1
Set the scene
Start with context
Fill the frame
2–3 ft for close-ups; keep ladders, cords and workers fully in view.
Exit signs
OSHA exit sign requirements — letter size, lighting, and keeping the way out visible
OSHA's exit sign rule is 29 CFR 1910.37(b). Every exit must be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading 'Exit', in plainly legible letters at least 6 inches high with principal strokes at least 3/4 inch wide. Each sign must be lit to at least five foot-candles by a reliable light source, or be a self-luminous or electroluminescent sign of at least .06 footlamberts, and be distinctive in color. Where the way out isn't obvious, direction signs are required, the line of sight to an exit sign must be clear at all times, and doors that could be mistaken for exits need a 'Not an Exit' or actual-use sign. Construction sites follow 29 CFR 1926.34. OSHA Scan does not measure signs. It scans photos for blocked exits, hidden exit signs, and confusing doors. The free checklist below covers each rule.
Photo scan: no account needed (you may be asked for the free phone Access Pass) · Template downloads: free account required
An exit sign only helps if people can see it from where they're standing
OSHA's exit rules are written around one idea: in an emergency, people must be able to find the way out without stopping to think. 29 CFR 1910.37(b) requires every exit to be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading 'Exit', sets the letter size and lighting for that sign, and requires direction signs wherever the route isn't immediately apparent. It also requires that the line of sight to an exit sign be clearly visible at all times, that exit doors not be covered by decorations or signs, and that doors which could be mistaken for exits be labeled 'Not an Exit' or with their actual use. Construction sites have a shorter parallel rule in 29 CFR 1926.34.
Most exit sign failures happen after the sign goes up. A pallet gets staged in front of the exit door, a strip curtain gets hung across the aisle, new racking blocks the view, or a storage room door looks just like the way out. OSHA Scan reviews a photo of the route and flags blocked exits, hidden signs, and confusing doors with a possibly related standard and a fix. It does not measure letter height or light levels; it shows you what the route looks like to someone trying to get out.
Exit signs in general industry vs. construction, and where fire codes come in
In general industry, exit signs fall under OSHA's exit route rules, 29 CFR 1910.34 through 1910.39. Section 1910.37 sets the specifics: lettering, illumination, direction signs, line of sight, 'Not an Exit' markings, and the requirement that exit routes be free and unobstructed. Construction has a shorter rule, 29 CFR 1926.34: exits must be marked by a readily visible sign, the access to exits must be signed wherever the exit isn't immediately visible, and the means of egress must be kept free of obstructions at all times.
Fire and building codes add their own exit sign rules — commonly emergency power, sign placement, and sometimes color — and the local fire marshal enforces them. Your local code may ask for more than OSHA does. Either way, the failures that matter most are physical: a pallet in front of the door, a sign hidden by new racking, a dark lamp no one reported. A photo scan of each route on a regular schedule catches those between formal inspections.
How to check your exit signs against OSHA's rules
Run through these steps before crews start — each one covers a visible gap the AI can help you catch.
- 1
Map every exit route
Walk each route from the work areas to the outside and note every exit, turn, and door along the way.
- 2
Check each sign
Confirm each exit has a sign reading 'Exit' with letters at least 6 inches high, lit to at least five foot-candles or rated self-luminous, and distinctive in color.
- 3
Add direction and 'Not an Exit' signs
Post direction signs wherever the exit isn't obvious, and mark doors that could be mistaken for exits with 'Not an Exit' or their actual use.
- 4
Clear the line of sight and the route
Remove anything that blocks the view of a sign or sits in the route, and keep exit doors free of decorations and notices.
- 5
Re-check on a schedule
Test lamps and backup power as your fire code requires, and re-check after layout changes. A dated photo scan documents each walk.
What a photo scan checks along your exit routes
A scan can't measure foot-candles or letter strokes, but it can see the conditions that make an exit hard to find or hard to reach.
Blocked exit doors and routes
Pallets, carts, and stock staged in front of exit doors or in the route itself, where they slow everyone down.
Exit signs out of sight
Strip curtains, racking, hanging banners, and stacked material that break the line of sight to an exit sign.
Doors that look like exits
Unmarked doors along the route that could send people into a closet or a dead end instead of outside.
A fix for each finding
Each flagged item comes with a possibly related OSHA standard and a corrective action, ranked by risk, so the most serious blockage gets cleared first.
Demo: the report a scanned photo comes back with
Scan a photo like the one above and this is the report you get — score, findings, OSHA references, and fixes. It is an illustrative example, clearly marked — not live scan data.
Example report
Illustrative — not live scan dataCompliance score
72
Lower means more potential hazards found
Score uses visible confirmed findings only. Not a safety certification.
