Corridor Use and Safety
MANUAL
GUIDE - SAFETY MANAGEMENT CDC-25
REFERENCE POINT
Office of Health and Safety
TRANSMITTAL NOTICE 96.1, 5/22/96
I. PURPOSE AND SCOPE
This guide establishes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)(1) policy for the safe use of corridors in CDC owned and leased space in the Atlanta area. Employees working in leased space will comply with this policy, General Services Administration (GSA) regulations, and applicable local fire safety codes.
II. GOAL
The goal of this policy is to provide safe corridors in CDC facilities and to ultimately eliminate all storage and placement of materials in laboratory and office corridors as required by the National Fire Protection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA 101). Corridors free of obstructions and hazards will ensure:
- safe and adequate means for occupants to exit a building in the event of a fire or other emergency;
- easy access and mobility for emergency personnel;
- safe passage of people for routine activities within the building;
- access and mobility for safe transportation of goods and materials in corridors; and
- compliance with the Uniform Facility Accessibility Standard and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Until the new laboratory buildings at the Clifton Road and Chamblee campuses are completed (estimated completion date: FY2001), storage of equipment and materials in certain laboratory corridors will be allowed. Specially marked areas on one side of a corridor (i.e., equipment and material zones or EM Zones) will be identified for this transitional storage. Individual EM Zones will be removed when a laboratory group moves. Any laboratory group that moves into the vacated area will be allocated sufficient space so that no new EM Zone will be needed.
III. EFFECTIVE DATE
A. Non-laboratory Areas
Immediately.
B. Existing Laboratory Areas and Buildings
At the time the EM Zone is identified by the Corridor Implementation Team. Strategies for implementing this policy have been developed by the CDC/ATSDR Corridor Implementation Team and are available from the Office of Health and Safety (OHS).
IV. DEFINITIONS
A. Area of Refuge
An area of refuge is a space protected from the effects of fire, either by means of separation from other spaces in the same building or by virtue of location in an adjacent building, thereby permitting a delay in egress travel from any level.
B. Corridor
A corridor is closed space connecting a room or compartment with an exit.
C. EM Zone
An EM Zone is an equipment and material defined area marked on one side of an existing laboratory corridor.
D. Exit
An exit is that portion of a means of egress that is separated from all other spaces of a building or structure by construction or equipment as required to provide a protected way of travel to the exit discharge. Exits include exterior exit doors, exit passageways, horizontal exits, and separated exit stairs and ramps.
E. Exit Access
Exit accessis that portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit.
F. Exit Access Corridor
Corridorused as exit access and serving an area having an occupant load of more than 30 shall be separated from other parts of the building by a fire barrier having a 1-hour fire resistance rating in accordance with the NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code).
G. Exit Discharge
Exit discharge is that portion of the means of egress between the termination of an exit and a public way.
H. Horizontal Exit
A horizontal exit is a way of passage from one building to an area of refuge in another building on approximately the same level, or a way of passage through or around a fire barrier to an area of refuge on approximately the same level in the same building that affords safety from fire and smoke originating from the area of incidence and areas communicating therewith.
I. Laboratory
A laboratory is a room or series of rooms designed for scientific experimentation. Laboratories are generally considered an Industrial Occupancy for purposes of interpreting the NFPA 101.
J. Lobby
A lobby is a hall or large anteroom, such as a waiting room or vestibule of a hotel, theater, etc.
K. Means of Egress
A means of egress is a continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way and consists of three separate and distinct parts: (1) the exit access, (2) the exit, and (3) the exit discharge. A means of egress comprises the vertical and horizontal travel and shall include intervening room spaces, doorways, hallways, corridors, passageways, balconies, ramps, stairs, enclosures, lobbies, escalators, horizontal exits, courts, and yards.
L. Occupant Load
The occupant load is the total number of persons that may occupy a building or portion thereof at any one time.
V. POLICY
A. Corridors in Existing Laboratory Areas and Buildings
One predesignated side of each corridor shall remain completely unobstructed and a minimum unobstructed corridor width of 44 inches shall be maintained. No material is to be placed within 18 inches of either side of doorways. "EXIT" signs shall remain visible at all times. Emergency evacuation routes/plan shall be routinely visible to all occupants and located on each floor at or near a common area. Individual EM Zones will be removed when a laboratory group moves to another facility.
B. Corridors in New Laboratory Buildings
Corridors shall remain clear of all materials and equipment except for emergency response equipment. Recycling containers will be allowed when placed in elevator lobbies and in designated and marked locations.
C. Corridors in Non-laboratory Areas
Non-laboratory corridors whether in CDC owned or leased space shall remain clear of all materials and equipment except for emergency response equipment and recycling containers. Recycling containers should be placed in elevator lobbies, where possible.
D. Stairwells, Horizontal Exits, and Designated Areas of Refuge
Materials and equipment not required for emergency response shall not be located or used in stairwells, horizontal exits or designated areas of refuge. Temporary access for maintenance will be allowed only for the time needed for the activity. Unattended storage of materials is not allowed.
VI. RESPONSIBILITIES
A. Employee
Each employee is expected to be familiar with this policy and to adhere to its provisions.
B. Centers/Institute/Offices
Each Center/Institute/Office (CIO) is responsible for ensuring compliance with this policy in building areas that it occupies. They shall conduct surveys through their safety committees as part of the Annual Safety Surveys and assist in the identification and correction of deficiencies in a timely manner.
C. Office of Health and Safety
The Office of Health and Safety, in conjunction with the CDC/ATSDR Occupational Health and Safety Committee and the CIO safety committees, the Physical Security Activity, Office of Program Support (OPS), and the Real Property and Space Management Activity, OPS, is responsible for:
- providing additional guidance and interpretation of the provisions of this policy;
- conducting periodic inspections of CDC corridors for the purpose of advising each CIO of conditions requiring corrective action;
- taking immediate action to bring about the removal of items violating this policy;
- granting, as appropriate, exceptions to this policy as requested by memoranda to the Director, OHS; and
- assuring distribution of this policy to all employees.
1. References to CDC also apply to ATSDR.