Welcome to the training session on exit routes. This training session is designed for plant managers, supervisors, and for other employees designated as emergency evacuation coordinators who need to understand the process for preparing a facility for the safe evacuation of employees.

Session Objectives

By the end of the training session, you will be able to:

• Set up and maintain exit routes
• Implement the requirements of the facility Emergency Action Plan
• Recognize alarm signals
• And, implement evacuation procedures

What Is an Exit Route?

Let’s begin with a definition. What is an exit route?

• An exit route is a continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way. The key words here are “continuous” and “unobstructed.” In later slides we will look at the importance of making sure that workers can easily escape by making the way of exit clear and easy to follow in an emergency.
• The exit route consists of three basic parts, which are composed of both vertical and horizontal ways of travel.

– The “access to the exit” refers to how employees will travel from their workstation to the exit door. Workers may need to go down hallways, passageways, corridors, open aisle ways, stairwells, through doorways, or lobbies until the exit door is reached.

– The “exit” is the actual door that leads out of the structure. We will go over how this door needs to be clearly marked and how it must open easily.

– The “way of exit discharge” refers to where the exit door actually leads. The door may lead out to a parking lot, sidewalk, busy alley, or outdoor courtyard.

Number of Exit Routes

Building and fire codes require a certain number of exit routes and certain types of exit routes, depending on a number of factors, including the following:

• Low-density workplaces such as warehouses do not require as many exits. These exits may be built with minimum standards because of the low volume of people. High-rise office buildings must have multiple exits designed to handle many people.
• The size of the building also affects the number of exits. A large industrial building will have multiple exits because there are multiple work areas, and exits are needed near each area.
• The arrangement of the building also affects the number of exits. A square building with open floor spaces (i.e., office cubicles) probably does not need as many exits as an odd-shaped building with a number of areas.
• Finally, the type of occupancy also affects the number of exits. A building in which flammable chemicals or materials are stored or used will require more exits because a fire could be started more easily and also spread more quickly.

Make sure you know how many exits there are in your building.

Location of Exit Routes

Here are the requirements for the locations of exits:

• From any point in a building, there must be at least two exit routes to provide different ways for employees to leave the workplace safely during an emergency.
• Even if the building has multiple exit routes, at least two of the routes must be remote from each other to provide options.
• If the exit routes on one side of the building are blocked by a fire, employees have the option of going to the exit routes on the other side of the building.
• A single exit route is allowed in some rare cases, such as when the number of employees, the size of the building, and the arrangement of the workplace is such that a single exit will allow all employees to exit safely during an emergency. In the case of a single exit, other means of escape, such as an accessible window, are required to be provided in case the one exit becomes blocked.

Size of Exit Routes

Here are the requirements for the size of exit routes:

• The exit route must be large enough to accommodate the maximum permitted occupant load for each floor served by the evacuation route. If a stairwell is designed to serve as an evacuation route for eight floors, it must be able to handle the maximum occupant load of each of those eight floors.
• The capacity of an exit route cannot decrease at any point. This may create a bottleneck in the exit route and block the route. It might cause panic as people are wondering why everyone has stopped. Injuries might occur as people try to push forward into the bottleneck. Do not use exit routes as storage areas, because this results in decreased capacity of the exit route.
• Exit routes must always be a minimum of 7 feet 6 inches high, with projections from the ceiling, such as fans or sprinkler heads, not less than 6 feet 8 inches.
• Finally, exit routes must always be a minimum of 28 inches wide at all points. This includes the distance between handrails.

