Emergency Exit Dimensions

A special structure constructed for emergencies like earthquakes and fires, an emergency exit offers an alternative route for people trapped in a building. The exit is commonly found at the end of a hallway or stairwell. An exit sign is usually posted above the structure to ensure faster and safer evacuation.

If you want to construct an emergency exit in your place, it is important that you understand the different emergency exit dimensions. Emergency exits come in different forms, some of which come in the form of windows while others are as big as doors. To help you construct this structure, it is best to understand the various sizes of the exits.

The Sizes of Emergency Exits

What are the different emergency exit dimensions? If you want to have an emergency exit as small as a window, then it is important that the structure have the maximum height of 44 inches. It is also necessary that the net opening height of the window is not less than 22 inches while the width should be at least 20 inches. The window well must have a length of 36 inches and a width of 60 inches.

On the other hand, if you like the exit to be as big as a door, then the standard height should be at least 90 inches. The width of the structure is at least 28 inches.

Additional Facts and Other Interesting Details

Emergency exits are also seen in aircraft and buses. Overwing exits are used when emergencies happen during flights. The design of the exits in aircraft depends on the passenger load limit. In addition, the type of overwing exits is based on the design of the aircraft, whether it is a single-aisled aircraft or a twin-aisled aircraft.

On the other hand, top emergency exits are prominent in public buses in many countries including the United States and Great Britain. In Europe, buses use emergency exit signs with symbols and pictures to depict the meaning of the sign, which is very useful to help people who cannot read during emergencies.

Determining where these exits are situated is important. Disasters can be prevented if people have ideas about the location of the exits. It is also essential that homeowners or building administrators open the exits at all times. For instance, many people died in the September 11 bombing because some of the exits at the World Trade Center were locked and blocked. On the other hand, in the Station Nightclub disaster, people died because the structure was not properly designed.