Which term refers to the measurement used to determine the capacity of a means of egress?

Which term refers to the measurement used to determine the capacity of a means of egress?

• A. Exit clearance
• B. Exit access
• C. Exit width
• D. Exit discharge

Answer: (C)

The measurement used to determine how much people can move through a means of egress is the exit width. The wider the exit, the more people can pass through at once, increasing the capacity to evacuate quickly. This is why egress capacity is tied directly to the width of the exit components—doors, corridors, stairs—not to terms describing clearance around elements, the path leading to the exit, or the discharge path to the outside. Exit clearance, exit access, and exit discharge describe different parts or conditions of the egress system, but they don’t quantify how many people can move through at a given moment. In practice, codes relate occupant load to required egress width to ensure the space can handle the expected flow during an evacuation.

The measurement used to determine how much people can move through a means of egress is the exit width. The wider the exit, the more people can pass through at once, increasing the capacity to evacuate quickly. This is why egress capacity is tied directly to the width of the exit components—doors, corridors, stairs—not to terms describing clearance around elements, the path leading to the exit, or the discharge path to the outside. Exit clearance, exit access, and exit discharge describe different parts or conditions of the egress system, but they don’t quantify how many people can move through at a given moment. In practice, codes relate occupant load to required egress width to ensure the space can handle the expected flow during an evacuation.