What are the requirements for emergency lighting in high temperature environments?

Emergency lighting in high-temperature environments must meet the same basic standards as standard emergency lighting, but with additional requirements regarding temperature resistance, housing class, and material use. Standard emergency lighting is simply not designed for environments where temperatures rise above 60°C or even towards 120°C. In this article, we answer the most frequently asked questions about emergency lighting in extreme heat, from applicable standards to maintenance and selection criteria.

What standards apply to emergency lighting in industrial environments?

The most important standard for emergency lighting in industrial environments is EN 1838. This standard sets requirements for minimum illumination levels, recovery times, autonomy, and the positioning of emergency lighting. In industrial environments, additional IP class requirements apply (protection against dust and moisture), and in some cases ATEX certification for explosive hazard zones.

NEN-EN 1838 stipulates, among other things, that emergency exit indicators must provide a minimum illumination level and that emergency lighting must be fully operational within a certain time after a power outage. For industrial environments, this means that the luminaires must also function reliably in severe conditions, including dust, vibrations, and temperature extremes.

In addition to NEN-EN 1838, there are sector-specific requirements from the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Building Code that determine where emergency lighting is mandatory and what minimum requirements it must meet. In ATEX zones, the ATEX directives also apply, which regulate the construction and certification of luminaires in explosive atmospheres.

How does extreme heat affect the operation of emergency lighting?

High ambient temperatures have a direct impact on the lifespan, light output and reliability of emergency lighting. LED components, batteries and control electronics are all susceptible to heat. Above certain temperature thresholds, the battery degrades more quickly, light output decreases and the risk of failure increases, precisely at the moment when reliability is most crucial.

The batteries are the most vulnerable part. Standard lithium or nickel-cadmium batteries perform worse at temperatures above 40°C and can permanently damage if exposed to higher temperatures for prolonged periods. This means that the autonomy, i.e. the number of minutes the emergency lighting remains on during a power outage, can in practice be much shorter than the specified specifications.

The LED chip itself is also affected by heat. High junction temperatures accelerate light degradation, causing the luminaire to fall below the minimum required lighting intensity more quickly. In environments with infrared radiation, such as in melting furnaces or rolling mills, external heat radiation also plays a role that further increases the thermal load.

What is the difference between standard emergency lighting and temperature-resistant emergency lighting?

Temperature-resistant emergency lighting stands out from standard emergency lighting due to the choice of materials, the thermal engineering of the housing and the use of batteries and electronics that are certified for higher ambient temperatures. Where a standard fixture is generally designed for an ambient temperature of up to 35 to 40°C, temperature-resistant variants are suitable for environments of up to 60°C, 85°C or even 120°C.

The housing of temperature-resistant emergency lighting is often made of stainless steel or specially coated aluminum, with a higher IP class to keep dust and moisture out as well. The internal thermal dissipation is designed more precisely to effectively dissipate heat without relying on cooling from the environment. More information on how lighting is designed for this kind of extreme conditions can be found on the page about High-temperature lighting.

Another important difference lies in the battery technology. Temperature-resistant emergency lighting uses batteries that have been tested and certified for high ambient temperatures, such as certain lithium-iron phosphate (LiFePO4) variants or nickel-metal hydride batteries with an extended temperature range. This ensures that the autonomy remains maintained even at high ambient temperatures.

Which environments require special emergency lighting for high temperatures?

Not every warm workplace requires specialized emergency lighting, but there are specific environments where standard fixtures simply do not meet the requirements. These include locations where the ambient temperature consistently exceeds 40°C or where short-term peak temperatures are much higher.

Environments that almost always require special emergency lighting for high temperatures:

Steel mills and foundries where smelters, rolling mills and blast furnaces provide extreme radiation heat
Glass factories with ovens that produce continuous heat in the direct working environment
Ceramic industry and baking processes where high temperatures are present in the production hall
Paper and cardboard industry where dryer cylinders and pressing parts ensure high local temperatures
High-temperature cycling climate chambers where fixtures must withstand both extreme cold and heat
Chemical industry with ATEX zones where in addition to the risk of explosions, high process temperatures also play a role
Power plants and waste incineration plants with heat-producing processes in the immediate vicinity of installations

In all these situations, the ambient temperature is not increased sporadically but systematically. This makes a conscious choice for certified, temperature-resistant emergency lighting not only sensible but in many cases also legally required.

