[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 5]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR1910.34]

[Page 148-149]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR
 
CHAPTER XVII--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT 
                                OF LABOR
 
PART 1910--OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS--Table of Contents
 
                       Subpart E--Means of Egress
 
Sec. 1910.34  Coverage and definitions.

    (a) Every employer is covered. Sections 1910.34 through 1910.39 
apply to workplaces in general industry except mobile workplaces such as 
vehicles or vessels.
    (b) Exits routes are covered. The rules in Secs. 1910.34 through 
1910.39 cover the minimum requirements for exit routes that employers 
must provide in their workplace so that employees may evacuate the 
workplace safely during an emergency. Sections 1910.34 through 1910.39 
also cover the minimum requirements for emergency action plans and fire 
prevention plans.
    (c) Definitions.
    Electroluminescent means a light-emitting capacitor. Alternating 
current excites phosphor atoms when placed between the electrically 
conductive surfaces to produce light. This light source is typically 
contained inside the device.
    Exit means that portion of an exit route that is generally separated 
from other areas to provide a protected way of travel to the exit 
discharge. An example of an exit is a two-hour fire resistance-rated 
enclosed stairway that leads from the fifth floor of an office building 
to the outside of the building.
    Exit access means that portion of an exit route that leads to an 
exit. An example of an exit access is a corridor on the fifth floor of 
an office building that leads to a two-hour fire resistance-rated 
enclosed stairway (the Exit).
    Exit discharge means the part of the exit route that leads directly 
outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space 
with access to the outside. An example of an exit discharge is a door at 
the bottom of a two-hour fire resistance-rated enclosed stairway that 
discharges to a place of safety outside the building.
    Exit route means a continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel 
from any point within a workplace to a place of safety (including refuge 
areas). An exit route consists of three parts: The exit access; the 
exit; and, the exit discharge. (An exit route includes all vertical and 
horizontal areas along the route.)
    High hazard area means an area inside a workplace in which 
operations include high hazard materials, processes, or contents.
    Occupant load means the total number of persons that may occupy a 
workplace or portion of a workplace at any one time. The occupant load 
of a workplace is calculated by dividing the gross floor area of the 
workplace or portion of a workplace by the occupant load factor for that 
particular type of workplace occupancy. Information regarding ``Occupant 
load'' is located in NFPA 101-2000, Life Safety Code.
    Refuge area means either:
    (1) A space along an exit route that is protected from the effects 
of fire by separation from other spaces within the building by a barrier 
with at least a one-hour fire resistance-rating; or
    (2) A floor with at least two spaces, separated from each other by 
smoke-resistant partitions, in a building protected throughout by an 
automatic sprinkler system that complies with Sec. 1910.159 of this part.
    Self-luminous means a light source that is illuminated by a self-
contained power source (e.g., tritium) and that operates independently 
from external power sources. Batteries are not acceptable self-contained 
power sources.

[[Page 149]]

The light source is typically contained inside the device.

[67 FR 67961, Nov. 7, 2002]