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Administration & Finance

Environmental Health
and Safety
p: 617-287-5445
umbehs@umb.edu

Means of Egress

A continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a University building to a public way (always outdoors). A means of egress consists of an exit access and an exit.

The exit access - that portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit. Exit access from a University laboratory, office, classroom, or any other occupied building location includes (a) the occupied space such as a laboratory, classroom, office, (b) the exit doors leading from the occupied space and (c) the corridors and other walkway paths that an individual would have to travel through to reach an exit door. All exit doors open into either one of the enclosed stairwells or a public space outdoors.

 

What can you do to ensure that the exit access remains continuous and unobstructed?

• Do not lock the exit doors leading from your office, laboratory etc. from the inside in a way that requires a key to open them.
• Do not block the doors with equipment or other items that would block egress.
• Do not stack items along the immediate path to your exit doors with items that narrow the pathway or with items that are unstable and could fall into the egress pathway.
• Do not store items in an area that is close to an exit door that leads into a stairwell.
• Do not store or handle chemicals in any egress pathway.

The exit - that portion of a means of egress separated from other building spaces of the building by construction with a specific fire resistance rating to provide a protected way of travel to the exit discharge. Exits include exterior exit doors and stairwells. The University's stairwells are designed to protect individuals from the effects of a fire during evacuation. The stairwells are constructed of materials with a two-hour fire resistance rating. University exit doors (leading into a stairwell or to the outdoors) are identified by an illuminated "EXIT" sign that is either above the exit door or close to it (e.g., ceiling-hung signs with a directional arrow pointing towards the exit door).

 

What can you do to ensure that the exits remain unobstructed?

• Do not discard or store furniture and other items in the stairwell landings.
• Do not prop open a stairwell door. A propped-open door will compromise the protective function of a stairwell. Whenever you encounter a propped-open stairwell door, close it.
• Whenever you discover stored or discarded items in stairwell landing areas, call Facilities at 7-5580 and request that the items be removed.
• If you notice that an exit door light is out or a ceiling-hung sign has been disturbed so that the directional arrow does not point toward the exit door, report it to Facilities.