How do you choose the right emergency lighting for a high temperature environment?

The right choice starts with an accurate assessment of the environmental conditions. Only when you know what temperatures are structurally present, what peak temperatures are possible, and whether there are additional risks such as explosion hazards or corrosion, can you determine the correct specifications for emergency lighting in high-temperature environments.

Go through the following steps during the selection process:

Determine the maximum ambient temperature at the installation site, including peak values in the event of process disruption or fire.
Check whether ATEX certification is required based on the substances present and the explosion hazard zone classification.
Determine the required IP class based on dust, moisture, spattering water or aggressive cleaning agents in the environment.
Choose the right battery technology It is certified for the expected ambient temperature and provides the required autonomy.
Verify the enclosure materials on suitability for the specific environment, think of stainless steel in corrosive or wet environments.
Check the mounting method on compatibility with the environment, including vibration classification if vibrations are present.
Have an lighting calculation performed to check whether the emergency lighting still meets the minimum standards in light of the expected light degradation.

A good supplier or advisor can help translate environmental conditions into concrete product specifications. This prevents costly mismatches where a luminaire meets the requirements on paper but fails prematurely in practice.

How often should emergency lighting be tested and maintained in high temperature environments?

Emergency lighting should be tested for short-term functionality at least monthly and for full autonomy at least annually. In high-temperature environments, it is advisable to do this more frequently, as heat accelerates the degradation of batteries and components. Practical experience shows that batteries in warm environments wear out significantly faster than the factory specifications based on standard temperatures suggest.

In addition to the regular test cycle, the following maintenance points are particularly relevant in high-temperature environments:

Check the housing regularly for thermal deformation, discoloration, or weakened seals that could compromise the IP protection
Periodically check the battery capacity and replace batteries earlier than the standard replacement period if the ambient temperature is consistently high.
Inspect connections and cable entries for wear caused by thermal expansion and shrinkage
Check the lens cover and optics for any debris or damage that affects the light output

A good maintenance program takes into account the specific conditions of the location. In steel mills or other environments with intense radiation heat, a shorter inspection cycle is not a luxury but a requirement to ensure safety.

Practical example: Rockwool Croatia

At the Rockwool factory in Zajci, Croatia, lighting was needed that could withstand ambient temperatures above 110 °C and the infrared radiation that is released during the production process. In the summer, the environment is also extremely hot, which led to the failure of LED drivers. The drivers were not allowed to get warmer than 50 °C, while it was already approaching 40 °C outside. JEL designed the installation as a custom solution using Barracuda HT, Snapper HT and Linear HT, and designed and tested the driver positioning and cooling separately, independently of the hot production areas.

For emergency lighting, this point is even more important. Electronics and batteries each have their own temperature range, and it is these components that must function when regular lighting fails. Therefore, when choosing emergency lighting for a hot environment, the question of where these components are placed and what temperature they actually reach must also be considered; not just what temperature the housing can withstand.

How JEL Products helps with emergency lighting in high temperature environments

JEL Products has extensive experience with lighting issues in industrial environments where standard solutions fall short. This expertise is directly applicable to the specific challenges surrounding emergency lighting in extreme temperatures. Specifically, JEL Products offers the following support:

Advice on the correct armature specifications based on the actual environmental conditions, including temperature profile and IP requirements; for ATEX zones, JEL refers to a certified Ex manufacturer
Lighting design and calculations demonstrating that the emergency lighting still meets the standard requirements even in the event of light degradation
Supply of temperature-resistant LED luminaires designed and manufactured for use in extreme industrial environments
Assistance in selecting the appropriate acute technology for the specific temperature range of the location
Support in setting up a maintenance program that is aligned with the environmental conditions and the legal testing requirements
Total solutions where engineering, delivery and commissioning are combined into one clear process

Do you have questions about the requirements for emergency lighting in your specific environment, or would you like to know which solutions are suitable for your location? Get in touch with the team of JEL Products for a free consultation.

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