Following the Fire Safety Regulations 2022 in England, it is a legal requirement that wayfinding signs are installed in high-rise residential buildings, helping individuals to navigate unfamiliar environments, and supporting emergency services and first responders.
A Guide to Wayfinding Signs
Wayfinding signage is a legal requirement, coming into force on 23rd January 2023, shortly after the Grenfell disaster inquiry, committing to enhancing fire safety regulations to save lives. Wayfinding signage and cues must be installed in all existing high-rise buildings, and new multi-occupied residential buildings that reach a height of 11 metres above ground level.
Wayfinding signs support the navigation of unfamiliar environments, helping individuals to find a place of safety. It is especially important to allow fire and rescue services to navigate unfamiliar environments and when visibility is poor.
There are two main objectives of wayfinding signs:
- Help residents quickly evacuate out of a building;
- Help emergency services identify their location within a building, especially under poor visibility.
Wayfinding Requirements
Wayfinding signs must be legible in low visibility and low lighting – for example when a fire causes a power cut. Additionally, it is the law to have floor markings and individual flat numbers. All signage must be visible from the top step of a set of stairs, and from inside a lift when the lift door opens.
It is the Responsible Person’s responsibility to ensure that they follow recommendations and guidance, to prove competence and ensure safety, which must also be recorded.
6 Aspects of Wayfinding
Signage
Signage is arguably the most prominent aspect of wayfinding, as proper signage allows for individuals to identify where they are, and can make the difference between getting to safety, or getting lost. Signage must provide clear and visible information, and suitable signage should include visual cues such as arrows, symbols and room labels, which should all be high colour contrasting.
Pathfinding
Design of the building itself is important for pathfinding, and routes should be designed logically, allowing people to navigate them safely and easily.
Landmarks
When visibility is low, it can help to have visual landmarks that allow people to recognise where they are. Examples of landmarks include artwork and architectural features such as pillars.
Lighting
Fires produce thick, toxic smoke that makes visibility difficult. Even if an individual knows the building well, they may not be able to see the flooring well enough to identify where they are. Illuminated signage allows individuals and fire personnel to navigate their surroundings, even when it’s difficult to see.
Visual Differentiation
One way to make wayfinding easier is to have areas of the building colour coded, helping individuals to differentiate between the floors that they are on or need to get to. Walls, doors or signage can differ in colour or flooring patterns can vary.
Digital Wayfinding
A lot of our lives are becoming digital, and that doesn’t stop at wayfinding. Thanks to digital advances, we can now use interactive maps and digital displays to provide real-time navigational guidance.
Jalite Stairway & Floor Identification Signs
We are proud stockists of Jalite floor identification signs, which are compliant with the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and are designed in accordance with recommendations outlined in Approved Document B. Jalite offers photoluminescent wayfinding signs that fulfill these requirements and help residents to evacuate. Within their range they have developed floor identification signs that allow emergency services to quickly identify which floor they are on in a building, in addition to traditional fire door stickers and door release signs.
Shop our full range of fire signs here.
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