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HospitalityEvacuating by the assigned exit route
The alarm calls for an evacuation. You know the type of evacuation the plan sets and your exit route assignment, you follow the marked exits and you know your role in carrying out the plan. It follows OSHA's federal rule for emergency action plans and the exit route rules printed with it.
Free to startScenarios
- A very grave emergency: total and immediate evacuation of all employees.
- A partial evacuation: nonessential employees leave first and others leave later to keep critical operations running.
- Only the employees in the immediate area of the fire evacuate or move to a safe area.
The steps
- Recognize what type of evacuation the emergency calls for.
- Know your role in carrying out the plan.
- Take your assigned exit route.
- Use the plan's floor plan or map that shows the escape routes.
- Follow the exits marked with a sign reading “Exit”.
- Where the way to the exit is not immediately apparent, follow the signs that show the direction to the nearest exit.
- Do not take a door or passage marked “Not an Exit”.
Safety rules that stop the station
- Exit route doors stay free of decorations or signs that hide them.
- Exit routes stay available during construction, repairs or alterations.
To pass
- The plan includes procedures for emergency evacuation, with the type of evacuation and the exit route assignments.
- Each exit sign reads “Exit” in letters at least six inches (15.2 cm) high and is lit to at least five foot-candles (54 lux).
- OSHA's nonmandatory appendix recommends floor plans that clearly show the escape routes, with color coding to help employees know their route assignments.
Official source
Federal · OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.38
29 CFR 1910.38, Emergency action plans
GovInfo publishes 29 CFR 1910.38 free, with the exit route sign rules printed on the same page: evacuation procedures, types of evacuation and exit route assignments.
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