| It should be obvious that a door with a lighted or photoluminescent "EXIT" sign over it or at the side within two feet of the floor is a safe exit from a room or place of assembly space. However, there have been too many tragic incidents where lives have been lost because, in panic, individuals have entered closets, storage areas, or other non-exit doorways. OSHA mandates any door in a room or along a corridor that is not an exit should be signed with "NOT AN EXIT," or designated as to the actual space, i.e. linen room, electric room, store room, fan room, etc.
Consider the following CAUTIONS:
1. The door should be in a color distinct from wall surfaces at the exit door. (If wall paper of contrasting color and design is used, the wall paper in a sprinklered space must have a Class C flame spread rating.)
2. There should be no mirrors adjacent to, or on the door that could cause confusion.
3. Avoid draperies or other hangings that could partially block access to the exit.
4. As noted above, mark doors that are not an exit: "NOT AN EXIT."
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WHEN IS A DOOR AN EXIT?