1910.36(c): Exit Discharge
Employers must make each exit discharge lead directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way or open space with access to the outside, large enough for the occupants likely to use it. Exit stairs that continue past the discharge level must be interrupted there by doors, partitions or other means that clearly show the way to the exit discharge.
Key takeaways
- 1910.36(c) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart E).
- OSHA cited it 25 times in the last 3 years, in 25 inspections, with $38,509 in current penalties.
- Most citations: CT (5), VA (4), PR (3).
- Related part: 1910.36(c)(1) (20 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.36(c) ("Exit discharge") is one requirement inside 1910.36 Design and construction requirements for exit routes, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart E). It includes 3 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(c) Exit discharge. 25 citations
(1) Each exit discharge must lead directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space with access to the outside. Open (c)(1) 20 citations
(2) The street, walkway, refuge area, public way, or open space to which an exit discharge leads must be large enough to accommodate the building occupants likely to use the exit route. Open (c)(2) 2 citations
(3) Exit stairs that continue beyond the level on which the exit discharge is located must be interrupted at that level by doors, partitions, or other effective means that clearly indicate the direction of travel leading to the exit discharge. 3 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.36.
Export the list: 25 inspections cited 1910.36(c) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 12 |
| 2025 | 7 |
| 2026 | 5 |
Top states: CT (5), VA (4), PR (3), TN (2), OH (2)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| APPALACHIAN WOOD FLOORS, INC. | PORTSMOUTH, OH | $7,985 |
| FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC. | YONKERS, NY | $6,696 |
| CITY OF CAPE MAY - WATER DEPARTMENT | CAPE MAY, NJ | $5,000 |
| POLYGLASS COATINGS LIMITED LLC | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $4,700 |
| CHINA DISTRICT PR, LLC | ARECIBO, PR | $3,825 |
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1910.36(c).
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.36(c)(1) 20 citations
- 1910.36(c)(2) 2 citations
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Frequently asked questions
Where must an exit discharge lead?
Directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way or open space with access to the outside.
How large must the area be?
Large enough to accommodate the building occupants likely to use the exit route.
What about stairs that keep going past the exit level?
They must be interrupted at that level by doors, partitions or other effective means showing the direction to the exit discharge.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.36 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-11-06
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.