□ to provide a guideline to assist designers when working out the escape signs general arrangement plans;

□ to provide that the normal and emergency exits from enclosed spaces are clearly indicated;

□ to harmonize and co-ordinate the use of exit and emergency exit signs taking into account the normal and the emergency conditions of the ship (e.g. the use by passengers, or crew, of stairways and alleyways in the normal or in the emergency condition, i.e. the one identified on the escape plan);

□ to ensure that the primary means of escape to the embarkation deck and to the assembly stations are clearly and univocally indicated;

□ to ensure that the location of the assembly stations and the way to reach them from the embarkation areas are clearly indicated; and

□ to have a consistent approach on the use and the arrangement of escape signs throughout the ship.

2.1 the primary escape routes and the secondary escape routes are the ones indicated on the approved "escape plan";

　

2.2 "escape signs" are the signs to be used on board passenger vessels to direct passengers and crew, to the embarkation deck, to the assembly stations and to the embarkation areas: "Escape", "Exit", "Emergency Exit", "Assembly Station" (or "Muster Station"), "Lifeboat Station" and "Liferaft Station" are escape signs; in general, escape signs should comply with the IMO requirements and recommendations described into IMO resolution A.760(18) and should be consistently located throughout the ship;

　

2.3 the routes to the assembly stations and to the embarkation deck should be clearly marked by the appropriate signs listed at item 2.2; care should be taken to place the signs referred in this document in prominent and continously illuminated positions and possibly clear of other signs;

　

2.4 illuminated signs should be fed by both the normal and the emergency electrical network; photo-luminescent signs should meet the luminance requirements described by IMO resolution 752(18) and ISO.DIS 15370.00, as appropriate;

　

2.5 all doors leading from passenger and crew spaces to open decks, to alleyways or stairways used as escape routes (both primary and secondary escape routes) shall be clearly indicated with a sign marked with the relevant "exit" or "emergency exit" sign, as appropriate and described in the following items; in general and where possible, a sign should be over the door but, where the door is not clearly visible from within the space it serves (due to the arrangement of the space), or where the distance from the considered space and the escape door is too big, further signs should be provided to indicate the direction in which the door lies;

　

2.6 doors and other openings that are not normally used as throughfares, but which can be used for emergency purposes, should be clearly marked with the relevant "emergency exit" sign;

　

2.7 assembly station direction signs should be provided in all passenger spaces and in general along passenger escape routes, such as stairways, alleyways, public spaces not used as assembly stations, in entrance halls and spaces linking public spaces, and on outside decks in the vicinity of doors giving access to assembly stations or to the routes to the assembly stations.

　

2.8 in passenger cabin alleyways, in order to minimize possible confusion or panic especially in the case of passengers forced to use the secondary means of escape (due to smoke, fire or obstructions), the assembly station directional signs could consist in the relevant IMO symbol and the directional arrow only (i.e. without the assembly station letter, or number); at the embarkation deck, other assembly station directional signs with the relevant letter (or number) should be located to direct passengers to the assembly station entrance doors or areas. The entrance to the assembly station shall be identified by the relevant illuminated "assembly staton" sign with IMO symbol and identification letter (0r number).

　

　

3.1.1 Primary escape routes in alleyways, public rooms, recreation rooms, mess rooms and large normally manned crew working spaces - such as workshops, galleys, main laundries, etc. - should be identified by illuminated signs. In machinery spaces, only the primary means of escape relevant to the watertight compartment and/or the main vertical zone (e.g. the doors leading to vertical ladders or inclined stairs) should be identified by illuminated signs;

　

3.1.2 secondary means of escape in alleyways, public rooms, recreation rooms and large normally manned crew working spaces should be identified by photo-luminescent signs;

　

3.1.3 in small passenger spaces, crew/service and working spaces - such as offices, laundrettes, barber shops, pantries, steward stations, public toilets, etc. - exit and emergency exit signs relevant both primary and secondary means of escapes can be of photo-luminescent type;

　

3.1.4 in passenger areas, all primary escape doors provided for passenger use leading to other passenger spaces - such as passenger stairway enclosures, alleyways or embarkation areas - shall be clearly indicated with an illuminated sign marked with the relevant "Exit" sign;