Unobstructed Access

For exit routes to be effective, they must be fully accessible at all times. Take these steps:

• Maintain exit routes free of obstructions. Remember, they are not just the doors or stairwells that lead outside. Exit routes start at any point in the building. That means that exit doors cannot be blocked, and stairwells cannot be used for extra storage. Keep file cabinets and bookshelves out of main aisles or hallways that are used as access ways to exit doors. Do not store janitorial equipment or extra paper for the copy machine in exit routes. Keep routes clear of all obstructions.
• Exit routes cannot require employees to travel to a dead end where they may become trapped by a fire. Make sure exit signs pointing to the exit door along the exit route do not point employees in the wrong direction, especially into a dead end.
• Exit routes cannot go through rooms that might be locked. If access to the door that leads outside requires employees to go through an office, lunchroom, or some other room with lockable doors, that is not an exit route and should not be labeled as such. For this to be an official exit route, the lock on the door to the room must be removed.

Minimize Exposure to Hazards

Minimize potential danger to employees while they are going along an exit route. Do not require employees to travel toward areas where high-hazard materials are stored unless the exit route is protected by partitions or other physical barriers. Also follow these precautions:

• Keep exit routes free of explosive or highly flammable chemicals, furnishings, or decorations. These items could be ignited by the high temperature of a nearby fire, causing the exit to become blocked in an emergency.
• Keep exit routes free of combustible materials such as cardboard or paper that might also be easily ignited and burn quickly and hot.
• Keep exit routes free of materials that might emit poisonous fumes when burned.
• Finally, remember that exit routes include hallways, aisle ways, walkways, stairwells, lobbies, and other areas that must be passed through on the way to the exit door that leads outside. Do not store high-hazard materials in or near any of these access ways.

Clearly Mark All Exits

Here are the requirements for exit routes signage:

• Each exit or doorway leading outside must be marked with a clearly visible, distinctive sign that reads EXIT.
• The exit signs must have distinctive colors so that they do not blend into the background and can be seen easily from a distance.
• Signs must be posted along the exit routes that indicate the direction of travel to the nearest exit. These signs will often have the word EXIT with an arrow pointing to the left or right. In most buildings, there will be a series of EXIT signs with arrows that point out the direction of the exit route to employees before they actually reach the door that leads to the outside.
• Finally, exit signs cannot be obstructed or concealed in any way that might prevent people from seeing them. Additional signs on the exit doors may cause confusion. Be careful not to put holiday decorations on or near exit signs. Never put a mirror near an exit door because it will cause confusion on the direction of travel.

Make sure you can recognize the EXIT signs in your workplace.

Mark Non-exit Doors

Here are the requirements for doors that are not exits:

• A non-exit door is any doorway or passage that might be mistaken for an exit. Examples include doors to closets, basements, storage rooms, offices, mechanical or electrical rooms.
• These doors must be marked with a sign that reads NOT AN EXIT.
• Also, mark the non-exit doors to indicate their actual use, such as “Basement” or “Closet.”

Make sure you know which doors are not exits in your facility.

Provide Adequate Lighting

Here’s how exit routes must be lit:

• Each exit route must be illuminated in such a way that even during a power outage, emergency lighting is available. The lighting must be adequate and reliable and should be checked regularly to ensure that it is in working condition.
• Exit signs themselves must be illuminated. This lighting must also be reliable and should be checked on a regular basis.
• Exit signs that are self-lighting must be checked on a regular basis to ensure that the lighting is always in good working order.
• Exit signs that are not self-lighting must be made of a reflective material so that they are easy to see when illuminated by the emergency lighting.
• Finally, brightly lit signs, displays, decorations, or other objects should not be used near exit signs where they may distract attention. This includes holiday decorations and neon signs.

Outdoor Exit Routes

Sometimes exit routes will take you outside, and although you are outside, you have yet to safely exit the building or structure. A common example of an outdoor exit route is a fire escape on the outside of many older buildings. Although outside, you may have to descend flights of stairs and finally go down a ladder before actually exiting the building. Here’s what you need to know about outdoor exits:

• Outdoor exit routes might also include travel along a balcony, porch, roof, or courtyard.
• Outdoor exit routes must have guardrails to protect unenclosed sides.
• If outdoor exit routes are likely to have snow or ice accumulate, making passage difficult, the outdoor area must be covered.
• Outdoor exit routes must be reasonably straight and have smooth, solid, substantially level walkways.
• Finally, no dead ends longer than 20 feet are allowed to branch off the exit route. A guardrail, or some other barricade, should be installed to prevent employees from going in the wrong direction when trying to evacuate.