3 confirmed · 0 need review · 0 positive
1 High1 Medium1 Low3 locked
1Pallet of boxes and a pallet jack staged directly in front of the exit door
HighPossibly related to keeping exit routes free and unobstructed (29 CFR 1910.37(a)(3))
Observed condition: In a fire, people head for the lit exit sign and reach a pallet they have to climb around or move before they can push the panic bar. OSHA's exit route rule says no materials or equipment may be placed in the exit route, even temporarily.
Corrective action: Move the pallet and the pallet jack now, and paint or tape a keep-clear zone on the floor in front of the door so nothing gets staged there again.
High confidence
2Plastic strip curtain hung across the aisle partly hides the exit door and sign
MediumPossibly related to exit sign visibility and line of sight (29 CFR 1910.37(b)(4))
Observed condition: The strips are scuffed and hazy, and from much of the aisle the exit sign is seen through or between them. OSHA requires the line of sight to an exit sign to be clearly visible at all times.
Corrective action: Add an exit direction sign on the aisle side of the curtain that can be seen from the whole aisle, or move the curtain so it doesn't hang between the aisle and the exit. Keep the strips clean.
Medium confidenceNot fully clear from the photo — verify on site.
3Unmarked gray door along the aisle that could be mistaken for the way out
LowPossibly related to marking doors that could be mistaken for exits (29 CFR 1910.37(b)(5))
Observed condition: In smoke or in a hurry, people go through the first door they reach. If this door leads to a storage room or a dead end, it costs them time they don't have.
Corrective action: If it isn't an exit, mark it 'Not an Exit' or with its actual use, such as 'Storage'. If it is an exit, give it an exit sign and keep its route clear.
Medium confidenceNot fully clear from the photo — verify on site.
AI-generated analysisThese findings are potential hazards flagged by AI from a single photo. They are a starting point for your own review — not an official OSHA determination. Verify conditions on site with a qualified person before acting.
Try it free
Now scan your own photo — free
Upload a photo like the one above and get a compliance score and hazard count. No account needed to scan, though you may be asked for the free phone Access Pass — create a free account to unlock the full report.
- Exit doors and routes in your photo that are blocked by stock, pallets, or equipment
- Exit signs hidden by curtains or racking, and unmarked doors that look like exits
- A possibly related OSHA standard and a fix for each finding — not a sign measurement
Live OSHA hazard analysis
One lifetime free photo scanPhoto scan — freeVideo walkthrough scan — free account
1Upload photo
2AI analysis
3See report
Use the real site or facility name. If you save the scan after signup, it becomes the report name.
Three angles, one deeper scan
Only the wide shot is required — every extra angle gives the AI more places to look.
Required: Set the scene — one wide shot lets the AI sweep the whole area at once
Stand at the entry point and capture corner to corner: floors, ladders, scaffolds, and everyone at work
or choose from your library
Drop a job-site photo or walkthrough video
Click to upload, drag & drop, or snap a photo on site. Photos scan free with no signup and no card — you may be asked for the free phone Access Pass. Video walkthroughs (up to 3 min) run on a free account.
References relevant OSHA standardsPrivate - deleted in 48h unless you save it
Accuracy boosters
Small habits, sharper scans
2
Capture clearly
Make the frame usable
Light it right
Keep the sun or lights behind you — glare and shadows hide hazards.
Tap to focus
Tap the hazard on screen and hold still one second — blur can't be flagged.
3
Choose the useful view
Give the AI room to understand
Go landscape
Turn your phone sideways — a wider frame catches more of the scene.
No job-site photo handy?
or scan with video
Only upload photos you have permission to use, and avoid images showing personal, customer, or confidential information. Demo photos and results are held privately for up to 48 hours so you can save them to a free account; unclaimed photos are deleted automatically. Results are an AI-assisted preliminary review, not an official OSHA determination.
New: Video walkthrough scans
Record up to 3 minutes of your site — the AI extracts frames and categorizes findings with exact timestamps. Free account required.
Get the best results
Wide shot first
Stand at the entrance and photograph the entire work area so AI sees the full context
Hazard areas
Photograph elevated surfaces, equipment, electrical panels, and anywhere workers are active
Close-ups last
Move in close on anything damaged, missing, or that looks risky — the AI catches more detail
The 10-point exit sign checklist
Every exit sign rule, from letter size to the doors that aren't exits. The first four are free — create a free account to unlock the rest and scan your own routes for blocked exits and hidden signs.
- 1
Mark every exit
Each exit must be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading 'Exit' (1910.37(b)(2)). Walk every exit route and confirm each exit door has its own sign.
- 2
Check the letter size
The word 'Exit' must be in plainly legible letters at least 6 inches high, with principal strokes at least 3/4 inch wide (1910.37(b)(7)).
- 3
Light every sign
Each exit sign must be lit to at least five foot-candles (54 lux) by a reliable light source and be distinctive in color. Self-luminous and electroluminescent signs are allowed if they reach at least .06 footlamberts (1910.37(b)(6)).
- 4
Post direction signs where the exit isn't obvious
If the way to the nearest exit isn't immediately apparent, signs along the route must show the direction of travel to it (1910.37(b)(4)).
