What Is An Emergency Exit? How To Use An Emergency Exit?
What Is An Emergency Exit?
An emergency exit is an exit that is used to provide a safe means of escape from a structure or area in the event of an emergency, such as a fire.
Emergency exits must open into locations that are either immediately safe or that provide access to a safe area.
The number of required exits varies depending on the size of the building and the potential number of occupants.
Emergency exits must be in an easily accessible, unobstructed, and permanent location. They must also be maintained to ensure they remain functional and unobstructed by material that may limit access.
In order for emergency exits to remain compliant with safety standards, they must be marked with signs indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge.
In addition, doors leading to emergency exits should not have decorations or signs that obscure visibility.
In the United States, standards for emergency exits are described by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), while in other countries similar regulations may apply.
Emergency door releases are also used to disengage locking devices such as electromagnets, bolt locks, and electric locks while ensuring positive latching during an emergency.
How To Use An Emergency Exit?
In an emergency situation, it is important to know the location of the nearest emergency exits and how to use them.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), workplaces must have at least two fire exits.
The exits should not be located next to each other in order to reduce the risk of both being blocked by fire or smoke.
The design of exit access doors that lead to emergency exit doors must be clearly recognizable and free from any obstructions such as drapery, posters, or signs.
Exit discharge doors must be unlocked from the inside and should go directly outside the building, an open space with access to the outside, or a refuge area.
If stairs for an exit route continue beyond the level of the exit discharge, there must be a door, partition, or other effective means that direct people to the exit discharge.
What Are The Emergency Exit Safety Tips?
To ensure safety when using emergency exits, employers should provide employees with proper training on emergency exit procedures and practice evacuations regularly.
Employers should also ensure that designated emergency exit doors remain unlocked from the inside while the building or structure is occupied.
Additionally, employers should not place any equipment, materials, or other obstructions in front of an exit door or within any aisle or other pathway designated for escape during an emergency.
Furthermore, signs should be installed to indicate the direction of travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge if that direction is not immediately apparent.
Finally, all exits should be clearly labeled and free of decorations or signs that obscure visibility.
Where Are Emergency Exits Located?
Emergency exits must be located as far away from each other as possible in order to ensure that if one is blocked by fire or smoke, the other can still be used.
Generally, workplaces must have at least two exit routes to allow for prompt evacuation of employees and other building occupants during an emergency.
The number of exits may need to be increased depending on the size of the building, the number of employees, or the arrangement of the workplace.
Emergency exit routes must lead directly outside the building, to an open space with access to the outside, or a refuge area.
The ceiling in exit routes must be at least seven-and-a-half feet high and all exits must have only necessary openings.
Additionally, all exit routes must be permanent parts of the building and provide a protected pathway out of the building.
It is important that these pathways are kept free from clutter, furniture or other barriers such as flammable materials, explosives or other decorations, and that they are adequately lit.
The refuge area that the exit leads to must also be large enough to accommodate all building occupants.