The National Fire Protection Association
defines “high-rise building” as a building greater
than 75 feet (25 m) in height where the building
height is measured from the lowest level of fire
department vehicle access to the floor of the
highest occupiable story. Appropriate exits,
alarms, emergency lighting, communication
systems, and sprinkler systems are critical for
employee safety. When designing and maintaining
exits, it is essential to ensure that routes leading
to the exits, as well as the areas beyond the
exits, are accessible and free from materials
or items that would impede individuals from
easily and effectively evacuating. State and local
building code officials can help employers ensure
that the design and safety systems are adequate.
When there is an emergency, getting workers
out of high-rise buildings poses special challenges.
Preparing in advance to safely evacuate the
building is critical to the safety of employees
who work there.
What actions should employers
take to help ensure safe evacuations
of high-rise buildings?
¦ Don’t lock fire exits or block doorways, halls,
or stairways.
¦ Test regularly all back-up systems and safety
systems, such as emergency lighting and
communication systems, and repair them
as needed.
¦ Develop a workplace evacuation plan, post
it prominently on each floor, and review it
periodically to ensure its effectiveness.
¦ Identify and train floor wardens, including
back-up personnel, who will be responsible
for sounding alarms and helping to evacuate
employees.
¦ Conduct emergency evacuation drills
periodically.
¦ Establish designated meeting locations
outside the building for workers to gather
following an evacuation. The locations should
be a safe distance from the building and
in an area where people can assemble
safely without interfering with emergency
response teams.
¦ Identify personnel with special needs or
disabilities who may need help evacuating
and assign one or more people, including
back-up personnel, to help them.
¦ Ensure that during off-hour periods,
systems are in place to notify, evacuate,
and account for off-hour building occupants.
¦ Post emergency numbers near telephones.
What should workers know
before an emergency occurs?
¦ Be familiar with the worksite’s emergency
evacuation plan;
¦ Know the pathway to at least two
alternative exits from every room /area at
the workplace;
¦ Recognize the sound /signaling method of
the fire /evacuation alarms;
¦ Know who to contact in an emergency and
how to contact them;
¦ Know how many desks or cubicles are
between your workstation and two of the
nearest exits so you can escape in the dark
if necessary;
¦ Know where the fire /evacuation alarms are
located and how to use them; and
¦ Report damaged or malfunctioning safety
systems and back-up systems.
What should employers do
when an emergency occurs?
¦ Sound appropriate alarms and instruct
employees to leave the building.
¦ Notify police, firefighters, or other appropriate
emergency personnel.
¦ Take a head count of employees at
designated meeting locations, and notify
emergency personnel of any missing workers.
What should workers do in
an emergency?
¦ Leave the area quickly but in an orderly
manner, following the worksite’s emergency
evacuation plan. Go directly to the nearest
fire-free and smoke-free stairwell recognizing
that in some circumstances the only available
exit route may contain limited amounts of
smoke or fire.
2003
This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting
OSHA programs, policies, or standards. It does not impose
any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of
compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations,
refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information
will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals
upon request. The voice phone is (202) 693–1999. See also
OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov.
¦ Listen carefully for instructions over the
building’s public address system.
¦ Crawl low, under the smoke to breathe cleaner
air if there is a fire. Test doors for heat before
opening them by placing the back of your hand
against the door so you do not burn your palm
and fingers. Do not open a hot door, but find
another exit route. Keep “fire doors” closed
to slow the spread of smoke and fire.
¦ Avoid using elevators when evacuating a
burning building.
¦ Report to the designated meeting place.
¦ Don’t re-enter the building until directed by
authorities.
If trapped during an emergency,
what should workers do?
¦ Stay calm and take steps to protect yourself.
¦ Go to a room with an outside window, and
telephone for help if possible.
¦ Stay where rescuers can see you and wave a
light-colored cloth to attract attention.
¦ Open windows if possible, but be ready to
shut them if smoke rushes in.
¦ Stuff clothing, towels, or newspapers around
the cracks in doors to prevent smoke from
entering your room.
Because every high-rise building has
unique characteristics involving location, design,
construction, and occupancy, this document covers
only some of the basic considerations for safe
evacuation. This publication does not substitute
for a site-specific evacuation program nor does
it detail specific OSHA or OSHA-approved state
plan standards that may be applicable to individual
worksites. Likewise, it does not create independent
legal obligations. In addition, OSHA citations can
only be issued for violations of the OSH Act,
OSHA standards, or OSHA regulations.
How can I get more information
on safety and health?
OSHA has various publications, standards,
technical assistance, and compliance tools to
help you, and offers extensive assistance through
workplace consultation, voluntary protection
programs, strategic partnerships, alliances,
state plans, grants, training, and education.
OSHA’s Safety and Health Program
Management Guidelines ( Federal Register
54:3904–3916, January 26, 1989) detail
elements critical to the development of a
successful safety and health management
system. This and other information are
available on OSHA’s website.
¦ For one free copy of OSHA publications,
send a self-addressed mailing label to
OSHA Publications Office, 200 Constitution
Avenue, N.W., N-3101, Washington,
DC 20210; or send a request to our fax
at (202) 693–2498, or call us toll-free at
(800) 321–OSHA.
¦ To order OSHA publications online at
www.osha.gov, go to Publications and
follow the instructions for ordering.
¦ To file a complaint by phone, report an
emergency, or get OSHA advice, assistance,
or products, contact your nearest OSHA office
under the U.S. Department of Labor listing in
your phone book, or call toll-free at (800)
321– OSHA (6742). The teletypewriter
(TTY) number is (877) 889– 5627.
¦ To file a complaint online or obtain more
information on OSHA federal and state
programs, visit OSHA’s website.
References
City of Alexandria, Virginia Fire and EMS
Department. Fire Safety in High-Rise Buildings.
http://ci.alexandria.va.us/fire/1_2_1_5.html.
National Fire Protection Association.
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2000.
National Safety Council, Data Sheet
1-656-Reaf. 85: Evacuation Systems for
High-Rise Buildings.
Seattle, Washington Fire Department.
Information Bulletin #982: High Rise Fire
Safety Requirements.
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