Free printable templatePDF · US Letter
Exit Sign and Exit Route Checklist
Walk every exit route with this form on a regular schedule and after any remodel, rearrangement, or electrical work.
On the form
- 10 checklist items with Yes / No / N/A boxes and room for notes
- 4 points to confirm separately with records or a qualified person
- A corrective-action log and sign-off lines
- Federal references checked against the eCFR on October 10, 2026
A free account is required to download it.
Non-English documents are automated translations, not official OSHA translations. Citations, limits and names are kept as written.
OSHA Scan template — not an official government form and not legal advice.
Log exit-route inspections for each site
List each exit and its sign type, then record exit-route inspections with a checklist for general industry or construction. Items that come from local fire codes are labeled as such, so you can check them against your own code. Problems become issues with an owner and a due date. A free account includes the on-screen exit log and one site report download; paid packages add a weekly email when checks or fixes are overdue.
Start your exit log freeWhat the AI can and can't detect
OSHA Scan reads a single photo. That makes it fast and easy for anyone on site — but it also means it has real limits. Here's an honest look at both.
What it can catch from a photo
- Pallets, carts, and stock blocking exit doors or exit routes
- Exit signs hidden by curtains, racking, or stacked material
- Unmarked doors along a route that could be mistaken for exits
- Exit signs that look dark, damaged, or missing above an exit door
What a photo can't tell it
- Letter height and stroke width
- Light levels in foot-candles, or whether backup power works
- Whether a door is actually an exit, or where it leads
- Routes and exits outside the photo
OSHA Scan gives an AI-assisted preliminary review from a photo. It does not replace an on-site inspection by a qualified safety professional, and a compliance score is not an official OSHA determination.
AI photo hazard review
Snap a photo of the job site, and the AI categorizes findings against OSHA standards.
Consistent corrective actions & JHA
Each finding includes consistent corrective actions and structured JHA outputs. Check items off as your crew resolves them.
Compliance scoring
Every inspection gets a deterministic 0-100 compliance score derived from hazard severity, so you can track sites at a glance.
A prioritization aid based on recorded findings—not a certification or a complete measure of site safety.
PDF & Excel exports
Generate detailed inspection reports and export data to Excel for record-keeping and stakeholders.
A qualified person must review AI-flagged items before making safety decisions. Do not replace required comprehensive safety walkthroughs with AI reports. Features, limits, and downloads depend on your account’s plan and permissions.
OSHA Scan in Action
See the workflow click into place
Illustrative AI-assisted workflows. Review the findings; they are not a compliance certification.
Always confirmed by a person on site
A scan is a fast first look, not the final word. Before treating this kind of area as safe, a competent person should still confirm:
- Every exit has a sign with 6-inch letters, lit to at least five foot-candles or rated self-luminous
- Direction signs guide people wherever the exit isn't immediately apparent
- Doors that could be mistaken for exits are marked 'Not an Exit' or with their actual use
- Signs stay lit during a power failure if your fire code requires it
People also ask
What does OSHA require for exit signs?
29 CFR 1910.37(b) requires each exit to be clearly visible and marked by a sign reading 'Exit'. The word must be at least 6 inches high with principal strokes at least 3/4 inch wide, and each sign must be lit to at least five foot-candles by a reliable light source — or be self-luminous or electroluminescent with at least .06 footlamberts — and be distinctive in color. Where the exit isn't immediately apparent, direction signs are required, and the line of sight to an exit sign must be clearly visible at all times.
Do exit signs have to be red or green?
OSHA doesn't name a color. Its rule says each exit sign must be distinctive in color (1910.37(b)(6)). Red and green are both common, and some local fire and building codes specify one or the other, so check with your fire marshal or building department before you buy.
Do exit signs need battery backup?
OSHA's rule requires a reliable light source and at least five foot-candles of illumination, but it doesn't spell out battery backup. Fire and building codes usually do — many require exit signs to stay lit for a set time after a power failure. Your local fire marshal or building department can tell you which code applies to your building.
When do I need a 'Not an Exit' sign?
When a doorway or passage along an exit route could be mistaken for an exit. OSHA requires it to be marked 'Not an Exit' or a similar designation, or labeled with its actual use, such as 'Closet' or 'Storage' (1910.37(b)(5)). Doors that look like exit doors and sit along the path people take to get out are the usual candidates.
Can OSHA Scan check my exit signs?
It can check what a photo shows: an exit blocked by a pallet, a sign hidden behind a curtain or racking, an unmarked door that looks like an exit. It can't measure letter height or light levels, and it can't tell where a door leads, so you still verify those on site. It's an AI-assisted second set of eyes and is not affiliated with OSHA.
Reviewed by OSHA Scan Editorial
This content is produced by the OSHA Scan Editorial team and reviewed with AI assistance. It is general safety information, not legal or compliance advice. OSHA Scan is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by OSHA or the U.S. Department of Labor.
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