ASTM_E_2238_-_12.pdf

Designation:E223812Standard Guide forEvacuation Route Diagrams1This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2238;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.1.Scope1.1 This standard is intended to provide minimum guide-lines for the design and placement of evacuation route dia-grams(ERDs)used in buildings.It covers the evacuation ofbuilding occupants when directed by emergency responseauthorities in emergencies such as fire,earthquake,and bombthreat.NOTE1Evacuation from the facility is not appropriate in all emer-gencies.For example,a tornado or a release of hazardous materials mayrequire sheltering within the building.This diagram standard is intendedto be used in conjunction with a facility emergency plan and instructionson appropriate actions from building management,or emergency responseauthorities,or both.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2E2072 Specification for Photoluminescent(Phosphorescent)Safety Markings2.2 Other Standards:NFPA 101 Life Safety Code(Safety to Life from Fire inBuildings and Structures)3NFPA 170 Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Sym-bols3UL 1994 Standard for Luminous Egress Path Marking Sys-tems4ICC/ANSI A117.1 Standard for Accessible and UsableBuildings and Facilities5FEMA Guideline:Guidance on Planning for Integration ofFunctional Needs Support Services in General PopulationShelters November 2010.3.Terminology3.1 Definitions:3.1.1 area of refugean area that is either(1)a story in abuilding where the building is protected throughout by anapproved,supervised automatic sprinkler system and has notless than two accessible rooms or spaces separated from eachother by smoke-resisting partitions;or(2)a space located in apath of travel leading to a public way that is protected from theeffects of fire,either by means of separation from other spacesin the same building or by virtue of location,thereby permit-ting a delay in egress travel from any level.NOTE2An area of refuge is intended for use by impaired personsawaiting rescue by trained emergency personnel in the event of fire.It isnot necessarily designed for use in emergencies requiring the use ofsubstantial construction,such as windstorm.3.1.2 area of rescue assistancean area in a buildingconstructed for physically disabled persons to enter and awaitfire department assistance during fire and emergency condi-tions in accordance with ADA Guidelines 4.1.3 to 4.3.11.5.3.1.3 assembly pointsarea(s)outside of the building thathas been predetermined as a meeting point for buildingoccupants to gather and be accounted.3.1.4 dead enda path that leads to no exit.3.1.5 path of egressthe way(s)out of a building,consist-ing of the exit access,exit,and exit discharge.3.1.6 temporary sheltera pre-determined room/area of thebuilding where occupants are directed in the event that theemergency requires remaining in the building,such as atornado or release of hazardous material.4.Significance and Use4.1 Evacuation route diagrams are informational signs usedto advise building occupants,be they employees,residents,patients,or visitors,of the best route(s)to egress the building,or to temporary shelter from their location.It is a pictorialrepresentation of the building/floor layout showing the closestsuch route from a given point in the building.This standardwill provide guidelines that can be used to provide uniformityin the development and use of these signs.Consistency indesign and placement of these signs can serve to increasefamiliarity and comprehension as well as reduce confusion,thus improving the ability of occupants to egress from thefacility more easily and quickly in an emergency.1This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E34 onOccupational Health and Safety and is the direct responsibility of SubcommitteeE34.40 on Hazard Communications.Current edition approved Oct.15,2012.Published November 2012.Originallyapproved in 1986.Last previous edition approved in 2002 as E2238-02,which waswithdrawn July 2011 and reinstated in October 2012.DOI:10.1520/E2238-12.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.3Available from National Fire Protection Association(NFPA),1 BatterymarchPark,Quincy,MA 02169-7471,http:/www.nfpa.org.4Available from Underwriters Laboratories(UL),333 Pfingsten Rd.,Northbrook,IL 60062-2096,http:/.5Available from American National Standards Institute(ANSI),25 W.43rd St.,4th Floor,New York,NY 10036,http:/www.ansi.org.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United States1 4.2 Occupancies where standardization of ERDs