Industry Professional News Archives

Posted on January 21, 2019 January 21, 2019 by Emily GBC

GBC Spec Sheets

GBC Safety Glow designs, manufactures and installs Emergency Egress products. Our team has the expertise and knowledge of the code requirements and we are here to help! Our team will assess your facility’s needs with onsite walk- throughs available anywhere in the U.S and abroad. We will work directly with your safety team and local building or fire inspectors and create a plan to make your building code- compliant.

We design, manufacture, and coordinate installation on every project no matter what the size. The need for emergency egress systems has become more in demand. As a result, we have established distributors nationwide to service our customers. GBC Safety Glow has also expanded internationally with distributors located in the Middle East and Europe. Our diverse network of distributors and installers can provide answers and solutions to your every Photo-Luminescent Safety requirement. Our company has built a reputation on providing quality products through quality people! We would love to help make your building a safer place and equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to know in emergency situations. Contact us today for a free project quote or download our Spec Sheets here.

Posted on August 20, 2018 January 21, 2019 by Emily GBC

Updated 2018 GBC Catalogs

GBC’s 2018 product lines have been updated! This year we have many new industry leading products! We are ready to serve your every photo-luminescent and UV-reactive need. Click on the catalog to view and download it. Check out all of the exciting new products that GBC Safety Glow has to offer. If you have any questions or inquiries, send us a message or give us a call. We’d love to hear from you. Stay tuned for more products to come!

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Posted on April 2, 2018 April 16, 2018 by Emily GBC

GBC Creates ADA Compliant Signage

GBC Safety Glow is excited to announce their release of ADA Compliant Signage. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires mandatory accessibility signage to be present in all public buildings including office spaces, hospitals, apartments, stores, malls, and more. This signage must be conveniently located and easily identifiable. It must be easy to read both visually and through tactile touch. It is a requirement that signage has raised tactile lettering with Grade 2 Braille readability.

GBC will work with you to create ADA compliant signage for any building to make sure you get the look you want. ADA signage doesn’t have to look generic – GBC offers decorative options to match your building’s design and environment. Contact us today about custom ADA Signage options in a wide variety of substrates, colors, text and more.

Contact GBC Safety Glow today for more information on ADA Compliant building signage and what we can offer you!

GBC is proud to support:

Posted on January 22, 2018 August 20, 2018 by Emily GBC

GBC 2018 Product Catalogs

GBC Safety Glow’s 2018 Product Catalogs are hot off the press! Including many new industry leading products, we are ready to serve your every photo-luminescent and UV-reactive needs. Click on the catalog to view and download it. Check out all of the exciting new products that GBC Safety Glow has to offer. If you have any questions or inquiries, send us a message or give us a call. We’d love to hear from you. Stay tuned for more products to come!

Click image to download

Posted on June 5, 2017 April 9, 2018 by Emily GBC

Safety Solutions- Tape vs Stair Tread

IBC and IFC 2009, 2012, and 2015 have introduced new egress system component requirements. Only quality rigid components meet the high safety evaluation standards set out in UL 1994 for photo-luminescent egress system components.

Tape for emergency egress is non-compliant with IBC/IFC 2009, 2012, and 2015 standards and is not code compliant with UL 1994 listings, however, many companies still utilize the old method of tape. This is unsafe! Tapes do not have the capacity to glow as bright or as long as the required rigid or semi-rigid components. After a little bit of wear, tape will get slippery, dirty, and start to peel off, unstick, and tear. Tape needs to be reapplied often and is not durable or made for long wear.

GBC has the code compliant answer for your emergency egress system needs.

Instead of tape, use GBC Safety Glow’s Bull Nose Stair Treads. Constructed of extruded aluminum, the treads were built with durability and longevity in mind. Treads utilize proprietary polymer fusion technology and proprietary anti-skid black substrate with embedded aggregate that allows for heavy traffic and extended longevity. These treads hold up in ice, rain, or snow in any lighting conditions. Bull Nose Stair Treads have a wrap around edge that is ideal for use over carpet or for covering up rough edges to help the appearance of step damage. Stair tread is available in aluminum, bronze, black, and gold finish.

Posted on June 5, 2017 April 9, 2018 by Emily GBC

PL Egress Lighting Performance

Photo-luminescent (PL Egress) systems should be UL listed in accordance with national codes IBC/IFC 2009, 2012, and 2015. The minimum requirements of the performance characteristics for the glow are as follows:

1006.4 Performance of System
Emergency lighting facilities shall be arranged to provide initial illumination that is at least an average of 1 foot-candle (11 lux) and a minimum at any point of 0.1 foot-candle (1 lux), measured along the path of egress at floor level. Illumination levels shall be permitted to decline to 0.6 foot-candle (6 lux), average and a minimum at any point of 0.06 foot-candle (0.6 lux) at the end of the emergency lighting time duration. A maximum-to-minimum illumination uniformity ratio of 40 to 1 shall not be exceeded.

