If a tritium exit sign is damaged, the tritium could be released. Tritium gas is typically contained in small glass vials, so damage to tritium exit signs is most likely to occur when a sign is dropped during installation or smashed in the demolition of a building.
No radiation is emitted from a working, unbroken, tritium exit sign. Additionally, tritium exit signs do not require a cord or additional power source, so they can be mounted in locations where traditional power sources do not exist. This means that tritium exit signs will remain lit if the power goes out. Tritium exit signs are useful because they do not require a traditional power source such as batteries or hardwired electricity. Tritium exit signs are marked with a permanent warning label. This phenomena, called radioluminescence radioluminescence The emission of light from objects containing radioactive material, such as radium., occurs when radioactive particles from tritium decay and hit a small bit of material called a phosphor, making it fluoresce or emit light. When mixed with certain chemicals, tritium becomes a continuous, self-powered light source. Tritium exit signs glow in the dark, even when the power is out.
