Emergency Exit Toolbox Talk: Talking Points, Questions and Checklist

This emergency exit toolbox talk is for everyone on site, including new starters, temps, contractors and office staff who rarely visit the floor. It takes about five minutes and works best if you walk to the nearest exits at the end. The crew will leave able to name two ways out, find their assembly point, and spot a blocked route.

Why do emergency exits matter?

OSHA's Emergency Exit Routes fact sheet opens with the questions this talk is about. How would you escape in an emergency? Do you know the other exits if your first choice is crowded? Will the doors be unlocked?

It explains that a workplace normally needs at least two exit routes, as far apart as practical in case one is blocked by fire or smoke. Exit route doors must be unlocked from the inside, and exit access must be at least 28 inches wide at all points.

OSHA's exit route rule (29 CFR 1910.37) says no materials or equipment may be placed in an exit route, even temporarily. Each exit must be clearly marked "Exit", and doors that could be mistaken for exits must be marked "Not an Exit" or labelled with their real use. These are US rules; check the rules where you work.

Talking points for your emergency exit toolbox talk

• Know two ways out. From wherever you work, know your nearest exit and a second one in a different direction. Smoke or fire may block the first.
• Clear means clear. Pallets, trolleys, boxes and bins don't belong in exit routes or in front of exit doors, not even "for a minute."
• Never lock, chain or wedge fire exits. Fire doors that are propped open let smoke spread. Exit doors that are locked trap people.
• Follow the signs, and keep them visible. Exit signs and emergency lighting must be lit and unobstructed. Report any that are out.
• Know your assembly point. Go straight there and stay until you are counted. OSHA suggests posting evacuation maps that show exits and assembly points.
• Think about visitors. If you are hosting a visitor or new starter, show them the way out and take them with you in an alarm.
• Report blocked exits immediately. Don't wait for the next inspection. Clear it if it is safe to do so, and tell your supervisor.

Example to share with the crew

Picture this: a delivery arrives late on a Friday and the receiving area is full, so a few pallets are parked in front of the side fire door "until Monday." That weekend, a fire starts near the main entrance.

Ask the crew how the people on the weekend shift get out. Then ask who would have noticed the pallets, and who could have moved or reported them.

Exit route checklist

• Every worker in the area can name two exits
• Exit routes and corridors are free of stored materials and equipment
• Exit doors open from the inside without a key or special knowledge
• Fire doors are closed, not propped or wedged open
• Exit signs are lit and visible from the route
• Emergency lighting works along the route
• The evacuation map and assembly point are posted and current
• Doors that look like exits but aren't are marked "Not an Exit"

Questions to ask the crew

1. Can everyone name two exits from this area?
2. Where is our assembly point, and how would you get there if the main exit was blocked?
3. Where do things tend to get stacked in front of doors or in walkways?

How to close the talk

The one takeaway from this emergency exit toolbox talk: always know two ways out, and never let anything block them. If you find a blocked or locked exit, report it immediately to your supervisor or through the site's hazard reporting system. Follow this with our evacuation drills talk, or find more safety topics for toolbox talks in our topic library.