There are many other requirements of the performance relating to ADA and NFPA 101. The specifications set out by UL 1994 are the testing requirements for all of the components which make up the emergency egress system. PL Egress is quickly becoming the standard for Emergency egress in stairwells of high rise public facilities all over the world! The U.S standard for PL Egress systems is one of the best in the world and other countries are quickly following suit. GBC Safety Glow has long been at the forefront of PL Egress technology. The dedicated team of Safety Glow professionals have the desire to put people first! “People Helping People” is our approach to public safety.

Posted on June 5, 2017 April 9, 2018 by Emily GBC

Safety Solutions: High Rise Buildings

Per the IBC and IFC, any high rise building over 75ft is required to implement a low location photo-luminescent emergency egress system except for apartment buildings. Between 2005 and 2009, an estimated 15,700 reported high-rise structure fires per year resulted in associated losses of 53 civilian deaths, 546 civilian injuries, and $235 million in direct property damage per year. An estimated 2.6% of all 2005-2009 reported structure fires were in high-rise buildings. According to reports, 4 property classes account for roughly half of high-rise fires: apartments, hotels, offices, and facilities that care for the sick. In these four property classes combined, there were 7,800 reported high-rise structure fires per year and associated losses of 30 civilian deaths, 352 civilian injuries, and $99 million in direct property damage per year.

The fraction of 2005-2009 high-rise fires that began on the 7th floor or higher was 32% for apartments, 22% for hotels, 39% for office buildings, and 21% for facilities that care for the sick. Most high-rise building fires begin on floors no higher than the 6th story. The risk of a fire starting on a lower level is great for all instances except offices where it is reports more fires start on the upper levels. The requirements of Photo-Luminescent Life safety evacuation systems do not apply to high rise apartment complex or R-2 facilities, yet an average of 12% more fires occur in apartment buildings than any other class of facility.

GBC Safety Glow wants to keep everyone safe by adding simple emergency egress components in every building. Your safety in a high rise apartment is just as important as those in a high rise office building. Isn’t it? Voice this concern to your local fire department. Stand up for safety in the place you live and be proactive to help make a change and save lives! Contact Us today to learn more!

Posted on June 5, 2017 April 9, 2018 by Emily GBC — 1 Comment

Path Marking – Section 4604.23 Requirements

In some areas, path marking for existing buildings is required. To know if this is required for structures near you, the requirements for such path markings are stated in the IFC; Section 4604.23 Egress Path Markings.

Minimum compliance requirements:
Existing buildings of Groups A, B, E, I, M and R-l having occupied floors located more than 75 feet (22,860 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access shall be provided with luminous egress path markings in accordance with IBC; Section 1024 Luminous Egress Path Markings.

Posted on June 2, 2017 April 9, 2018 by Emily GBC

Safety Solutions: Trampoline Park

The growing popularity of trampoline parks as a recreational hobby has grown immensely. It seems that everywhere you look there is a trampoline park. A new fad at trampoline parks is Glow Nights – the lights are turned off and kids experience the fun of the trampoline park in a UV/Blacklit environment.

Trampoline parks need durable, reliable UV-stable and photo-luminescent lighting to accommodate and provide safety and fun for jumpers.

Many franchises turn to orange tape rollers to provide illumination of obstacles, perimeters, stairs, and handrails. The issue with tape is that after a little bit of wear, it will start to peel off, unstick, and tear.

GBC Safety Glow offers a wide range of products for every UV and photo-luminescent need of trampoline parks nationwide. Learn More Here.

Posted on June 2, 2017 April 9, 2018 by Emily GBC

Safety Solutions: Churches

GBC Safety Glow’s Photo-Luminescent products work in many buildings and businesses including churches. After hearing from a safety director at a Mega Church, GBC identified a major issue across the nation’s churches. Many churches lower and dim their lights during service or song and this leads to safe paths of travel becoming invisible. Numerous people trip every year over chair legs, steps, bags, cords, because of this issue.

An easy solution to this is GBC Safety Glow’s Bull Nose Stair Treads to illuminate steps and Perimeter Demarcation Lines to illuminate perimeters and obstacles. Churches are finding these solutions very practical to incorporate into their rooms.