Big Red Exit or Little Green Running Man?
Why mess with a classic? We are all used to seeing those big bold red letters hanging above door signs reading EXIT. High legible, illuminated, big contrast- it shows off the high importance of the message. Even more, red evocates the thought of fire and fire-safety.
However, the rest of the world looks at that red sign and disagrees. If you’ve had a chance to travel outside of the U.S. you will notice most countries use some version of the ISO standard, a green exit sign nicknamed “the green running man”. This sign was developed in the 1970’s by a Japanese designer and quickly adopted internationally by 1985.
Advantages of the Green Exit Sign
The green exit sign fans point out that it has two big advantages over the red emergency exit signs.
- It’s a pictogram
- It’s green color
Why are these advantages? Think about it. First, the signs are wordless, but still showing exactly what direction you need to run to find an exit. That means it can be understood even by those who don’t speak the country's language. Advocates of the green exit sign also argue its color makes more sense than red. Green is the color of safety (green means go, after all). While red on the other hand is often used when we want people to stop, they are in danger, or not to touch.
How the Green Exit Sign Came About
Designers around the world began to use graphical symbols with increasing frequency in the 1960’s. Multiple languages were more commonly popping up in countries and people were traveling. Airports, train stations, even the Olympics. How can we relay messages of importance with all these different languages? Pictograms offer a smart solution and Yukio Ota took that to heart when designing the green running man exit sign.
Ota worked with the Japanese fire safety commission and the government with the goal, Ota recalls, to suggest that people should "run slowly." After the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was founded, Japan submitted the running man for consideration as an international exit symbol and it was selected.
Can You Use the Green Exit Sign in America?
The regulating authority, NFPA, does not object to the running one and even acknowledges that green makes sense for exit signs. Red has never actually been a mandated color, only that the lettering must contrast between the text and the background. NFPA does include the ISO running man green exit sign in a group of symbols its members might want to use and allows the use of pictograms in tandem with the "EXIT" text (where local jurisdictions allow). However, the organization states it has no plans to remove the "EXIT" sign.
Some cities have turned to mandating green exit signs. For example, in 2006, New York City changed its fire code to require high-rises to include the ISO pictogram on fire doors on each floor.New Yorkers may also soon see a version of the running man in the subway system.
Shop Green Exit Signs
Jessup Manufacturing is a leader in photoluminescent emergency exit signs and egress systems. Shop our entire selection of fire safety signage, including the green exit sign “running man” today.
