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.