Egress review guide

What Egress Drawings Should Show

A complete egress drawing set includes a code summary sheet with occupant load and egress calculations, life safety plans showing exits and travel paths, door and hardware schedules with egress hardware noted, exit sign and emergency lighting plans, and stair and corridor details. Egress review is the systematic check that all of these elements are coordinated and code-compliant.

Occupant Load Review

• Verify occupant load calculated per use group and area (IBC Table 1004.5)
• Confirm fixed seating counted per actual seat count where applicable
• Check assembly areas with concentrated tables/chairs use the higher density
• Verify mixed-occupancy spaces include occupant load from each function
• Confirm posted occupant load matches the design load
• Verify accessory uses correctly classified vs. requiring separate occupancy classification

Egress Component Capacity

• Egress capacity per occupant: 0.2"/occupant for stairs, 0.15"/occupant for other components (sprinklered)
• Minimum door clear width 32" with required maneuvering clearance
• Minimum corridor width based on occupant load served (typically 44" min, more for higher load)
• Stair width minimum 44" for typical occupancies, narrower for under 50 occupants
• Stair tread depth 11", riser height 4" to 7" (varies by occupancy)
• Handrails on both sides where stair width exceeds 44"

Travel Distance and Common Path

• Travel distance from any point to an exit within IBC Table 1017.2 limits
• Common path of egress travel within IBC Table 1006.2.1 limits
• Dead-end corridor length within IBC Section 1020.4 limits
• Door-to-door separation when two exits are required (1/3 or 1/2 diagonal rule)
• Travel through intervening rooms permitted only under specific conditions

Number of Exits Required

• 1 exit allowed under IBC Table 1006.3.3 occupant-load and travel-distance limits
• 2 exits required for most spaces above the single-exit thresholds
• 3 exits required at 501 to 1000 occupants per story
• 4 exits required above 1000 occupants per story
• High-rise and certain occupancies have additional exit requirements

Doors in the Means of Egress

• Door swing in direction of egress travel where serving 50+ occupants or H occupancies
• Panic hardware required for assembly and educational occupancies serving 50+
• Door hardware operable without tight grasping or twisting
• Maximum opening force per IBC and ADA
• Door encroachment into corridor must not reduce required width
• Locks and latches must allow free egress from inside
• Electromagnetic locks per IBC 1010.2.7 conditions

Exit Signs and Emergency Lighting

• Exit signs visible at every change in direction
• Exit signs at every door from a room with multiple exit paths
• Tactile exit signs at exit stair doors and exit discharge doors
• Emergency lighting in path of egress for occupancies requiring it
• Emergency lighting at exterior at exit discharge
• Battery-backup or generator power for 90 minutes

Common Egress Drawing Errors

• Travel distance measured straight-line instead of along actual path
• Occupant load using net instead of gross area or vice versa
• Door swings shown into corridor reducing required width
• Locked stair re-entry without code-required intermediate access
• Single-exit space with travel distance exceeding common path limit
• Exit discharge through a non-exit space
• Stair widths sized for required width without including handrail projection