EGRESS BY ROLE
Egress Rules for Property Managers & Building Owners
In a multi-tenant building, the exit routes belong to everyone and the liability lands on you. What to control in common areas, leases, and fit-outs.
Property managers sit in an unusual egress position: tenants control what happens inside their suites, but the corridors, stairwells, lobbies, and exit discharge those suites depend on are yours. Building codes (IBC chapter 10, NFPA 101) govern the base building, OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.36–.37 governs each tenant-employer, and the fire marshal inspects the whole assembly — with the common areas billed to you.
This page covers the egress duties that attach to the building rather than any single tenant: common-path maintenance, fit-out review, shared systems, and the lease language that keeps tenant decisions from breaking building-level compliance.
Common areas: your undivided egress responsibility
Corridors, exit stairs, and exit discharge must stay unobstructed and available at all times (29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3) for tenant-employers; NFPA 101 §7.1.10 imposes the same duty on the building). Holiday displays, stored furniture between tenants, and locked roof-level or ground-level discharge doors are the findings that recur in property portfolios.
Stairwell doors deserve special attention: they must be self-closing, never wedged, and re-entry rules (which floors allow coming back in) follow NFPA 101 §7.2.1.5.8 as adopted locally. Any access-control changes to stair doors need AHJ review before installation.
Exit discharge is the most forgotten third of the route: the path from the exit door to the public way must remain clear, lit, and passable in all seasons (1910.36(a); NFPA 101 §7.7). Snow piles, dumpster placement, and landscaping are all discharge issues.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is this evacuation map generator really free?
Yes — you can generate your first OSHA-aligned evacuation map draft completely free. Just upload a floor plan and our AI drafts a professional map in about 30 seconds. No credit card required.
Are the generated maps aligned with OSHA?
Our AI drafts maps that follow OSHA 29 CFR 1910.36–37 and NFPA 101 Life Safety Code standards. Every map includes clearly marked exits, fire extinguisher locations, assembly points, and directional evacuation arrows. Supervisor review is required before posting to your facility.
What file formats can I upload?
We accept PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, BMP, TIFF, AVIF, HEIC, SVG, PDF, DOC/DOCX, PPT/PPTX, XLS/XLSX, ODT, ODP, ODS, DXF, and DWG floor plans. Office and CAD files are converted securely before processing; PDF uploads let you choose the source page.
How long does map generation take?
Most maps are generated in 20–40 seconds. Complex multi-floor plans may take slightly longer. You see the preview instantly — create a free account (no credit card) to download the file.
Can I edit the map after generation?
Yes — every generated map opens in a free drag-and-drop editor where you can move, resize, and recolor exit signs, routes, and equipment icons. Enterprise features like multi-floor support and branded maps are available on paid plans.
Is my floor plan data secure?
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Tenant fit-outs and the egress you must protect
Every fit-out changes occupant load and possibly travel distance, corridor ratings, or exit counts. IBC chapter 10 fixes required exits by occupant load (two exits generally required above 49 occupants in most business occupancies, IBC Table 1006.3.3); a tenant densifying from private offices to open benching can tip a floor over a threshold without touching a wall.
Make egress review a hard gate in your fit-out approval: no permit set advances until the landlord confirms exit counts, common-path limits, and corridor integrity survive the design. After occupancy, require the tenant to post updated evacuation maps — their OSHA duty under an effective 29 CFR 1910.38 plan, but your building’s risk if it goes wrong.
Leases, inspections, and shared documentation
Lease language should reserve your right to inspect suite egress, ban tenant alterations to doors and corridors without consent, and pass through fire-code compliance duties. When the fire marshal writes up a blocked tenant exit, the citation conversation goes better with a lease clause behind you.
Keep a building-level egress file: current life-safety drawings, emergency lighting and fire door inspection records (NFPA 101 §7.9; NFPA 80), elevator recall test records, and the evacuation maps posted in common areas. Multi-tenant buildings that centralize this documentation clear inspections dramatically faster.
Property manager egress rounds
- ✓Corridors, stairs, and discharge clear end-to-end, all seasons (1910.37(a)(3); NFPA 101 §7.7)
- ✓Stair doors self-close and latch; no wedges; re-entry per code (NFPA 101 §7.2.1.5.8)
- ✓Common-area emergency lighting on monthly/annual test cycle, logged (NFPA 101 §7.9)
- ✓Every fit-out reviewed for occupant load and exit count before permit (IBC ch. 10)
- ✓Tenant suite doors: no unauthorized locks or hardware changes (1910.36(d))
- ✓Building evacuation maps in lobbies/elevator landings current after every reconfiguration
Frequently Asked Questions
Who gets cited when a tenant blocks a shared corridor?
Potentially both parties: OSHA cites the tenant-employer whose workers are exposed (29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3)), while the fire marshal can cite the building owner under the adopted fire code (NFPA 101 §7.1.10). Lease pass-through clauses decide who ultimately pays.
Do small tenants still need two exits from their suite?
It depends on occupant load, travel distance, and common-path limits — IBC Table 1006.2.1 allows single-exit suites within limits (typically ≤ 49 occupants and short common paths). The fit-out permit review is where this must be settled, not after move-in.
Are landlords responsible for tenant evacuation maps?
The OSHA emergency action plan duty belongs to each employer (29 CFR 1910.38), but the building typically posts common-area evacuation signage, and many leases require tenants to display current maps. Coordinating one consistent map set building-wide is best practice.
Can we lock exterior exit discharge doors at night?
Doors in the means of egress must allow egress at all times the building is occupied — locking against entry is fine, locking against exit is not (29 CFR 1910.36(d); NFPA 101 §7.2.1.5). Overnight cleaning crews count as occupants.
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