ASTM E2238-12

Standard Guide for Evacuation Route Diagrams (Withdrawn 2021)

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
4.1 Evacuation route diagrams are informational signs used to advise building occupants, be they employees, residents, patients, or visitors, of the best route(s) to egress the building, or to temporary shelter from their location. It is a pictorial representation of the building/floor layout showing the closest such route from a given point in the building. This standard will provide guidelines that can be used to provide uniformity in the development and use of these signs. Consistency in design and placement of these signs can serve to increase familiarity and comprehension as well as reduce confusion, thus improving the ability of occupants to egress from the facility more easily and quickly in an emergency.  
4.2 Occupancies where standardization of ERDs would be most beneficial include those which frequently have occupants unfamiliar with the facility, such as hotels, places of assembly, offices, healthcare facilities, and multiple occupancy buildings.
SCOPE
1.1 This standard is intended to provide minimum guidelines for the design and placement of evacuation route diagrams (ERDs) used in buildings. It covers the evacuation of building occupants when directed by emergency response authorities in emergencies such as fire, earthquake, and bomb threat.Note 1—Evacuation from the facility is not appropriate in all emergencies. For example, a tornado or a release of hazardous materials may require sheltering within the building. This diagram standard is intended to be used in conjunction with a facility emergency plan and instructions on appropriate actions from building management, or emergency response authorities, or both.
WITHDRAWN RATIONALE
This standard was intended to provide minimum guidelines for the design and placement of evacuation route diagrams (ERDs) used in buildings.
Formerly under the jurisdiction of Committee E34 on Occupational Health and Safety, this guide was withdrawn in January 2021. This standard is being withdrawn without replacement due to its limited use by industry.

General Information

• Status: Withdrawn
• Publication Date: 14-Oct-2012
• Withdrawal Date: 03-Jan-2021
• ICS: 91.120.01 - Protection of and in buildings in general
• Technical Committee: E34 - Occupational Health and Safety

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: E2238 − 12
Standard Guide for
1
Evacuation Route Diagrams
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E2238; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 3. Terminology
1.1 This standard is intended to provide minimum guide- 3.1 Definitions:
lines for the design and placement of evacuation route dia- 3.1.1 area of refuge—an area that is either (1) a story in a
grams (ERDs) used in buildings. It covers the evacuation of building where the building is protected throughout by an
building occupants when directed by emergency response approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system and has not
authorities in emergencies such as fire, earthquake, and bomb less than two accessible rooms or spaces separated from each
threat. other by smoke-resisting partitions; or (2) a space located in a
path of travel leading to a public way that is protected from the
NOTE 1—Evacuation from the facility is not appropriate in all emer-
effects of fire, either by means of separation from other spaces
gencies. For example, a tornado or a release of hazardous materials may
in the same building or by virtue of location, thereby permit-
require sheltering within the building. This diagram standard is intended
to be used in conjunction with a facility emergency plan and instructions
ting a delay in egress travel from any level.
on appropriate actions from building management, or emergency response
NOTE 2—An area of refuge is intended for use by impaired persons
authorities, or both.
awaiting rescue by trained emergency personnel in the event of fire. It is
not necessarily designed for use in emergencies requiring the use of
2. Referenced Documents
substantial construction, such as windstorm.
2
2.1 ASTM Standards:
3.1.2 area of rescue assistance—an area in a building
E2072 Specification for Photoluminescent (Phosphorescent)
constructed for physically disabled persons to enter and await
Safety Markings
fire department assistance during fire and emergency condi-
2.2 Other Standards:
tions in accordance with ADA Guidelines 4.1.3 to 4.3.11.5.
NFPA 101 Life Safety Code® (Safety to Life from Fire in
3
3.1.3 assembly points—area(s) outside of the building that
Buildings and Structures)
has been predetermined as a meeting point for building
NFPA 170 Standard for Fire Safety and Emergency Sym-
3
occupants to gather and be accounted.
bols
3.1.4 dead end—a path that leads to no exit.
UL 1994 Standard for Luminous Egress Path Marking Sys-
4
tems
3.1.5 path of egress—the way(s) out of a building, consist-
ICC/ANSI A117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable
ing of the exit access, exit, and exit discharge.
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Buildings and Facilities
3.1.6 temporary shelter—a pre-determined room/area of the
FEMA Guideline: Guidance on Planning for Integration of
building where occupants are directed in the event that the
Functional Needs Support Services in General Population
emergency requires remaining in the building, such as a
Shelters November 2010.
tornado or release of hazardous material.
4. Significance and Use
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E34 on
Occupational Health and Safety and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee 4.1 Evacuation route diagrams are informational signs used
E34.40 on Hazard Communications.
to advise building occupants, be they employees, residents,
Current edition approved Oct. 15, 2012. Published November 2012. Originally
patients, or visitors, of the best route(s) to egress the building,
approved in 1986. Last previous edition approved in 2002 as E2238 - 02, which was
or to temporary shelter from their location. It is a pictorial
withdrawn July 2011 and reinstated in October 2012. DOI: 10.1520/E2238-12.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
representation of the building/floor layout showing the closest
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
such route from a given point in the building. This standard
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
will provide guidelines that can be used to provide uniformity
the ASTM website.
3
in the development and use of these signs. Consistency in
Available from National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 1 Batterymarch
Park, Quincy, MA 02169-7471, http://www.nfpa.org.
design and placement of these signs can serve to increase
4
Available from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), 333 Pfingsten Rd.,
familiarity and comprehension as well as reduce confusion,
Northbrook, IL 60062-2096, http://www.ul.com.
5
thus improving the ability of
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