I’m sure you’ve seen the emergency exit signs mounted throughout buildings like schools, stores, malls and movie theaters. Most of these exit signs contain tritium, which is a radioactive form of hydrogen. When you mix tritium with any chemical that emits light and you involve radiation it’s called phosphor in a tube. The chemicals mixed together cause a continuous self-powered light. If you use Halogen Lamp Emergency Lighting or LED combo exit signs it is less of a concern.

The reason tritium is used in emergency signs because by using it you’re pretty much guaranteeing that the sign will always stay lit. In some cases emergency signs containing tritium can get damaged. If this occurs don’t handle the light. If a device is damaged the tritium will exit the sign as a very high temperature gas. This gas could escape into local areas of the building. You should never handle a damaged fixture containing tritium because you’ll be taking the risk of coming in contact with materials that are radioactive.

The good thing is that emergency signs containing tritium don’t get broken or damaged easily, so the threat of having to deal with one is minimal. Once a sign containing tritium is mounted, the likely hood of it falling or becoming damaged is very unlikely. You are more likely to see the fixture get damaged during installation or smashed if the building is being torn down. Tritium fixtures are also damaged when they are illegally dumped in community landfills. It is required by law that all devices containing tritium be disposed of properly.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency established the Clean Air Act to protect the environment and people from hazardous air pollutants. If you experience any type of emergency where a tritium device has been damaged, you’ll need to call the EPA and they will respond to your emergency and clean up and dispose of the device properly. The EPA also sets the limits on how much tritium is allowed in drinking water, to prevent the water from becoming harmful if digested. The EPA is also called in to assess a property that may have previously been contaminated by tritium. The EPA officials have to perform specific testing to make sure the soil and ground water don’t contain hazardous chemicals.

Don’t ever tamper with an exit fixture or any light containing tritium. Every unit in your building needs to be clearly labeled saying it contains tritium and you must return all outdated lighting containing tritium to the manufacturer. You should be able to find the address of the sign’s manufacturer on the back of the unit. Make sure you contact them so they can give you exact instructions as to how ship the tritium light safely.

If you notice that an fixture containing tritium is damaged in your building you must do the following: don’t touch the light, evacuate the area immediately, the area must be isolated and ventilation to the outside will be needed and you must identify all the people who could have possibly been exposed. If you think you might have been contaminated you must shower with soap and water immediately. You’ll have to put your clothes in a bag so they can be tested and a urine sample will be needed to out rule internal exposure. Lastly, drink plenty of fluids this helps tritium leave the body faster.

Remember, dealing with broken or damaged tritium signs in your building is dangerous. Make sure all damaged signs containing tritium are disposed of properly!