Citations for blocked emergency exits frequently make the news but should be easy for businesses to avoid. As reported by WSFA-12 News earlier this week, Dollar Tree received citation from OSHA for multiple violations at its Andalusia, Alabama location. One of the citations stemmed from the store endangering employees lives by allowing emergency exits to be blocked.
Retailers and small businesses can find information on all the OSHA evacuation and walking/working surfaces standards on the osha.gov website. Author, consultant and NSEC instructor John Newquist says that the minimum number of exits a business needs is two, but larger businesses and employers need to have more than that. He adds that it’s not enough to have exits. They need to be checked periodically to make sure they aren’t blocked by merchandise, packaging, trash or other obstructive items.
Employees, especially those who frequently work in storage rooms and areas prohibited to customers, may be the first to notice or be affected by blocked exits. They have a right to a safe working environment that includes unobstructed access to emergency exits. Newquist says the first step for any employee who notices a violation is to bring it up to the company. If management does nothing, the employee can file an anonymous online complaint at osha.gov.
Customers may also notice obstructed exits, or other violations, and can help save lives by taking action. Newquist advises customers who notice a violation to take a picture of it with their cell phone and bring it up to the manager. Check back later on to see if the violation is fixed. If it isn’t, the photo should be sent to OSHA.
Employers have a legal obligation to provide safe work environments for their employees. Managers can avoid safety risks and citations associated with blocked emergency exits by frequently checking to make sure there are clear paths to all exits. Newquist also says one important piece of advice for managers is to not overcrowd any part of the business with excess products. If an order is too big, send it back to the warehouse. Having extra inventory on hand is not worth risking people’s lives.
NSEC offers OSHA #7105 – Evacuation and Emergency Planning. This course covers the requirements of emergency action and fire prevention plans, elements of emergency evacuation plans and the design and proper maintenance of emergency exit routes. This course is offered by NSEC throughout the year at various Region V training sites. It can also be taught as a custom course at your location and time. To see a list of course dates or to request a custom course, visit nsec.niu.edu.
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