Keeping exits and aisleways clear is an important part of emergency planning. In the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in March 1911, 146 women and men died because they could not get out of the building.
Dollar General has now been fined $15.5 million by OSHA for safety violations, many of which involved blocked exits.
In an emergency employees need to be able to exit quickly and safely. Not being able to find an exit or get to it can cost someone their life. As OSHA says:
Exit routes should be:
- Clearly marked and well lit.
- Wide enough to accommodate the number of evacuating personnel.
- Unobstructed and clear of debris at all times.
- Unlikely to expose evacuating personnel to additional hazards.
Develop a map of your facility (it doesn’t have to be perfect or to scale) that includes exit routes. Go around your facility to make sure the exits are easy to find and accessible, and that they lead to a safe location away from the building.