plant layout- emergency exit standards

8/10/2019 Plant Layout- emergency exit standards

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Plant layout

Fire and Emergency exitAayushi

Neha Devi

Shruti AgarwalShriya Kannaujia


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What is an exit route?

An exit route is a continuous and unobstructed path ofexit travel from any point within a workplace to a placeof safety. An exit route consists of three parts:

Exit accessportion of an exit route that leads to anexit.

Exitportion of an exit route that is generallyseparated from other areas to provide a protected wayof travel to the exit discharge.

Exit dischargepart of the exit route that leads directlyoutside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way,or open space with access to the outside.


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OSHA-Emergency Exit Routes

How would you escape from your workplace in an emergency? Do youknow where all the exits are in case your first choice is toocrowded? Are you sure the doors will be unlocked and that the exitaccess behind them will not be blocked during a fire, explosion, orother crisis? Knowing the answers to these questions could keep

you safe during an emergency.Workplace Exit Routes

Usually, a workplace must have at least two exit routes for promptevacuation.

But more than two exits are required if the number of employees,

size of the building, or arrangement of the workplace will not allowa safe evacuation.

Exit routes must be located as far away as practical from each otherin case one is blocked by fire or smoke.


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Requirements for Exits

Exits must be separated from the workplace by fireresistant materialsthat is, a one-hour fire-resistancerating if the exit connects three or fewer stories, and a two-hour fire-resistance rating if the exit connects more thanthree floors.

Exits can have only those openings necessary to allowaccess to the exit from occupied areas of the workplace orto the exit discharge. Openings must be protected by a self-closing, approved fire door that remains closed orautomatically closes in an emergency.

Keep the line-of-sight to exit signs clearly visible always.

Install EXIT signs using plainly legible letters.


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Safety Features for Exit Routes

Keep exit routes free of explosives or highlyflammable furnishings and other decorations.

Arrange exit routes so employees will not have to

travel toward a high-hazard area unless the pathof travel is effectively shielded from the high-hazard area.

Ensure that exit routes are free and unobstructed

by materials, equipment, locked doors, or dead-end corridors.

Provide lighting for exit routes adequate foremployees with normal vision.


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Keep exit route doors free of decorations or signs thatobscure their visibility of exit route doors.

Post signs along the exit access indicating the directionof travel to the nearest exit and exit discharge if thatdirection is not immediately apparent.

Mark doors or passages along an exit access that couldbe mistaken for an exit Not an Exit or with a signidentifying its use (such as Closet).

Renew fire-retardant paints or solutions when needed.

Maintain exit routes during construction, repairs, oralterations.


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Design and Construction

Requirements

Exit routes must be permanent parts of theworkplace.

Exit discharges must lead directly outside or to astreet, walkway, refuge area, public way, or openspace with access to the outside.

Exit discharge areas must be large enough toaccommodate people likely to use the exit route.

Exit route doors must unlock from the inside.They must be free of devices or alarms that couldrestrict use of the exit route if the device or alarmfails.


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Exit routes can be connected to rooms only bysidehinged doors, which must swing out in thedirection of travel if the room may be occupied bymore than 50 people.

Exit routes must support the maximum permittedoccupant load for each floor served, and the capacityof an exit route may not decrease in the direction ofexit route travel to the exit discharge.

Exit routes must have ceilings at least 7 ft., 6 in. high.

An exit access must be at least 28 inches wide at allpoints. Objects that project into the exit must notreduce its width.


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What are the maintenance,

safeguarding, and operational

features for exit routes?OSHA standards require employers to do the following:Keep exit routes free of explosive or highly flammable furnishings

and other decorations.

Arrange exit routes so employees will not have to travel toward ahigh-hazard area unless the path of travel is effectively shieldedfrom the high-hazard area.

Ensure that exit routes are unobstructed such as by materials,equipment, locked doors, or dead-end corridors.

Ensure that safeguards designed to protect employees during anemergency remain in good working order.

Provide lighting for exit routes adequate for employees with normalvision.

Keep exit route doors free of decorations or signs that obscure thevisibility of exit route doors.


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Post signs along the exit access indicating the direction of travel tothe nearest exit and exit discharge if that direction is notimmediately apparent. Also, the line-of-sight to an exit sign must beclearly visible at all times.

Mark doors or passages along an exit access that could be mistaken

for an exit Not an Exit or with a sign identifying its use (suchasCloset).

Install EXIT signs in plainly legible letters.

Renew fire-retardant paints or solutions often enough to maintaintheir fire retardant properties.

Maintain exit routes during construction,repairs, or alterations.Provide an emergency alarm system to alert employees, unless

employees can promptly see or smell a fire or other hazard in timeto provide adequate warning to them.


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Are employers required to have

emergency action plans?If you have 10 or fewer employees, you may communicate your plan orally. If

you have more than 10 employees, however, your plan must be written,kept in the workplace, and available for employee review. Althoughemployers are required to have an emergency action plan(EAP) only whenthe applicable OSHA standard requires it, OSHA strongly recommends thatall employers have an EAP. Here are the OSHA standards that require

EAPs:Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals - 1910.119

Fixed Extinguishing Systems, General - 1910.160

Fire Detection Systems, 1910.164

Grain Handling - 1910.272

Ethylene Oxide - 1910.1047Methylenedianiline - 1910.1050

1,3-Butadiene - 1910.1051


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References

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/3183.htm

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https://www.osha.gov/Publications/3183.htmlhttps://www.osha.gov/Publications/3183.htmlhttps://www.osha.gov/Publications/3183.htmlhttps://www.osha.gov/Publications/3183.html

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