RE: H-3 Signs

["Mercado, Don" <don.mercado@lmco.com>]

	Paul Lavely wrote:

> By the way. We talk about the Ci/sign and often forget that some 
> locations have many signs. About two years ago I was in a hotel in 
> southern California that had between 400 and 600 tritium exit signs. 
> I wondered what will happen to these at the end of their useful life. 
> $8,000 or more to return these may seem steep to have them disposed.
> 
My problem is that most businesses that have them don't even KNOW they have
an expiration date. Generally the signs are purchased by the construction
contractor who installed them and the building occupant doesn't even know
the signs contain radioactive material. The label on the sign itself is
printed in such a way that even if you are holding it in your hand it's hard
to read, let alone 20 feet up above a mall entrance. Generally the signs
have a 10 year life, so if you're in a Macy's that's more than 10 years old,
and see an H-3 exit sign, it probably no longer is in compliance with fire
code illumination requirements. There's litigation waiting to happen.


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