The 24m Viewing Distance Rule: Why Your AS 2293.3 Exit Sign May Be Non-Compliant

The “Running Man” and 24m Viewing Distance: What AS/NZS 2293.3 Says About Exit Signs

In the 1970s, researchers studied how people behaved in fires. They found a terrifying, fatal trend: in the panic and smoke, people didn’t read. Text-based “EXIT” signs were confusing, especially in multicultural societies where English wasn’t the first language. People would hesitate, make a wrong turn, and die.  

In response, a Japanese designer named Yukio Ota created a pictogram. It was simple, dynamic, and needed no translation: a figure in motion, heading for a door. This “Running Man” was adopted by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) in 1985 and is now the global standard for “go to safety”.  

That pictogram on your wall isn’t just decoration; it’s a life-saving piece of engineering. And every single detail of it—from its colour to its size to how far you can see it from—is rigorously specified in AS/NZS 2293.3:2018.  

As a product expert, let me tell you, the exit sign is where compliance failures are most obvious.

It’s Not Just a Green Box: Part 3 and Exit Signs

Just like with luminaires, AS/NZS 2293.3 is the “product standard” for exit signs. It tells manufacturers exactly how to build, test, and mark their signs so that designers (using Part 1) can trust them.  

The “Running Man” Pictogram: A Universal Language

The standard mandates the use of this ISO 7010 pictogram.  

• Why the Pictogram? It’s language-independent. It’s intuitive. It provides direction.   
• Why Green? This is a fascinating bit of psychology. Red is universally “stop,” “danger,” or “hazard” (like a fire extinguisher sign). You don’t want people stopping in an emergency. Green is “go,” “safety,” “permission”. In a panic, you run towards the green light.  
• Elements and Size: Part 3 specifies the exact size and shape of the pictorial elements, the door, and the optional (but usually required) directional arrow.   

The “Not an Exit” Sign: The Detail That Prevents Fatal Mistakes

This is a critical, and often forgotten, part of the standard. What about a door to a storeroom or a bathroom that looks just like an exit? In a panic, people will try to open it.

The standards recognise this. If a door or passageway could be “mistaken for an exit,” it must be clearly marked with a sign that reads “Not an Exit” or identifies its purpose, like “Storeroom”. This simple sign is just as important as the exit sign itself for preventing deadly wrong turns.  

The 24m Rule: The Most Critical (and Overlooked) Number

If you learn only one thing from this article, let it be this.

Go look at a compliant exit sign. On the sign’s face (the illuminated panel), you must see a small marking that says “24m” (or sometimes “40m”).  

This is the Maximum Viewing Distance, and it is the sign’s most important specification.

What is “Maximum Viewing Distance”?

As part of its AS/NZS 2293.3 testing, a manufacturer must prove the distance at which the sign is legible and conspicuous. For most standard signs, this is 24 metres.   

This isn’t a suggestion. It is a hard, tested limit.

How is this Used? (The Part 1 Design Link)

This number is the critical input for the designer using AS/NZS 2293.1. The design standard states that an exit sign must be placed…

1. Above or adjacent to every exit.
2. …and in any place where the path to the exit is not obvious.

…and at no point can the distance from a person to the next sign (or the exit) be greater than the rated viewing distance of the sign.

The Compliance Trap That Halts Building Handovers

This is a massive trap for builders and certifiers.

• The Scenario: An architect designs a long, 60-metre corridor. To comply, they place a 24m exit sign at the end, and another 24m sign in the middle (at the 30m mark). No matter where you stand, you are always within 24m of a sign. The design is compliant.
• The Mistake: The builder, trying to save money, buys a cheap, non-compliant exit sign. It looks right (it has a running man), but it has no 24m marking on its face. It was never tested to Part 3.
• The Consequence: The building certifier arrives to sign off on the Certificate of Occupancy (CO). He walks the corridor, looks at the sign, and sees the missing 24m marking.  
• The Result: He cannot sign the CO. The building cannot be legally occupied. The builder now has to rip out and replace every single exit sign while the client is screaming about a delayed opening.

This happens. I’ve seen it. The 24m marking is the certifier’s first and easiest check.

Other Part 3 Sign Requirements

AS/NZS 2293.3 specifies other key details:

• Construction and Markings: The body of the sign must be marked with its classification (if it’s also an emergency light), battery type, etc..  
• Illumination: The standard details the required brightness (luminance), the evenness of the light (uniformity), and the exact shade of green.  
• Maintained vs. Non-Maintained: It covers both types. In Australia, almost all exit signs are “Maintained,” meaning they are illuminated 24/7 from mains power and switch to battery in a blackout. “Non-maintained” signs (which only light up in a blackout) are generally not permitted for use as exit signs, only as emergency luminaires. 
• Mounting Height: While Part 3 governs the product, Part 1 (the design) specifies where to put it. This is typically between 2.0m and 2.7m above the floor, or immediately above the doorway if it’s higher. 
   

Conclusion: A Sign is a System, Not a Sticker

That green “Running Man” sign is a highly engineered piece of life-safety equipment. It’s the final link in the chain, guiding people who are being illuminated by the luminaires (Article 2) in a system that is legally required and regularly tested.

The AS/NZS 2293.3 standard ensures that the sign you trust to guide you to safety has been built and tested to do exactly that. Before you buy or install one, check the face. If it doesn’t say “24m,” it’s not a compliant sign. It’s a liability.