FactSheet Emergency Exit Routes How would you escape from your workplace in an emergency? Do you know where all the exits are in case your first choice is too crowded? Are you sure the doors will be unlocked and that the exit access, such as a hallway, will not be blocked during a fire, explosion, or other crisis? Knowing the answers to these questions could keep you safe during an emergency. What is an exit route? An exit route is a continuous and unobstructed • Exit stairs that continue beyond the level on which path of exit travel from any point within a the exit discharge is located must be interrupted workplace to a place of safety. An exit route at that level by doors, partitions, or other effective consists of three parts: means that clearly indicate the direction of travel leading to the exit discharge. • Exit access – portion of an exit route that leads • Exit route doors must be unlocked from the to an exit. inside. They must be free of devices or alarms • Exit – portion of an exit route that is generally that could restrict use of the exit route if the separated from other areas to provide a device or alarm fails. protected way of travel to the exit discharge. • Side-hinged exit doors must be used to connect • Exit discharge – part of the exit route that leads rooms to exit routes. These doors must swing directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge out in the direction of exit travel if the room is area, public way, or open space with access to to be occupied by more than 50 people or if the the outside. room is a high-hazard area. How many exit routes must a • Exit routes must support the maximum workplace have? permitted occupant load for each floor served, and the capacity of an exit route may not Normally, a workplace must have at least two exit decrease in the direction of exit route travel to routes to permit prompt evacuation of employees the exit discharge. and other building occupants during an emergency. • Ceilings of exit routes must be at least 7 feet, More than two exits are required, however, if 6 inches high. the number of employees, size of the building, • An exit access must be at least 28 inches wide or arrangement of the workplace will not allow at all points. Where there is only one exit access employees to evacuate safely. Exit routes must be leading to an exit or exit discharge, the width of located as far away as practical from each other in the exit and exit discharge must be at least equal case one is blocked by fire or smoke. to the width of the exit access. Objects that Exception: If the number of employees, the size of project into the exit must not reduce its width. the building, its occupancy, or the arrangement of the • Outdoor exit routes are permitted but must meet workplace allows all employees to evacuate safely the minimum height and width requirement for during an emergency, one exit route is permitted. indoor exit routes and must − have guardrails to protect unenclosed sides if What are some other design and a fall hazard exists; construction requirements for exit routes? − be covered if snow or ice is likely to • Exit routes must be permanent parts of the accumulate, unless the employer can workplace. demonstrate accumulations will be removed • Exit discharges must lead directly outside or to before a slipping hazard exists; a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or − be reasonably straight and have smooth, open space with access to the outside. These solid, substantially level walkways;and exit discharge areas must be large enough to − not have a dead-end longer than 20 feet. accommodate the building occupants likely to use the exit route. What are the requirements for exits? kept in the workplace, and available for employee • Exits must be separated by fire resistant review. Although employers are required to have materials—that is, one-hour fire-resistance an emergency action plan (EAP) only when the rating if the exit connects three or fewer stories applicable OSHA standard requires it, OSHA strongly and two-hour fire-resistance rating if the exit recommends that all employers have an EAP. Here connects more than three floors. are the OSHA standards that require EAPs: • Exits are permitted to have only those openings • Process Safety Management of Highly necessary to allow access to the exit from Hazardous Chemicals - 1910.119 occupied areas of the workplace or to the exit • Fixed Extinguishing Systems, General - 1910.160 discharge. Openings must be protected by a self- • Fire Detection Systems, 1910.164 closing, approved fire door that remains closed or • Grain Handling - 1910.272 automatically closes in an emergency. • Ethylene Oxide - 1910.1047 What are the maintenance, safeguarding, • Methylenedianiline - 1910.1050 and operational features for exit routes? • 1,3-Butadiene - 1910.1051 OSHA standards require employers to do the What are the minimum elements of an following: emergency action plan? • Keep exit routes free of explosive or highly • Procedures for reporting fires and other flammable furnishings and other decorations. emergencies. • Arrange exit routes so employees will not have • Procedures for emergency evacuation, including to travel toward a high-hazard area unless the the type of evacuation and exit route assignments. path of travel is effectively shielded from the • Procedures for employees who stay behind to high-hazard area. continue critical plant operations. • Ensure that exit routes are unobstructed such as • Procedures to account for all employees after by materials, equipment, locked doors, or dead- evacuation. end corridors. • Procedures for employees performing rescue or • Ensure that safeguards designed to protect medical duties. employees during an emergency remain in good • Name or job title of employees to contact for working order. detailed plan information. • Provide lighting for exit routes adequate for • Alarm system to alert workers. employees with normal vision. In addition, you must designate and train • Keep exit route doors free of decorations or signs employees to assist in a safe and orderly that obscure the visibility of exit route doors. evacuation of other employees. You must also • Post signs along the exit access indicating the review the emergency action plan with each direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit employee covered when the following occur: discharge if that direction is not immediately apparent. Also, the line-of-sight to an exit sign • Plan is developed or an employee is assigned must be clearly visible at all times. initially to a job. • Mark doors or passages along an exit access that • Employee’s responsibilities under the plan changes. could be mistaken for an exit “Not an Exit” or • Plan is changed. with a sign identifying its use (such as “Closet”). • Install “EXIT” signs in plainly legible letters. Must all employers have fire • Renew fire-retardant paints or solutions often prevention plans? enough to maintain their fire-retardant properties. If you have 10 or fewer employees, you may • Maintain exit routes during construction, repairs, communicate your plan orally. If you have more than or alterations. 10 employees, however, your plan must be written, • Provide an emergency alarm system to alert kept in the workplace, and available for employee employees, unless employees can promptly see review. Although employers are only required to have or smell a fire or other hazard in time to provide a fire prevention plan (FPP) when the applicable OSHA adequate warning to them. standard requires it, OSHA strongly recommends that all employers have a FPP. The following OSHA Are employers required to have emergency standards require fire prevention plans: action plans? • Ethylene Oxide - 1910.1047 If you have 10 or fewer employees, you may • Methylenedianiline - 1910.1050 communicate your plan orally. If you have more than • 1,3-Butadiene - 1910.1051 10 employees, however, your plan must be written, Here are the minimum provisions of a fire Workers’ Rights prevention plan: Workers have the right to: • List of all major fire hazards, proper handling • Working conditions that do not pose a risk of and storage procedures for hazardous materials, serious harm. potential ignition sources and their control, and • Receive information and training (in a language the type of fire protection equipment necessary to and vocabulary the worker understands) about control each major hazard. workplace hazards, methods to prevent them, and • Procedures to control accumulations of the OSHA standards that apply to their workplace. flammable and combustible waste materials. • Review records of work-related injuries • Procedures for regular maintenance of and illnesses. safeguards installed on heat-producing • File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of workplace if they believe there is a serious hazard combustible materials. or that their employer is not following OSHA’s • Name or job title of employees responsible for rules. OSHA will keep all identities confidential. maintaining equipment to prevent or control • Exercise their rights under the law without sources of ignition or fires. retaliation, including reporting an injury or • Name or job title of employees responsible for raising health and safety concerns with their the control of fuel source hazards. employer or OSHA. If a worker has been In addition, when you assign employees to a job, retaliated against for using their rights, they you must inform them of any fire hazards they may must file a complaint with OSHA as soon as be exposed to. You must also review with each possible, but no later than 30 days. employee those parts of the fire prevention plan For additional information, see OSHA’s necessary for self-protection.