Exit Sign Placement Best Pracitices
During a fire, power outage, or other emergency, occupants need to be able to quickly identify the safest way out of a building. Properly placed exit signs provide clear visual guidance, helping employees and visitors navigate evacuation routes when every second counts. OSHA requires workplace exits to be clearly visible and marked with an “Exit” sign, while exit routes must be adequately lit and kept free from obstructions.
Place Signs at Designated Exits
Every designated exit should be clearly identified so occupants can immediately distinguish it from other interior doors. Exit signs should be positioned where they remain visible as people approach the exit and should not be hidden by decorations, equipment, inventory, or other objects.
Maintain a Clear Line of Sight To Exits
Visibility should be considered throughout the emergency evacuation route, not just directly in front of the exit. Tall shelving, displays, equipment, temporary decorations, or other obstacles can potentially block an otherwise correctly positioned sign. Under OSHA requirements, the line of sight to an exit sign must be clearly visible at all times.
Add Directional Signs When the Exit Isn't Obvious
In larger or more complicated facilities, the nearest exit may not always be immediately visible. Directional exit signs can guide occupants around corners, through corridors, or toward stairways leading to an exit. OSHA requires signs along the exit access indicating the direction of travel when the route to the nearest exit or exit discharge isn't immediately apparent.
Clearly Identify Doors That Aren't Exits
A door positioned along an evacuation route can cause confusion if it looks like it might lead outside but actually opens into a closet, storage room, or another non-exit area. Doors and passages that could reasonably be mistaken for an exit should be appropriately identified. OSHA requires these areas to be marked “Not an Exit” or identified by their actual use, such as “Closet.”
Make Sure Exit Signs Are Properly Illuminated
An exit sign needs to remain easy to identify under the conditions in which it may be needed like power outages or fires. OSHA requires exit signs to be illuminated by a reliable light source and establishes specific illumination criteria for conventional, self-luminous, and electroluminescent signs. Exit routes themselves must also be adequately lit so employees with normal vision can see along the route and exit safely.
Inspect Exit Signage Regularly
Facility layouts can change over time. New shelving, equipment, displays, partitions, or storage systems can affect exit-sign visibility and ease of evacuation routes. Include exit signs in routine safety inspections and check that they are visible, illuminated, unobstructed, and directing occupants along the correct route. Exit routes should also remain clear of materials and equipment at all times.
Make Exit Signage Part of Your Emergency Plan
Effective exit sign placement is about more than simply putting a sign above a door. Signs should create a clear and continuous path of visual guidance that helps occupants confidently find their way out of the facility. Everyone inside a building during a potential emergency, even those who are there for the first time, should be able to rely on your signage to safely locate an exit.
Requirements may also vary depending on building type, occupancy, and applicable state or local fire and building codes. For that reason, facilities should evaluate their specific requirements in addition to following applicable workplace safety standards.