Not NEC, possible OSHA violation?

[hockeyoligist2]

I have been searching on Google and the OSHA websites. And I can't seem to find an answer.

We have a fence surrounding our main workplace. To get out of our new gate, magnetically locked, you have to swipe your company ID. No emergency override. If there was an emergency and you did not have your ID on you, you could not get out. Can anyone point me to a website?

 

[cpal]

I'd check local building code for means of egress. and possibly NFPA 101

 

[richxtlc]

See OSHA 1910.36(D)

 

[Rockyd]

We have a fence surrounding our main workplace. To get out of our new gate, magnetically locked, you have to swipe your company ID. No emergency override. If there was an emergency and you did not have your ID on you, you could not get out.

Couldn't get out? How big of a truck do drive, and how good of a driver are you (Jack Bauer certified)?

 

[drbond24]

Couldn't get out? How big of a truck do drive, and how good of a driver are you (Jack Bauer certified)?

I was going to say the same thing. It would take an impressive fence to stop my truck from getting out in an emergency.

On the other hand, at my last place of employment there was a similar situation except it was a personnel gate. There wouldn't be any way to force it open, and the fence was at least 7' high with barbed wire on top. There wouldn't be any going over it. I never thought of what to do in case of a fire. There was a very large parking lot adjacent to the building that was the pre-determined meeting place for fire drills, but it was inside the fence.

I would think the best way to go about it would be to tie an override in so that if the fire alarm is activated, the electro-magnet is deactivated so you can open the gate.

Most of the stuff in the OSHA article seemed to be geared toward getting out of a building, not getting off of the property.

 

[hockeyoligist2]

I was going to say the same thing. It would take an impressive fence to stop my truck from getting out in an emergency.

On the other hand, at my last place of employment there was a similar situation except it was a personnel gate. There wouldn't be any way to force it open, and the fence was at least 7' high with barbed wire on top. There wouldn't be any going over it. I never thought of what to do in case of a fire. There was a very large parking lot adjacent to the building that was the pre-determined meeting place for fire drills, but it was inside the fence.

I would think the best way to go about it would be to tie an override in so that if the fire alarm is activated, the electro-magnet is deactivated so you can open the gate.

Most of the stuff in the OSHA article seemed to be geared toward getting out of a building, not getting off of the property.

This is a personnel gate. The truck gate will open automatically when you drive up to it. We have gas and diesel tanks inside this area. If there is a fire at those tanks I'm not going to jump in my truck, I'm gonna run!

 

[wtucker]

See OSHA 1910.36(D)

36(d) covers "exit routes," which are defined as "the exit access; the exit; and the exit discharge." The "exit discharge" is defined as "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."

Once you're outside the building, there's no requirement that you be able to leave the property.

 

[brennan]

This would be in Life Safety 101.