Make sure you’re familiar with any outdoor exit routes in your facility.

Doors Must Open Readily

Here are the requirements for exit doors:

• All doors along the exit route, including the final door that leads outside, must open readily. Doors must open from the inside so that evacuating employees just need to push them open as they go along the exit route. If doors must be pulled open, a bottleneck could be created, and employees could be injured.
• The doors along the exit route must open without the use of keys, tools, or any other special knowledge. A device that locks only from the outside, such as a panic bar, is permitted.
• Sometimes exit doors are equipped with an emergency device such as an alarm that will sound when the door is opened. The use of a door with this type of device will trigger a fire alarm. When an exit door is equipped with this type of device, the door must still open easily even if the alarm or emergency device is not functioning correctly.

Exit Route Leads Outside

Here’s where exit routes need to lead:

• The exit route that employees follow must eventually lead outside.
• The last exit door should lead directly outside to a street or walkway that allows the employees to easily move away from the building or structure.
• The last exit door may also lead to an open space with easy access to the outside so that employees can easily move away from the building or structure. Exit routes must clearly show the most direct path to leave the building.
• Paths along the exit route that lead elsewhere should be barricaded. For example, if the stairs in your exit route lead past the exit to a basement or some other location, install a gate, door, partition, or some other barricade at the point that leads down to the basement. The barricade route will help employees stay on the exit route taking them out of the building, rather than take a path that leads elsewhere.
• Finally, if it is unclear in which direction employees should go once they reach the open space, additional exit signs are needed to point the direction.

Exit Routes – Any Questions?

• Now it’s time to ask yourself if you understand the information presented so far. Do you understand the requirements of exits and exit routes? It’s important for your safety that you know how to exit your worksite in an emergency.

Emergency Action Plan

OSHA requires employers to develop an Emergency Action Plan, or EAP, with the following elements:

• Escape routes must be identified in the plan. We have already covered escape routes in this session.
• Alarm systems must be identified and discussed in the plan.
• Evacuation procedures must be described in the plan.
• Employee training requirements are also described in the plan.
• Finally, the plan will also have more details regarding the use of fire-fighting equipment such as fire extinguishers, what to do in the case of a natural disaster, and other employee responsibilities besides evacuation in the case of an emergency.

Make sure you understand and follow the procedures in your facility’s EAP. You can read OSHA’s EAP regulations in 29 CFR 1910.38.

Alarm Systems

Here’s how alarm systems must function:

• Alarm systems must have a distinctive signal that warns employees of emergencies. The key word here is “distinctive.” The alarm cannot sound like other common noises in the facility, such as buzzers or alarms that machinery might make during normal production. Also, the visual signal must be different from the other lights in the facility. The alarm system must be so distinctive that employees will know that the alarm signal indicates an emergency.
• Both the audible and visual alarm must be noticeable above the surrounding workplace noise and lights.
• The alarm must be seen and heard in every area of the facility so that employees, no matter where they are working, will know there is an emergency.
• Many alarm systems have components that are automatically triggered, such as detection systems on fire suppression systems. However, OSHA also requires manual activation devices.
• Finally, backup alarm systems are also required by OSHA in case the main alarm system malfunctions or is disabled.

Make sure you recognize your facility’s alarm sounds and lights.

Alarm Activation Procedures

This slide about the procedures for sounding alarms covers manual alarms only. Automatic alarms will sound if their sensors or detection systems think a fire is present. Here’s how manual alarms must function:

• Manual pull box alarms are usually located on walls in open areas such as hallways or near doorways. Pulling the lever will cause the alarm to sound.
• A public address, or PA, system is commonly used in many workplaces. If an employee discovers a fire, he or she can use the PA system to warn other employees. The specific location of the fire should be stated so that evacuating employees know which direction to avoid.
• Phones or radios may also be used to warn others of a fire.
• Air horns may also be sounded to warn others of a fire or other emergency. These are often used for backup alarms in case the main alarm or the PA system is not functional.
• Finally, yelling for help is the universal backup alarm. If all else fails, it is very natural and effective to yell for help or to yell for others to evacuate. As employees vacate the fire area, they can yell for others to leave or pound on office doors.

