# Locked Exits a Safety Hazard?



## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

Also, incredibly inconvenient.

The GC has had the majority of the side exits padlocked during working hours because they don't want people to track dirt, and limit the amount of humidity coming in. Which is silly since there's no door knobs yet and no weather stripping.

So as far as I know, there's 1, maybe 2 open exits out of...7? 8?

It's a large building, 3 stories high.

Issue or no issue?


----------



## Forgery (Mar 6, 2010)

Frasbee said:


> Also, incredibly inconvenient.
> 
> The GC has had the majority of the side exits padlocked during working hours because they don't want people to track dirt, and limit the amount of humidity coming in. Which is silly since there's no door knobs yet and no weather stripping.
> 
> ...


Call OSHA and have them decide...






...if they ever come around and look. They are usually too busy collecting hardhat revenue.


----------



## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

The Fire Marshall would be very interested, and he would show up that day.


----------



## JayH (Nov 13, 2009)

No issue in California:

Each level above the first story in new multi-story buildings shall be provided with
at least two usable exit stairs after the floor decking is installed. The stairways shall be continuous and
discharge to grade level. Stairways serving more than two floor levels shall be enclosed (with openings
adequately protected) after exterior walls/windows are in place. Exit stairs in new and in existing, occupied
buildings shall be lighted and maintained clear of debris and construction materials at all times.​_Exception: For new multi-story buildings, one of the required exit stairs may be obstructed on not more
than two contiguous floor levels for the purposes of stairway construction (i.e., installation of gypsum​board, painting, flooring, etc.).
_


----------



## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

If you ask the people from the chicken plant in NC in the 90's (that lived) they'll tell you it is a big deal. I bet the fire marshall will too like the good Dr said. Too many GC's and end customers think that we do not matterWe had a big burn here a few years back, I do not recall anyone hurt, but with locked exits it could have been bad. Very windy day and the fire jumped an interstate several blocks away to end up lighting a scrap yard on fire.


----------



## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

s.kelly said:


> If you ask the people from the chicken plant in NC in the 90's (that lived) they'll tell you it is a big deal. I bet the fire marshall will too like the good Dr said. Too many GC's and end customers think that we do not matterWe had a big burn here a few years back, I do not recall anyone hurt, but with locked exits it could have been bad. Very windy day and the fire jumped an interstate several blocks away to end up lighting a scrap yard on fire.


Yeah there are games that generals and owners play when there are tradesmen on site.

Although not a safety issue in any way, we had a building that had a temporary occupancy permit in advance of the building hand over. All the plumbing and most of the lighting was operational. One day I show up and there's a sign "xxxxx employees only" on the doors to the washrooms.

I point it out to the foreman and he had a little laugh and we stroll down to the electrical room and killed the lighting panels and power to every single circuit in areas that were occupied. It wasn't long before the manager came along and started asking questions and the foreman politely said "You see that sign." pointing at the signs on the washrooms. "My men and the rest of the trades here built this f_cking place, made everything work and if you expect them to go outside to take a leak in this cold I'm not turning a f_cking thing on until the hand over when my contract requires me to."

Its turned into a bit of a joke between me and a few guys. When you're dealing with another trade or a jackass in a building making your life difficult, the most powerful sound in the world is *click* the sound of a main getting shut of, locked out, and tagged out. I've only ever had to take such drastic measures twice, but it got the message across.

Sometimes you just have to speak their language


----------



## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

In a building under construction there is no 'certificate of occupancy' doubtful there is any requirement for certain amount of doors to be open. This is not the same as the chicken plant.

Call OSHA and the Fire Marshall if you want but I bet neither will do a thing.


----------



## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Bob Badger said:


> In a building under construction there is no 'certificate of occupancy' doubtful there is any requirement for certain amount of doors to be open. This is not the same as the chicken plant.
> 
> Call OSHA and the Fire Marshall if you want but I bet neither will do a thing.


Bob you are 100% wrong, you can't risk someone life for convenience. Life safety codes apply to construction sites, I can understand a apprentice not be aware but you have been in this business a long time. Every time a "chicken plant" type insident come up it is a brainless low level manager violating basic worker rights, and they loose big time in court. Why you would think locking exits is a acceptable practice is beyond my imagination. 
Frasbee, you have a basic human right to not be put in a situation like that, call the Fire Marshall if they don't open the exits. The exits are not put there for looks, they are for everyone's safety.


----------



## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

drsparky said:


> Bob you are 100% wrong, you can't risk someone life for convenience. Life safety codes apply to construction sites,


Actually I do not believe they do or all would be in violation.

Life safety codes require stairs for egress when on construction sites ladders will do.

Life Safety codes require emergency egress lighting ... not required during construction.

I could go on ....

Unfortunately being in construction brings risks to us that the general public is not exposed to.



> Why you would think locking exits is a acceptable practice is beyond my imagination.


Because I use facts and not my personal wishes to make decisions.


----------



## Bob Badger (Apr 19, 2009)

From OSHA



> 1926.34(a)
> 
> "General." In every building or structure exits shall be so arranged and maintained as to provide free and unobstructed egress from all parts of the building or structure at all times when it is occupied. No lock or fastening to prevent free escape from the inside of any building shall be installed except in mental, penal, or corrective institutions where supervisory personnel is continually on duty and effective provisions are made to remove occupants in case of fire or other emergency.



As long as the GC maintains free and unobstructed egress from all parts of the building or structure at all times they have met the law.

There is nothing in OSHA that says that the egress route has to be the egress routes for the finished building.

In other words, if you can get outside from anywhere in the building OSHA is satisfied.


----------



## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

The same as electrical work,the AHJ would be the final decision on what is reasonable for getting out (OHSA, state occ safety, and/or fire marshall). I agree they are not liable to require all exits for the general public later to be usable. However, too often it gets to be one way in or out. That can be a real issue in an emergency. I think particularly a fire marshall is going to want several options to get people evacuated in a timely manner.


----------



## Frasbee (Apr 7, 2008)

Speak of the devil.

Fire marshall showed up today, so I guess it's not an issue since they never bothered unlocking all of those doors.


----------



## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Ok, I tried. I hope it never becomes an issue, but I would document everything the happens.


----------



## Mike_586 (Mar 24, 2009)

There are no laws here in Ontario saying all the doors have to be accessible either:

This is from Ontario's safety regulations (each province has their own safety regulations)


> Access To and Egress From Work Areas *70.*
> (1) Access to and egress from a work area located above or below ground level shall be by stairs, runway, ramp or ladder. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 70 (1).
> (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to a work area that is a suspended scaffold able to be moved to give access to a floor, roof or platform or to ground level. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 70 (2).
> *71.* Adequate means of egress shall be provided from a work area to permit the evacuation of workers during an emergency. O. Reg. 213/91, s. 71.
> ...


I won't bore anyone with the rest of the details, but the general is responsible to cover what to do in case of an emergency i.e. fire and the building needs to be evacuated, the exit route(s) among a bunch of other information. I'm sure most of it is pretty similar to OSHA requirements for the most part.

On big projects following the safety rules has become a big deal the last few years, over the past 10 they've doubled or tripled the number of MOL (Ministry of Labour) inspectors. This year after those 5 or 6 guys fell to their deaths in Toronto they've gone on zero tolerance blitzes and the government allowed them to double the size of the fines.


----------