　

3.1.5 in passenger areas, all primary escape doors leading to crew/service spaces - such as stairway enclosures, alleyways or embarkation areas to be used only in emergency condition (e.g. not passenger promenades) - should be clearly indicated with an illuminated sign marked with the relevant "Emergency Exit" sign;

　

3.1.6 in passenger areas, secondary escape doors provided for a normal passenger use leading to other passenger spaces - such as public rooms, passenger stairway enclosures, alleyways or embarkation areas (passenger promenades) - should be clearly indicated with a photo-luminescent sign marked with the relevant "Exit" sign;

　

3.1.7 in passenger areas, secondary escape doors leading to other passenger or crew/service spaces - such as passenger or crew/service stair enclosures, alleyways, pubiic rooms, service rooms or embarkation areas - shall be clearly indicated with a photo-luminescent sign marked with the relevant "Emergency Exit" sign;

　

3.1.8 in crew/service areas, all primary escape doors provided for normal crew use leading to other crew/service spaces - such as crew/service stairway enclosures, alleyways or embarkation areas - should be clearly indicated with an illuminated sign marked with the relevant "Exit" sign;

　

3.1.9 in crew/service areas, all primary escape doors leading to passenger spaces - such as passenger stairway enclosures, alleyways, etc. - should be clearly indicated with an illuminated sign marked with the relevant "Emergeney Exit" sign;

　

3.1.10 in crew/service areas, all secondary escape doors leading to passenger or crew/service spaces should be clearly indicated with photo-luminescent signs marked with the relevant "Emergency Exit" sign;

　

3.1.11 in machinery spaces, or in general on the decks below the bulkhead deck, vertical ladders when primary means of escape from the watertight compartment should be clearly identified by an illuminated sign with the relevant "Escape" sign;

　

3.1.12 in machinery spaces, or in general on the decks below the bulkhead deck, watertight doors which constitute the secondary means of escape from the watertight compartment should be clearly indicated by a photo-luminescent sign with the relevant "Emergency Exit" sign; alternatively, in consideration of the complexity of the arrangement of machinery spaces or other auxiliary spaces where escape routes are not so easily identifiable, watertight doors which constitute secondary means of escape can be identified by an illuminated "Emergency Exit" sign;

　

3.1.13 in machinery spaces or in general on the decks below the bulkhead deck, escape doors leading to inclined stairs which constitute the primary escape way from the watertight compartment should be clearly identified by an illuminated sign with the relevant "Exit" sign;

　

3.1.14 in general, the following table could provide an easy guideline when designing escape signage plans:

　

　

　

3.2.1 Inside each passenger cabin a placard installed on the interior gide of the entrance door should inform passengers on the location of the assigned assembly station; on the primary and secondary escape routes to reach the assigned assembly station; on the design of the assembly station direction signs; on the meaning of the illuminated and photo-luminescent signs; on the meaning of the low location lighting system. The sign should be designed in compliance with the relevant IMO resolutions and circulars (re: ...).

　

　

3.3.1 In passenger alleyways, illuminated "Exit" or "Emergency Exit" signs in conjunction with photo-luminescent assembly station direction signs should inform passengers about the direction of the primary escape route in order to direct them to the primary means of escape from the area; the location of assembly station signs should permit passengers in exit from a cabin to quickly and easily identify the escape direction; illuminated signs should be located at the exit door and so that, in general, at least one sign is visible from each branch of the escape corridor; moreover, within a main vertical zone, the illuminated signs should be repeated along the corridor so that the distance separating the signs is, in general, no mere than 20 m.

　

3.3.2 In crew cabin alleyways, illuminated "Exit" or "Emergency Exit" signs should inform crew on the direction of the primary escape route in order to direct them to the primary means of escape from the area. The illuminated signs should be located at the exit door and so that at least one sign is visible from each branch of the escape alleyway; moreover, within a main vertical zone, the illuminated signs should be repeated along the corridor so that the distance separating the signs is, in general, no more than 20 m. In consideration of the fact that, in case of emergency, at each crewmember is assigned a duty (re. Muster list) crew assembly station signs are not required.