What is the OSHA Standard for Emergency Exit Route Width?

Exit routes should have ceilings at least 7 ft., 6 in. high and an exit access must be at least 28 inches wide at all points

Exit routes must have ceilings at least 7 ft., 6 in. high and an exit access must be at least 28 inches wide at all points. Objects that project into the exit must not reduce its width.

at least 28 inches/ 71.1 cms.

in Australia it is a minimum of 600 millimetres wid e

mparison of Proposed Rule on Exit Routes With Current Subpart E Standard Proposed rule on exit routes Comparable Subpart E section 1910.35. What is covered by these regulations? 1910.36(a) (b) Exits and Exits Routes Are Covered 1910.35(c) (1) Definition Of An Exit (2) Definition Of An Exit Route 1910.35(a) 1910.36. What are the design requirements for exit routes? 1910.37(a), 1910.37(g)(4) (a) An Exit Must Be Permanent (b) The Number Of Exit Routes Must Be Adequate 1910.36(b)(1) (1) Two exit routes, remote from one another, must be available to provide alternate means for employees to leave the workplace safely during an emergency 1910.36(b)(3) (2) A single exit route is permitted where the number of employees, the size of the building, its occupancy, or the arrangement of the workplace indicate that a single exit will allow all employees to exit safely during an emergency. Other means of escape, such as fire exits or accessible windows, should be available where fewer than two exit routes are provided 1910.36(b)(8) (3) More than two exit routes must be available to allow employees to leave the workplace safely during an emergency where the number of employees, the size of the building, its occupancy, or the arrangement of the workplace reasonably suggest that reliance on two exit routes could endanger employees 1910.37(e) (c) An Exit Has Limited Openings 1910.37(a), 1910.37(b)(3), 1910.37(b)(4) (d) An Exit Must Be Separated By Fire Resistant Materials 1910.37(b)(1)-(b)(2) (e) Exit Route Access Must Be Unobstructed 1910.36(b)(4), 1910.36(d)(1) (1) Free and unobstructed access to each exit route must be provided to ensure safe exit during an emergency 1910.37(f)(1), 1910.37(k)(2) (2) The exit route must be free of material or equipment 1910.36(d)(1), 1910.37(f)(1) (3) Employees must not be required to travel through a room which can be locked, such as a bathroom, or toward a dead end to reach an exit 1910.37(f)(3) (4) Stairs or a ramp must be used if the exit route is not substantially level 1910.37(j) (f) An Exit Must Lead Outside 1910.37(h)(1) (1) An exit must lead directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, or to an open space with access to the outside New Compliance Option Included (2) The street, walkway, refuge area, or open space to which an exit leads must be large enough to accommodate all building occupants likely to use that exit (3) A refuge area must be: (i) a space along an exit route protected from the effects of fire either by separation from other spaces within the building or by its location; or (ii) a floor with at least two spaces separated by smoke-resistant partitions in a building where each floor is protected by an automatic sprinkler system. An automatic sprinkler system must comply with 29 CFR 1910.159 (4) Exit stairs that continue beyond the floor of exit discharge must be interrupted by doors, partitions, or other effective means 1910.37(h)(2) (g) An Exit Door Must Be Unlocked 1910.36(b)(4), 1910.37(k)(3) (h) A Side-hinged Exit Door Must Be Used 1910.37(f)(2) (i) The Capacity Of An Exit Route Must Be Adequate 1910.37(c), 1910.37(d) (j) An Exit Must Meet Minimum Height And Width Requirements 1910.37(f)(6), 1910.37(i) (k) An Outdoor Exit Route Is Permitted 1910.37(g)(1)-(g)(5) 1910.37. What are the operation and maintenance requirements for exit routes? (a) The Danger To Employees Must Be Minimized (1) The exit route must be maintained to minimize danger to employees during an emergency (2) The exit route must be free of explosive or highly flammable furnishings or decorations 1910.36(b)(2) (3) An exit route must not require employees to travel toward materials which burn very quickly, emit poisonous fumes, or are explosive, unless those materials are effectively shielded from the exit route 1910.37(l)(2), 1910.37(f)(5) (b) Lighting Must Be Adequate 1910.36(b)(6) (c) An Exit Must Be Marked Appropriately 1910.37(f)(4) (1) Each exit must be clearly visible and must be marked by a distinctive sign reading "Exit" 1910.36(b)(5), 1910.37(q)(1); (q)(3); (q)(4); (q)(8) (2) An exit door must be free of signs or decorations that obscure its visibility 1910.37(f)(4) (3) Signs must be posted along the exit route indicating the direction of travel to the nearest exit 1910.36(b)(5); 1910.37(q)(5) (4) The line-of-sight to an exit sign must be uninterrupted (5) Any doorway or passage that might be mistaken for an exit must be marked "Not an Exit" or with an indication of its actual use 1910.37; 1910.37(q)(3)(f)(4); (6) An exit sign must be illuminated to a surface value of at least 5 foot candles by a reliable light source and must show a designated color Self-luminous or electroluminescent signs have a minimum luminance surface value of .06 footlamberts 1910.36(b)(5); 1910.37(q)(2), 1910.37(q)(6)-(q)(7) New Compliance Option Included (d) The Fire Retardant Properties Of Paints Or Other Coatings Must Be Maintained 1910.37(o) (e) Each Emergency Safeguard Must Be Maintained 1910.37(m)-(n), 1910.38(b)(5) (f) Exits Must Be Maintained During Construction And Repair 1910.36(c)(1)-(c)(3) (g) An Employee Alarm System Must Be Operable 1910.36(b)(7), 1910.37(n) 1910.38. What are the requirements for an Emergency Action Plan? 1910.38(a)(1), 1910.38(a)(5)(iii) (a) An Emergency Action Plan Must Be Available for Employee Review (b) Minimum Elements Of An Emergency Action Plan 1910.38(a)(2), 1910.38(a)(4) (c) Employee Alarm System 1910.38(a)(3) (d) Training 1910.38(a)(5)(i) (e) Employee Review 1910.38(a)(5)(ii), 1910.38(a)(5)(iii) 1910.39. What are the requirements for a Fire Prevention Plan? (a) A Fire Prevention Plan Must Be Available For Employee Review 1910.38(b)(1), 1910.38(b)(4) (b) Minimum Elements Of A Fire Prevention Plan 1910.38(b)(2) (c) Employee Information