1. This presentation is designed to assist trainers conducting OSHA 10-hour General Industry outreach training for workers. Since workers are the target audience, this presentation emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, and control – not standards. No attempt has been made to treat the topic exhaustively. It is essential that trainers tailor their presentations to the needs and understanding of their audience.
This presentation is not a substitute for any of the provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 or for any standards issued by the U.S. Department of Labor. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of Labor.

2. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory New York City, 1911
At 4:40pm, on March 25th, everyone was preparing to leave. Mostly women and girls ages worked 12 hour shifts.
Building had been declared “Fireproof”.
Blouses hung from wires stretched above. From one end to the other
Boxes filled with cloth and lint next to sewing stations
Work stations packed together
Machine oil stored on the floor

3. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory New York City, 1911
The Blaze
Lasted only 30 Minutes
Fire companies arrived to dropping bodies (50 had jumped 100ft.)
Water from hoses only reached the seventh floor
Ladders only reached the sixth and seventh floors.
Elevators doors opened, allowing fresh air to enter the upper floors
2 Fire escapes. No ladders. Collapse

4. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory New York City, 1911
The Blaze (cont.)
Interior fire exit – Locked Doors
Other fire exits – Inward opening doors.
150 escaped to the roof and the adjacent NY Law School
8th floor human bridge

5. Triangle Shirtwaist Factory New York City, 1911
Aftermath
146 workers killed (700 had been working between the 8th and 10th floors.)
Fireproof?
36 new workplace health and safety statutes enacted.
Beginning of the birth of Life Safety Code
Unions banded together for other safety and health issues
More building requiring automatic sprinklers.

6. Introduction
Fires and explosions kill more than 200 and injure more than 5,000 workers each year
There is a long and tragic history of workplace fires in this country caused by problems with fire exits and extinguishing systems
OSHA requires employers to provide proper exits, fire fighting equipment, and employee training to prevent fire deaths and injuries in the workplace
Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Prevention Plans:
29 CFR 1910 Subpart E
Fire Protection: 29 CFR 1910 Subpart L
An employer who demonstrates compliance with the exit route provisions of NFPA , the Life Safety Code, will be deemed to be in compliance with the corresponding requirements in 29 CFR , , and
In 1995, more than 75,000 workplace fires cost businesses more than $2.3 billion.

7. Exit Route
A continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety (including refuge areas)
Consists of three parts:
Exit access
Exit
Exit discharge
Equivalent to the term Means of Egress in the Life Safety Code and most local building and fire codes
29 CFR
An exit route includes all vertical and horizontal areas along the route.
Exit access is that part of an exit route that leads to an exit.
Exit is that part of an exit route that is generally separated from other areas to provide a protected way of travel to the exit discharge.
Exit discharge is that part of an exit route that leads directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space with access to the outside.
A refuge area is:
- A space along an exit route protected from fire by a barrier with at least a 1-hour fire resistance rating; or
- A floor with at least 2 spaces, separated from each other by smoke-resistant partitions, in a building protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system.
Emphasis is on escaping from fires; however, some additional hazards include explosion,earthquake, bomb threat, toxic vapors, storms (tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.). Compounding factors that may interfere with safe escape include panic and confusion, poor visibility, lack of information, and misinformation. These factors frequently cause more injuries and fatalities than the hazard itself.

8. Exit Routes: Basic Requirements
Eat at Joe’s
Place
No ropes, or ladders
Exit routes must be permanent
(a)(1)
(a) and (b)
(d): Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, or alterations

9. Exit Routes: Basic Requirements
Exit enclosure
Two - hour fire resistance – rating for four or more stories.
Exit Routes: Basic Requirements
An exit must be separated by fire resistant materials.
One - hour fire resistance - rating: three or fewer stories
(a) and (b)
(d): Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, or alterations
(a)(2)

10. Exit Routes: Basic Requirements
Protected exit stair tower
Exit Routes: Basic Requirements
Openings into an exit must be limited to those necessary to allow access to the exit or to the exit discharge
An opening into an exit must be protected by an approved self-closing fire door that remains closed or automatically closes in an emergency
(a) and (b)
(d): Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, or alterations
(a)(3)

11. The number of exit routes must be adequate.
Remotely located to provide options for evacuation
Normally two or more depending on
the size of the building,
its occupancy, or
the arrangement of the workplace
(a) and (b)
(d): Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, or alterations
(b)

12. Exit discharge
. . . must lead directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space with access to the outside . . .(This area) must be large enough . . .
Exit
Discharge
Offices Storage
Discharge
Exit access
Exit
Fabricating shop
(c)(1) and (2)

13. Exit discharge
Exit stairs that continue beyond the level on which the exit discharge is located must be interrupted at that level by doors, partitions, or other effective means that clearly indicate the direction of travel leading to the exit discharge.
NOT AN
EXIT
NOT AN
EXIT
(c)(3)

14. Exit Doors Must Be Unlocked
(d)(1) and (2)
Must be able to open from the inside at all times without
keys,
tools, or
special knowledge
Panic bars are permitted
Must be free of any device or alarm that could restrict emergency use if the device or alarm fails
(d)

15. Exit Doors May be locked from the inside only in mental, penal, or
correctional facilities where there is constant supervision and the employer has a plan to remove occupants from the facility during an emergency.
EXIT
(d)
(d)(3)

16. Side-Hinged Exit Door
Must be used to connect any room to an exit route
A door that connects any room to an exit route must swing out in the direction of exit travel if
the room is designed to be occupied by more than 50 people or
contains high hazard contents
(e)
High hazard contents are those which are liable to burn with extreme rapidity or which may produce poisonous fumes or explosions in a fire. Examples include flammable chemicals and grain.
(e)(1) and (2)

