoking,
and it made me think about the problems in the field regarding exit lighting
and emergency lighting with battery
backup. This might be a good time
to remind building owners and fire
inspectors of the need to make sure the
annual 90-minute battery load test is
being conducted.
 Although there is a monthly
30-second test that is required, it is
not a substitute for the battery load
test. That test is designed to identify
the need for replacing burned out
lamps, dead batteries, and other deficiencies that leave the unit inoperable.
The 90-minute test checks long-term
functionality of the battery, based on
the need for required illumination for

an hour and a half. Any battery that
doesn't meet that criterion must be
replaced. Your local fire equipment distributor will likely have technicians who
are trained and qualified to conduct
these tests to the NFPA 101 criteria.
Power outages occur frequently due
to weather, natural and manmade
disasters, and as a result of our aging
infrastructure. And when a power
outage occurs, we expect the exit
signs to remain illuminated and the
emergency lighting to come on and
illuminate the egress path. I encourage building owners and managers to
schedule testing for 2020 now and for
authorities having jurisdiction to look
for documentation that the 90-minute
test was conducted during building
inspections. A cooperative effort will
help ensure that we are able find the
exits and see our way out of buildings
during a power outage.

GET THE APP

The importance of the 90-minute
battery load test for exit signs

The NFPA Journal
App for Android
and Apple iOS.

12/5/19 6:27 PM



http://www.nfpa.org/journalapps

NFPA Journal - January/February 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - January/February 2020

Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 3
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 5
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 6
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 7
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 8
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 9
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 10
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 11
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 12
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 13
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 14
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 15
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 16
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 17
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 18
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 19
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 20
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 21
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 22
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 23
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 24
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 25
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 26
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 27
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 28
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 29
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 30
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 31
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 32
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 33
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 34
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 35
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 36
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 37
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 38
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 39
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 40
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 41
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 42
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 43
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 44
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 45
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 46
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 47
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 48
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 49
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 50
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 51
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 52
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 53
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 54
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 55
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 56
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 57
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 58
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 59
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 60
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 61
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 62
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 63
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 64
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 65
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 66
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 67
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 68
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 69
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 70
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 71
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 72
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 73
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 74
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 75
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 76
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 77
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 78
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 79
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 80
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover3
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2024spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2023spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2022spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_2021spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20200102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20191112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20190102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20181112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20180102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20171112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20170102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20161112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_201610_sprinkler
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20160102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20151112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20150304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20141112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20140102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20131112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20130102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20121112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nfpa/journal_20120304
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com