The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has made the requirements for exiting buildings quickly during an emergency easier to understand. The revised Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, and Fire Prevention Plans Standard becomes goes into effect Dec. 7.

Language changes are designed to aid workers and employers in understanding the requirements of the standard.

For example, Means of Egress will now be referred to as Exit Routes. OSHA has reorganized the text and removed inconsistencies and duplicative requirements. The revised rule has fewer subparagraphs and a smaller number of cross-references to other OSHA standards than the previous version.

Employers now have the option of adopting the National Fire Protection Associations' Life Safety Code, instead of the OSHA standard for exit routes. OSHA evaluated the NFPA standard and concluded that it provides comparable safety.

The revised standard, which offers more compliance options for employers, does not change the regulatory obligations of the employer or the safety and health protections provided to the employees of the original standard.

The existing standard was more than 30 years old, OSHA reports.

For more information, go to www.osha.gov.