Means Of Egress

1. MEANS OF EGRESS

2. Means of EgressMeans of Egress
Components of an Egress System
3.Exit Access – a corridor, an aisle, a path across a
room, or a short stair or ramp that conducts the
occupants of a building to an exit.
5.Exit – a protected means of evacuation (door
opening, an enclosed and protected exit
passageway leading to a door, or an enclosed
exit stair or ramp) from an exit access to a safe
discharge point, must be of 2 hour construction
with self closing doors rated at 1 1/2 hrs.
7.Exit Discharge – a means (door, protected exit
corridor, path across a ground floor vestibule or
lobby) of moving from an exit to a safe
discharge point (public way or other large open
area.)

3. Distance Between ExitsDistance Between Exits
The minimum distance between exits is one-half the diagonal measurement of the building or the space served by the
exits. On an open floor, this is measured as a straight-line distance between exits. Where the exits are joined by an
exit access corridor that is protected from fire as specified by the building code, this distance is measured along the
path through the corridor.
Most buildings require at least two separate exits. These must be as remote from each other as possible and arranged to
minimize the possibility that a single fire or other emergency condition could simultaneously render both exits unsafe
or inaccessible. With only minor exceptions, the access path to an exit may not pass through kitchens, restrooms,
storerooms, workrooms, bedrooms, hazardous areas, or rooms subject to being locked.
Two Remote ExitsTwo Remote Exits

4. Dead-End CorridorsDead-End Corridors
General Rule is that a dead-end corridor must
be 20’ or less in length.

5. Maximum Travel Maximum Travel
DistanceDistance
Maximum travel distance to the nearest exit is specified by the
code. Travel distance is always measured along the actual
path occupants must take to reach an exit. There are two way
to measure as shown on the diagram. The code will dictate
which way you must measure it.

6. DoorsDoors
Doors should always swing in the direction of egress
travel in all buildings except single family dwellings
and in all rooms except those with fewer than 50
occupants.
Exit access corridors must be enclosed in fire-resistant
walls and accessed via fire-resistant doors. One-
hour walls with 20-minute doors are required in
most buildings.

7. Exit StairwayExit Stairway
The most common type of exit is an enclosed stairway. The
enclosure must be of 2-hour construction with 1 ½ hour
self-closing doors that swing in the direction of egress
travel.
Stairway and landing widths are determined in accordance with
the occupant load they serve and are calculated according
guidelines in the prevailing codes.

8. Exit PassagewayExit Passageway