17. Exit Route Capacity and Dimensions
See factors for occupant load and capacity the NFPA Life Safety Code - Chapter 7
Must support the maximum permitted occupant load for each floor served
(f) and (g)
Information regarding “Occupant Load” is located in NFPA , Life Safety Code.
Objects that project into the exit route must not reduce the width of the exit route to less than the minimum width requirements for exit routes.
An outdoor exit route is permitted if it meets the requirements of (h).
(f)(1)

18. Exit Route Capacity and Dimensions
Capacity must not decrease in the direction of exit route travel to the exit discharge
(f) and (g)
Information regarding “Occupant Load” is located in NFPA , Life Safety Code.
Objects that project into the exit route must not reduce the width of the exit route to less than the minimum width requirements for exit routes.
An outdoor exit route is permitted if it meets the requirements of (h).
(f)(2)

19. Exit Route Capacity and Dimensions
7-½ ft.
6 ft.- 8 in.
Ceiling must be at least 7-½ ft. high with no projection reaching a point less than 6 ft.- 8 in. from floor
An exit access must be at least 28 in. wide at all points
(f) and (g)
Information regarding “Occupant Load” is located in NFPA , Life Safety Code.
Objects that project into the exit route must not reduce the width of the exit route to less than the minimum width requirements for exit routes.
An outdoor exit route is permitted if it meets the requirements of (h).
(g)(1) and (2)

20. Exit Route Capacity and Dimensions
Objects that project into the exit route must not reduce the width of the exit route to less than the minimum width requirements for exit routes.
(g)(4)

21. Minimize Danger to Employees
Exit routes must be kept free of explosive or highly flammable furnishings or other decorations.
(a)
(b)(1): Each exit route must be adequately lighted so that an employee with normal vision can see along the exit route
(a)(1)

22. Minimize Danger to Employees
Exit routes must be free and unobstructed
(a)
(b)(1): Each exit route must be adequately lighted so that an employee with normal vision can see along the exit route
(a)(3)

23. Minimize Danger to Employees
(a)(2) and (4)
Arrange exit routes so that employees will not have to travel toward a high hazard area, unless it is effectively shielded
Emergency safeguards (e.g., sprinkler systems, alarm systems, fire doors, exit lighting) must be in proper working order at all times
(a)
(b)(1): Each exit route must be adequately lighted so that an employee with normal vision can see along the exit route

24. Lighting and marking must be adequate and appropriate.
Each exit must be clearly visible and marked with an “Exit” sign
(b)(2) and (3)
(b)(1) to (3)

25. Lighting and marking must be adequate and appropriate.
Each exit route door must be free of decorations or signs that obscure the visibility of the door

26. Lighting and marking must be adequate and appropriate.
If the direction of travel to the exit or exit discharge is not immediately apparent, signs must be posted along the exit access indicating direction to the nearest exit
The line-of-sight to an exit sign must clearly be visible at all times
(b)(4)
(b)(4)

27. Lighting and marking must be adequate and appropriate.
Each doorway or passage along an exit access that could be mistaken for an exit must be marked “Not an Exit” or similar designation, or be identified by a sign indicating its actual use (e.g., closet).
(b)(5)
(b)(5)

28. Lighting and marking must be adequate and appropriate.
Is this confusing?

29. Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, or alterations
. . . Employees must not occupy a workplace until the exit routes are completed and ready for employee use . . .
(d)(1)

30. Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, or alterations
Employees must not be exposed to hazards of flammable or explosive substances or equipment used during construction, repairs, or alterations, that are beyond the normal permissible conditions in the workplace, or that would impede exiting the workplace.

31. (b) Written and oral emergency action plans.
An emergency action plan must be in writing, kept in the workplace, and available to employees for review.
However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees.

32. (c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
An emergency action plan must include at a minimum:
Procedures for reporting a fire or other emergency;

33. (c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
(2) Procedures for emergency evacuation, including type of evacuation and exit route assignments;

34. (c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
(3) Procedures to be followed by employees who remain to operate critical plant operations before they evacuate;

35. (c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
(4) Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation;
Verify that employees are safe.

36. (c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
(5) Procedures to be followed by employees performing rescue or medical duties; and
Fire

37. (c) Minimum elements of an emergency action plan.
(6) The name or job title of every employee who may be contacted by employees who need more information about the plan or an explanation of their duties under the plan.
What do I do??
We do this!

38. (d) Employee alarm system.
An employer must have and maintain an employee alarm system.

39. (d) Employee alarm system.
. . .The employee alarm system must use a distinctive signal for each purpose and comply with the requirements in §

40. (e) Training.
An employer must designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly
evacuation of
other employees.
Fire
Warden
EAP

41. (f) Review of emergency action plan.
An employer must review the EAP. . . with each employee covered by the plan:
(1) When the plan is developed or the employee is assigned initially to a job;
(2) When the employee's responsibilities under the plan change; and
(3) When the plan is changed.
Informing
employees
EAP Me
Too

42. 1910.39 Fire Prevention Plans Application
An employer must have a fire prevention plan when an OSHA standard in this part requires one
The requirements in this section apply to each such fire prevention plan

43. 1910.39 Fire Prevention Plans Written and oral fire prevention plans
A fire prevention plan must be in writing, be kept in the workplace, and be made available to employees for review
However, an employer with 10 or fewer employees may communicate the plan orally to employees

44. Fire Prevention Plans
Minimum elements of a fire prevention plan
A list of all major fire hazards, proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials, potential ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard;
Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials;
Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials;
The name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires; and
The name or job title of employees responsible for the control of fuel source hazards.

45. 1910.39 Fire Prevention Plans Employee information
An employer must inform employees upon initial assignment to a job of the fire hazards to which they are exposed
An employer must also review with each employee those parts of the fire prevention plan necessary for self-protection