Emergency Exit Routes

The Emergency Exit Routes course from the American Institute of Safety Professionals provides comprehensive training on OSHA 29 CFR 1910.36–37 (Design and Construction Requirements for Exit Routes) and 1910.36–.37 (Maintenance, Safeguards, and Operational Features for Exit Routes). Exit routes are the paths workers follow during emergency evacuation. If exit routes are blocked, locked, poorly lit, poorly signed, or inadequately designed, workers cannot escape and evacuations that should save lives instead trap them. Exit route compliance is one of the most frequently cited OSHA general industry violations because violations are immediately visible during any inspection.

The curriculum covers the three components of an exit route (exit access, exit, and exit discharge), exit route design requirements (minimum width, height, capacity for occupant load), exit door requirements (side-hinged, swing in direction of travel, panic hardware, no locks that impede egress), EXIT sign requirements (location, visibility, illumination, directional indicators), emergency lighting (minimum illumination, battery backup, duration), exit route maintenance (no obstructions, no storage, no decorations that obscure signs), prohibited conditions (locked exits, dead-end corridors exceeding limits, inadequate capacity), and the exit route inspection that identifies and corrects violations before OSHA does. All training is delivered 100 percent online through Microsoft Teams and the American Institute of Safety Professionals LMS. Upon completion, graduates receive a certificate, wallet card, and transcript, employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

Upon completing this program, participants will be able to:

• Identify the three exit route components: exit access (the path from the work area to the exit), the exit itself (the portion providing protected travel to the exit discharge), and exit discharge (the path from the exit to the public way outside the building).
• Apply exit route design requirements: minimum 28-inch width, 7-foot 6-inch ceiling height, capacity sufficient for the occupant load, two exit routes minimum (unless single exit meets exception criteria), and the maximum travel distance to an exit.
• Apply exit door requirements: side-hinged doors that swing in the direction of egress travel, panic hardware on doors serving areas with occupant loads over 50, doors that can be opened from inside without keys or special knowledge, and the prohibition against locks that impede emergency egress.
• Apply EXIT sign and emergency lighting requirements: illuminated EXIT signs at every exit and along the exit access, directional indicators when the exit path is not immediately apparent, emergency lighting with battery backup providing minimum 1 foot-candle for at least 90 minutes.
• Maintain exit routes in compliance: no obstructions (storage, equipment, furniture blocking routes), no decorations that obscure EXIT signs, no locked or chained exit doors during occupancy, and the housekeeping discipline that keeps routes clear at all times.
• Conduct exit route inspections: systematic walkthrough from every work area to every exit discharge, identifying blocked routes, obscured signs, non-functional lighting, locked doors, and the corrective actions that restore compliance.

Core Curriculum Topics

• Exit Route Components: exit access, exit, exit discharge
• Design Requirements: width, height, capacity, number of exits, travel distance
• Exit Doors: side-hinged, swing direction, panic hardware, no impediment to egress
• EXIT Signs: location, illumination, visibility, directional indicators
• Emergency Lighting: minimum illumination, battery backup, 90-minute duration
• Route Maintenance: no obstructions, no storage, clear at all times
• Prohibited Conditions: locked exits, excessive dead-ends, inadequate capacity
• Exit Route Inspection: systematic walkthrough, finding documentation, correction
• Fire-Rated Construction: exit enclosure requirements, fire doors, self-closing
• Occupant Load Calculation: determining required exit capacity

• No prior training required
• No academic degree required
• All instruction in English; working proficiency required

Upon completion, graduates receive an American Institute of Safety Professionals certificate, wallet card, and transcript. Employer-verifiable at amiosp.com/student-verifications.

• Facility managers responsible for building code and exit route compliance
• Safety officers conducting exit route inspections
• Building maintenance personnel who maintain exit routes, signs, and lighting
• Fire wardens who guide evacuation through exit routes
• Any employer required to maintain compliant exit routes

• Emergency Exit Routes — YOU ARE HERE (OSHA 1910.36–37)
• Planning Workplace Emergencies (broader emergency planning)
• Fire Safety for Managers and Supervisors (fire evacuation command)
• Fire Prevention Plans and Fire Protection (fire prevention and protection)