The Technical Notes (NT), recently published by the ANPC, are in accordance with Decree-Law 220/2008, of November 12, Article 33. They complement and detail the technical standards necessary for compliance with the Legal Regime for Fire Safety in Buildings (SCIE), and are mandatory.
The Technical Notes are specifications intended to complement the SCIE legislation. They clearly define the safety requirements for architectural and specialist projects, as well as for construction management and supervision during execution and for building safety managers during operation.
Two important technical notes regarding safety signage are Technical Note No. 11 (Safety Signage) and Technical Note No. 22 (Emergency Plans).
Technical Note No. 11 aims to "indicate the general criteria that characterize the safety signs applicable in SCIE, list the specific signs required in RT-SCIE, and present possible application solutions." It defines the characteristics, methods of fixing, location, and applicability of signs, based on international standards such as ISO, UNE, and DIN.
All signage described in Technical Note No. 11 is mandatory in all buildings, except in UT I (residential) buildings.
Characteristics Safety signs are characterized by their shape and color, depending on the message to be conveyed. For example, a red sign, square or rectangular in shape, refers to alarm and fire-fighting equipment. These are the concepts prescribed by ISO 3864, a reference long practiced in Portugal. As for the construction of each sign, it must be made of rigid, photoluminescent material and without radioactive substances. In this characterization, NT 11 prescribes the minimum values required for luminous intensity at 10 minutes and 60 minutes and defines the attenuation time of the sign, i.e., the time during which it must be visible, at 3,000 minutes. The values presented (see table below) are those standardized by UNE 23035 (since 2003), and which Sinalux complies with. NT 11 and in accordance with the standards set by UNE 23035, ISO 16069, and DIN 67510, makes it a mandatory requirement, in addition to identifying the manufacturer (by name or brand), also to mark the minimum luminance values (X / Y – Z) on the sign: X - Luminous intensity at 10 minutes - 210 mcd/m2 Y - Luminous intensity at 60 minutes - 29 mcd/m2 Z - Sign autonomy - 3000 minutes. Therefore, the minimum mandatory inscription will be: 210 / 29 - 3000 The objective of this marking is to protect the consumer (by identifying and holding the manufacturer accountable) and to ensure compliance with the NT requirements. Just as fire extinguishers have the manufacturer's name and effectiveness printed on them and lamps have the manufacturer's name and power printed on them, safety signage must also clearly and unequivocally inform of its effectiveness.
Posting and Location of Safety Signage
ANPC's Technical Note No. 11 (NT 11) sets out clear guidelines for the posting and location of safety signage in buildings, as detailed below:
Types of Fastening
NT 11 describes four main types of signage fastening:
- Single-sided - fixed parallel to the wall.
- Double-sided - fixed perpendicular to the wall or suspended from the ceiling.
- Panoramic format - as illustrated in the figures of NT 11.
Installation Height
Signs must be installed at a height between 2.1 meters and 3.0 meters. This height may be exceeded when necessary to improve visibility.
Visibility
It is essential to ensure that signage is visible from any point where a person might be. Signs must be close to light fixtures (within 2 meters), but never on top of them. It is important to remove any vinyl placed over these fixtures and install photoluminescent signage.
Sign Dimensions
NT 11 adopts the ISO 3864 formula, 1984 edition, to determine the dimension of signs:
- A – Minimum area allocated to each pictogram (m²)
- d – Distance at which the sign must be visible (m)
It is noted that "A" refers to the area allocated to each pictogram and not to the sign as a whole. Thus, the area dedicated to text and additional information should not be considered in the calculations of sign dimensions.
Floor-Level Signage
Although international standards recommend floor-level signage and some countries already require it, NT 11 does not address this aspect in detail. It only mentions that "signage boards may be complemented with photoluminescent tapes or profiles for indicating routes, delimiting doors or equipment, etc."
The future publication of NP ISO 16069, currently at an advanced stage in IPQ, is expected to provide specific guidelines on floor-level signage in Portugal.
Fire Door Signage
Both NT 11 and articles No. 35 and No. 36 of the RTSCIE establish the mandatory nature of signage relating to fire doors.
Consulting Technical Notes
Technical Notes, including NT 11, can be consulted and downloaded from the ANPC website.