Fire Safety

Employers should train workers about fire hazards in the workplace and about 

what to do in a fire emergency. If you want your workers to evacuate, you should 

train them on evacuation procedures. If you expect your workers to use fire 

fighting equipment, you should provide the appropriate equipment and train 

workers to use it safely. (See Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 

Part 1910 Subparts E and L; and Part 1926 Subparts C and F.) 

What actions should employers 

take to help ensure safe evacuations 

of buildings?

Every workplace must have enough exits 

suitably located to enable everyone to get out 

of the facility quickly. Considerations include 

the type of structure, the number of persons 

exposed, the fire protection available, the type 

of industry involved, and the height and type 

of construction of the building or structure. 

In addition, exit doors must not be blocked or 

locked when employees are inside. Delayed 

opening of exit doors, however, is permitted 

when an approved alarm system is integrated 

into the exit door design. Exit routes from 

buildings must be free of obstructions and 

properly marked with exit signs. See 29 CFR Part 

1910.36 for details about these requirements.

Do employers have to provide portable 

fire extinguishers?

No. But if you do, you must establish an 

educational program to familiarize your workers 

with the general principles of fire extinguisher 

use. If you expect your workers to use portable 

fire extinguishers, you must provide hands-on 

training in using this equipment. For details, see 

29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart L.

Must employers develop emergency 

action plans?

Not every employer is required to have an 

emergency action plan. OSHA standards that 

require such plans include the following:

• Process Safety Management of Highly 

Hazardous Chemicals – 1910.119

• Fixed Extinguishing Systems, General – 1910.160

• Fire Detection Systems – 1910.164

• Grain Handling – 1910.272

• Ethylene Oxide – 1910.1047

• Methylenedianiline – 1910.1050

• 1,3 Butadiene – 1910.1051

When required, employers must 

develop an emergency action plan that:

• Describes the routes for workers to use and 

procedures to follow.

• Accounts for all evacuated employees.

• Remains available for employee review.

• Includes procedures for evacuating 

disabled employees.

• Addresses evacuation of employees who stay 

behind to shut down critical plant equipment.

• Includes preferred means of alerting 

employees to a fire emergency.

• Provides for an employee alarm system 

throughout the workplace.

• Requires an alarm system that includes voice 

communication or sound signals such as bells, 

whistles, or horns.

• Makes the evacuation signal known 

to employees.

• Ensures the provision of emergency training.

• Requires employer review of the plan with new 

employees and with all employees whenever 

the plan is changed.

Must employers have a fire 

prevention plan?

OSHA standards that require fire prevention 

plans include the following:

• Ethylene Oxide – 1910.1047

• Methylenedianiline – 1910.1050

• 1,3 Butadiene – 1910.1051

FactSheet
Employers covered by these standards 

must implement plans to minimize 

the frequency of evacuations. All fire 

prevention plans must:

• Be available for employee review.

• Include housekeeping procedures for storage 

and cleanup of flammable materials and 

flammable waste.

• Address handling and packaging of flammable 

waste. (Recycling of flammable waste such as 

paper is encouraged.)

• Cover procedures for controlling workplace 

ignition sources such as smoking, welding 

and burning.

• Provide for proper cleaning and maintenance 

of heat producing equipment such as burners, 

heat exchangers, boilers, ovens, stoves, and 

fryers and require storage of flammables away 

from this equipment.

• Inform workers of the potential fire hazards of 

their jobs and plan procedures.

• Require review of the fire prevention plan with 

all new employees and with all employees 

whenever the plan is changed.

What are the rules for fixed 

extinguishing systems?

Fixed extinguishing systems throughout the 

workplace are among the most reliable fire 

fighting tools. These systems detect fires, 

sound an alarm, and apply water or another 

extinguishing agent to the fire.

To meet OSHA standards, employers who have 

fixed extinguishing systems must:

• Substitute (temporarily) a fire watch of trained 

employees to respond to fire emergencies when 

a fire suppression system is out of service.

• Ensure that the fire watch is included in the fire 

prevention plan and the emergency action plan.

• Post signs for systems that use gaseous 

agents (e.g., carbon dioxide, clean agents, 

etc.) posing a serious health hazard.

Workers’ Rights

Workers have the right to:

• Working conditions that do not pose a risk 

of serious harm.

• Receive information and training (in a 

language and vocabulary the worker 

understands) about workplace hazards, 

methods to prevent them, and the OSHA 

standards that apply to their workplace.

• Review records of work-related injuries 

and illnesses.

• File a complaint asking OSHA to inspect their 

workplace if they believe there is a serious 

hazard or that their employer is not following 

OSHA’s rules. OSHA will keep all identities 

confidential.

• Exercise their rights under the law without 

retaliation, including reporting an injury or 

raising health and safety concerns with their 

employer or OSHA. If a worker has been 

retaliated against for using their rights, they 

must file a complaint with OSHA as soon as 

possible, but no later than 30 days.

For additional information, see OSHA’s Workers 

page (www.osha.gov/workers).

How to Contact OSHA

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 

of 1970, employers are responsible for providing 

safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. 

OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for 

America’s working men and women by setting 

and enforcing standards, and providing training, 

education, and assistance. For more information, 

visit www.osha.gov or call OSHA at 1-800-321-

OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627. 

DSG FS-3527 08/2020

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; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.