During a review of the electrical systems, an inspector must verify that which aspect of exit illumination is adequate?

• A. Exit access illumination
• B. Exit discharge lighting
• C. Exit signage brightness
• D. Emergency power for exits

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that safe egress starts with the lighting along the path you use to reach an exit. The aspect you verify for adequacy is the illumination of the exit access—the means of egress path itself, such as corridors, aisles, stairs, and doorways leading to an exit. This lighting ensures you can see where to go, spot obstacles, steps, and any potential hazards as you move toward a safe exit.

Exit discharge lighting is the lighting after you leave the exit, so it’s a separate area with its own requirements. Exit signage brightness focuses on how readable the exit signs are, which is important but a distinct element from the general adequacy of the path lighting. Emergency power for exits concerns whether the lighting has a reliable power source during a outage, again a related but separate consideration from the actual light level along the path. The inspector’s goal here is to confirm that the path to the exit is sufficiently lit for safe travel.