Test Alarm Systems

Regular testing of alarm systems is very important. Alarm systems are rarely used; however, when they are needed, it is important that they work. Here’s what you need to know:

• Alarm systems must be tested at least every 2 months. A different trigger device should be used each time a system is tested. If the alarm system has six pulldown boxes, each pulldown box will be tested at least once during the year.
• Monitored alarm systems that send a signal to an outside alarm monitoring company must be tested at least annually to make sure the monitoring company is receiving the signal on a timely basis. Monitoring companies will inform the police and fire departments when they receive a signal from a company’s alarm system.
• Alarm testing is done to make sure the alarm is reliable and will work when it is needed.
• Finally, alarm testing is also done to make sure the alarm can be adequately heard and seen in the workplace. If not, adjustments must be made.

Emergency Numbers

Post emergency phone numbers so that all employees, supervisors, and managers can have easy access to the numbers. Take these steps:

• Post emergency numbers near all phones.
• Post emergency numbers on employee notification boards.
• Post emergency numbers in supervisors’ offices.
• Emergency numbers to post should include fire department, police, and hospital.
• Finally, emergency numbers might also include the phone numbers of emergency response personnel such as those employees on an emergency response team or fire brigade.

Make sure you know where emergency phone numbers are posted in your facility.

Evacuation Assignments

Here’s what you need to know about evacuation assignments:

• An evacuation coordinator is usually in charge of making sure all personnel are out of a specific area. The evacuation coordinator might check offices, bathrooms, and break rooms to make sure the area is all clear before evacuating themselves.
• Once everyone has evacuated the building and reported to a designated assembly area, a count should be done to make sure everyone is safely out. If not, fire department personnel must be informed that someone is missing.
• Designated employees trained in first aid and CPR should grab a first-aid kit before evacuating so that supplies are available in case someone is injured during the evacuation.
• If safe to do so, shut down equipment before evacuating—especially in a manufacturing environment. In some cases, employees will be designated to stay behind and shut down critical equipment, but only if safe to do so.
• Some personnel might be trained to respond to small incipient fires with fire extinguishers or fire hoses.
• Finally, assist any employees who may need help evacuating. A co-worker in a wheelchair will need assistance down the stairs to the exit door. Someone on crutches will also need assistance to evacuate.

Evacuation Procedure

Evacuation procedures are pretty simple. Follow these steps:

• Recognize the evacuation signal. It might be an audible alarm, visual signal, PA announcement, air horn, or someone yelling.
• Listen for any specific instructions. An evacuation might be required in only part of the building. Or instructions might tell you where the fire is located so that you know to follow an exit route that goes in the opposite direction.
• Shut down any nearby equipment with the emergency stop.
• Follow the nearest exit route.
• And, once out of the building, proceed to the designated assembly area.

Make sure you know and follow your facility’s evacuation procedures.

Employee Training

All employees in the facility must be trained in how to evacuate the facility. Here’s what they need to know:

• Employees must be trained in the location of the evacuation routes as well as the importance of keeping exit routes clear.
• Employees must learn to recognize alarm signals.
• Employees must be shown the assembly area locations.
• If employees have evacuation assignments, they require additional training so that they can successfully complete their assignments during an emergency.
• Finally, employers must conduct regular drills so that employees become very familiar with the evacuation process.

Key Points to Remember

Here are the key points to remember from this session about exit routes:

• Know the location of your exit routes;
• Keep exit routes clear of obstructions;
• Keep exit signs clearly visible;
• Recognize alarm signals; and
• Conduct evacuation drills to ensure all employees know how to exit the facility safely.

This concludes this training session.