LED Beacons: Cost-Effective Safety Signalisation

Beacon lights are crucial, instantly identifiable notification appliances that are used in industrial and retail warehouses and commercial spaces to inform occupants of an event or situation that requires immediate attention. They’re essential for indicating emergencies, the presence of hazards, and marking precise locations.

That means when activated, they need to be as conspicuous as possible. Although beacons can function as standalone devices, they’re ordinarily deployed in conjunction with sirens, klaxons, and other electronic messaging services that are used in mass notification systems.

Beacons, understandably, are regarded as the most critical appliances in these systems. The noise and commotion that can occur during and immediately after an event can also leave people unable to respond appropriately. Powerful LED beacons, however, provide the unmistakable instruction and clear direction they need to navigate away from danger.

LED Beacons Are the Backbone of Notification Systems

Make no mistake: in a world where civil, as well as occupational safety and control are more important than ever, synchronised LED beacon light appliances are the cornerstones of modern, multi-mode notification systems. These wall-, pole-, and vehicle-mountable devices are designed to visually convey event-specific information to affected individuals, and are as indispensable for first responders and emergency crews as they are for the general public.

Unlike fast-flashing strobe lights that can add to the confusion of an event, high-intensity LED beacons emit steady flashing and rotating patterns. The result is a persistent, high-lumen beam that’s capable of providing a visual indication of:

• A fire, or urgent lock-down/shelter-in-place notification;
• The location of a safe, or hazardous area shelter;
• Staged signalisation for commercial, or industrial processes;
• Traffic controlled and regulatory status areas; and,
• Heavy vehicle and equipment movements.

Regardless of whether it’s used to mark a location, to broadcast an emergency notification, or to display tiered-level signalling, an LED beacon is the instantly identifiable backbone in any modern warning or public notification system. And with such a wide range of alert and alarm beacons available, they’re designed and constructed to be tailored to practically any environment or situation.

High-Quality Beacons Built for Any Environment

With so many possible scenarios where routine or emergency visual signalisation are needed, an LED beacon light design has to be versatile enough to reflect those demands. Everything from their profile height and lens colour, to their impact and environmental resistance are crucial engineering factors that have to be considered. And depending on where and how a beacon is being used, it’ll also need to comply with various state and Australian Standards (AS) guidelines for the design, installation, and commissioning of mandatory warning, safety, and control systems.

Manufacturers like Moflash, Qlight, and Klaxon are responsible for some of the most reliable beacons and visual signalling systems available in Australia, and the some of the variations within their product lines include:

• Beacons with integrated buzzers. Staged sounder beacons are available in red, amber, blue, green, and white, and offer IP-rated signalisation for programmable, multi-stage security and process control systems in industrial environments.
• Rotating beacons. A rotating static beacon offers the same core functionality as a standard sounder beacon, but contains a belt driven parabolic mirror for maximum brightness.
• Hazardous/explosive area beacons. These multi-stage, high output alarm beacon appliances are designed for use in highly regulated Zone 1, 2, 21, and 22 environments where flammable gases or combustible dusts are likely to be present in explosive concentrations.
• Stacked beacons. Stacked red, amber, green, and white tower light beacons are designed to satisfy the complex signalisation needs in staged, and multi-mode process systems in industrial facilities, and can be easily combined with sounder modules for maximum utilisation.
• Traffic lights and advanced warning beacons. IP-rated, indoor and outdoor red, amber, and green traffic lights are available in single, double, and triple mounting configurations, and are the preferred beacons for traffic control, gate management, and vehicle movement systems.

With their independently controllable beacon and sounder connections, and wireless controllable, fully adjustable flash rates, modern alert and fire alarm beacons allow public and private sectors users to program a practically unlimited range of visual and audible signalling combinations into their notification systems.

The key to the effectiveness of these modern systems, however, is their migration away from incandescent light sources in favour of LEDs. There’s no room for ambiguity when it comes to rapid signalling, and LEDs offer the powerful, no-hesitation operation that’s necessary to build a truly reliable safety system.

Leveraging LED’s Advantages to Build Better Beacons

While the latest generation of beacons benefits tremendously from the survivability of the anti-reflective polycarbonate lenses, and tough alloy and polymer housings, it’s the high powered LED arrays that gives it the upper hand when it comes to safety. LEDs offer unparalleled performance under even the most strenuous conditions, and incorporate an array of advantages that include:

• Maximum brightness with minimal heat. Not only do LEDs produce more lumens than incandescent-type lighting, the absence of a filament means that there’s no wasteful heat loss that would shorten the lifespans of these severe duty appliances.
• Increased efficiency and durability. The solid-state design of LEDs gives them greater efficiency and durability when it comes to withstanding exposure to moisture, motion, and temperature extremes.
• Ease of programmability and customisation. LEDs integrate easily into any staged, or multi-mode notification system, and aren’t subject to performance drops or surges due to inconsistent power supplies, RF interference, or other environmental disruptions.

Between their lower energy consumption and virtually maintenance-free operation, LED beacons are also more cost effective than their incandescent counterparts. They don’t require any repairs or parts replacements, making them the appliances you can trust through any event.

The Final Word

At the end of the day, with mass notification systems relied upon for everything from mining and industrial safety, to traffic guidance and severe weather warnings, only beacons provide the clear, unambiguous messaging that’s instantly recognisable. And when combined with today’s LED technology, they’re capable of producing event-specific notifications that can even be tuned to convey the exact nature of the situation.

Synchronised, multi-mode LED beacons offer the flexibility that production, facility, and safety professionals need to keep everything moving safely and efficiently. Their acquisition costs may be higher than incandescent beacons, but their operational advantages and extended ownership more than justify investing in them.