Emergency Exit Keep Clear Sign

The Emergency Exit Keep Clear Sign is a photoluminescent maritime safety sign combining two critical low-location escape messages in a single compact panel: “EMERGENCY EXIT” and “KEEP CLEAR”. Manufactured to ISO 7010 low-location lighting (LLL) standards, this sign glows brightly in total darkness and thick smoke, guiding crew and passengers to the nearest emergency exit while ensuring the pathway itself is never obstructed by stored gear, cargo, or loose equipment.

Why “Emergency Exit” and “Keep Clear” Belong Together

Onboard vessels, corridors and exit doors are frequently narrow, and it only takes one dropped mooring line, life jacket box, or trolley to turn a marked escape route into a bottleneck during an emergency muster. Combining the exit identification with an explicit “keep clear” instruction removes any ambiguity for crew conducting routine inspections: the area beneath and around this sign must remain unobstructed at all times, not just during drills. This dual-purpose signage is a practical response to a very real shipboard hazard — corridors that double as informal storage space.

SOLAS Chapter II-2 and Means of Escape

SOLAS Chapter II-2 requires that means of escape be kept clear of obstructions and be clearly indicated so that all persons on board can find their way to open deck and embarkation stations in an emergency. Photoluminescent exit signage, including combined “keep clear” markings like this one, forms part of the low-location escape route marking system required on passenger ships and increasingly specified on cargo vessels as best practice. Flag State and Port State Control inspectors routinely check that exit paths are free of obstruction, and a clearly worded sign at deck or bulkhead level makes this expectation unmistakable to every crew member and visitor.

The sign’s glow-in-the-dark pigment is charged by ambient light and can remain legible for extended periods after a power failure, which is precisely the scenario in which crew are most likely to need it. Positioning the sign at a consistent height along escape corridors — normally at eye level or just above skirting height as part of an LLL scheme — helps build muscle memory during drills, so the correct response becomes automatic under real emergency stress.

Supporting the Muster and Emergency Response Plan

Every vessel’s muster list and emergency response procedures rely on crew being able to move quickly and predictably from any compartment to a muster station. An obstructed or poorly marked emergency exit undermines the entire plan, no matter how well drilled the crew are otherwise. Fitting an Emergency Exit Keep Clear Sign at every relevant exit point supports the ISM Code’s requirement for documented procedures for shipboard emergencies, and gives the vessel’s safety officer a simple, visible way to verify compliance during routine rounds — if the sign is visible and the space beneath it is genuinely clear, that exit is ready for use.

This sign is equally suited to accommodation corridors, engine room escape trunks, and machinery space exits where clutter can accumulate quickly between inspections. Its bold, high-contrast blue-and-photoluminescent design is instantly recognisable under both normal lighting and emergency low-light conditions, satisfying the IMO’s general principles for graphical symbols on life-saving appliances and means of escape.

Constructed from durable, fire-retardant photoluminescent material, this sign resists the humidity, salt air, and vibration typical of a working vessel while retaining strong daytime and charge-recovery performance. It is a straightforward, low-cost addition to any escape route audit and pairs well with our full range of Mandatory Signs and directional escape signage. See also our Keep Clear Exit for Emergency Escape Route Sign for a companion directional marker used further along the same escape route.

For the regulatory background on means-of-escape marking requirements, refer to IMO’s fire protection and life-saving appliance guidance, which underpins SOLAS Chapter II-2 escape route provisions.

Specifications

• Photoluminescent, ISO 7010 compliant LLL-style design
• Fire-retardant, corrosion-resistant construction for marine environments
• IMPA 33.5830 / ISSA 47.558.30
• Suitable for corridors, escape trunks, and machinery space exits
• Other sizes available on request