29 CFR 1910.36–37: OSHA Exit Routes

Regulatory citation: 29 CFR 1910.36, Design and construction requirements for exit routes, and 29 CFR 1910.37, Maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes

What Are OSHA Exit Route Requirements?

An exit route is the continuous, unobstructed path from any point in a workplace to a place of safety. It has three parts: exit access, exit and exit discharge. Sections 1910.36 and 1910.37 set out how general industry employers must design, build, mark, light and maintain these routes so that people can get out quickly during a fire or other emergency.

Why Exit Routes Matter

In a fire, minutes count. Blocked corridors, locked doors and dark stairwells have turned survivable incidents into fatal ones.

Core Obligations

1. Build Permanent, Fire-Separated Exits (1910.36(a))

Every exit route must be a permanent part of the workplace. Walls that separate an exit from the rest of the building need a one-hour fire-resistance rating when the exit connects three or fewer stories, and a two-hour rating when it connects four or more. Openings into an exit need self-closing, approved fire doors.

2. Provide Enough Exit Routes (1910.36(b))

A workplace normally needs at least two exit routes, located as far apart as practical so one fire cannot block both. More are needed if two would not allow a safe evacuation.

3. Discharge to a Safe Place (1910.36(c))

The exit discharge must lead directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way or open space with access to the outside. Stairs that continue past the discharge level must be interrupted so people do not keep descending.

4. Follow Exit Door Rules (1910.36(d) and (e))

Employees must be able to open exit doors from the inside at all times without keys, tools or special knowledge. Panic bars that lock only from the outside are allowed. Rooms must connect to exit routes by side-hinged doors, and those doors must swing in the direction of travel if the room holds more than 50 people or is a high hazard area.

5. Meet Minimum Height and Width (1910.36(f) and (g))

Exit routes need a ceiling height of at least 7 feet 6 inches, with no projection lower than 6 feet 8 inches. Exit access must be at least 28 inches wide at all points, and capacity must not shrink in the direction of travel. Outdoor routes may not have a dead end longer than 20 feet.

6. Keep Routes Clear and Safeguards Working (1910.37(a))

Exit routes must stay free of materials and equipment, even temporarily. They cannot pass through rooms that can be locked, such as restrooms, or lead into dead-end corridors. Sprinklers, alarms and exit lighting must always work.

7. Light and Mark Every Exit (1910.37(b))

Routes must be lit well enough for a person with normal vision to see along them. Each exit needs an "Exit" sign in letters at least six inches high with strokes at least three-quarters of an inch wide, illuminated to at least five foot-candles. Doorways that could be mistaken for exits must be marked "Not an Exit" or with their actual use.

Common Compliance Approaches

Monthly Exit Route Walk-Throughs

Many sites add exit routes to a routine inspection checklist. Checks cover doors, aisles, signs and emergency lights.

Floor Markings

Painted or taped lines show where pallets, carts and stock must never be placed.

Plan Exits During Renovations

Under 1910.37(d), employees may not occupy an area under construction or alteration unless exit routes and fire protection remain available, or equivalent alternate protection is in place. Build exit planning into every project schedule.

Example: Exit Routes in Practice

A distribution center receives a large seasonal delivery and staff stack pallets in front of a rear exit door. During a walk-through, the supervisor spots the blocked door and a dark exit sign. The pallets are moved to a marked staging area, the sign is repaired that day, and the team is reminded that exit paths are never used for storage.

Related regulations: OSHA emergency action plans, OSHA portable fire extinguishers, OSHA walking-working surfaces.

Note: Under 29 CFR 1910.35, OSHA treats an employer that complies with the exit route provisions of NFPA 101, Life Safety Code (2009 edition) or the International Fire Code (2009 edition) as complying with the corresponding OSHA requirements. State plan states may have their own rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an exit door be locked to prevent theft?

Not from the inside. Employees must always be able to open an exit door from the inside without a key or tool. A panic bar that locks only from the outside is permitted. Narrow exceptions apply to mental, penal and correctional facilities.

Is one exit ever enough?

Yes, but only when everyone could still evacuate safely through a single route.

Do exit signs need backup power?

OSHA requires a reliable light source and working exit lighting. Local fire and building codes often add backup power rules.