[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 5]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1910.34]

[Page 147-148]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR

 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 

                                OF LABOR

 
PART 1910_OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS--Table of Contents

 
                        Subpart E_Means of Egress

 
Sec. 1910.34  Coverage and definitions.


    (a) Every employer is covered. Sections 1910.34 through 1910.39 

apply to workplaces in general industry except mobile workplaces such as 

vehicles or vessels.

    (b) Exits routes are covered. The rules in Sec. Sec. 1910.34 

through 1910.39 cover the minimum requirements for exit routes that 

employers must provide in their workplace so that employees may evacuate 

the workplace safely during an emergency. Sections 1910.34 through 

1910.39 also cover the minimum requirements for emergency action plans 

and fire prevention plans.

    (c) Definitions.

    Electroluminescent means a light-emitting capacitor. Alternating 

current excites phosphor atoms when placed between the electrically 

conductive surfaces to produce light. This light source is typically 

contained inside the device.

    Exit means that portion of an exit route that is generally separated 

from other areas to provide a protected way of travel to the exit 

discharge. An example of an exit is a two-hour fire resistance-rated 

enclosed stairway that leads from the fifth floor of an office building 

to the outside of the building.

    Exit access means that portion of an exit route that leads to an 

exit. An example of an exit access is a corridor on the fifth floor of 

an office building that leads to a two-hour fire resistance-rated 

enclosed stairway (the Exit).

    Exit discharge means the part of the exit route that leads directly 

outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space 

with access to the outside. An example of an exit discharge is a door at 

the bottom of a two-hour fire resistance-rated enclosed stairway that 

discharges to a place of safety outside the building.

    Exit route means a continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel 

from any point within a workplace to a place of safety (including refuge 

areas). An exit route consists of three parts: The exit access; the 

exit; and, the exit discharge. (An exit route includes all vertical and 

horizontal areas along the route.)

    High hazard area means an area inside a workplace in which 

operations include high hazard materials, processes, or contents.

    Occupant load means the total number of persons that may occupy a 

workplace or portion of a workplace at any one time. The occupant load 

of a workplace is calculated by dividing the gross floor area of the 

workplace or portion of a workplace by the occupant load factor for that 

particular type of workplace occupancy. Information regarding ``Occupant 

load'' is located in NFPA 101-2000, Life Safety Code.

    Refuge area means either:

    (1) A space along an exit route that is protected from the effects 

of fire by separation from other spaces within the building by a barrier 

with at least a one-hour fire resistance-rating; or

    (2) A floor with at least two spaces, separated from each other by 

smoke-resistant partitions, in a building protected throughout by an 

automatic sprinkler system that complies with Sec. 1910.159 of this 

part.

    Self-luminous means a light source that is illuminated by a self-

contained power source (e.g., tritium) and that operates independently 

from external power sources. Batteries are not acceptable self-contained 

power sources.



[[Page 148]]



The light source is typically contained inside the device.



[67 FR 67961, Nov. 7, 2002]