Maintenance of Egress
What is Egress?
A means of egress, by definition, is a path of travel from any point in the building to a public way, which is considered a safe point during a building evacuation. This includes all hallways and staircases on the path to the public way.
Egress Obstructions
It is the intent of the university to provide safe travel to occupants in all campus buildings that is free and clear of obstructions that could impede egress travel. Obstructions may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Furniture
- Decorations
- Temporary walls
- Bicycles
- Equipment
- Or any other items that could affect a person’s ability to escape the building.
For questions or concerns involving any such obstructions, building occupants should contact Environmental Health and Safety at (309) 438-8325.
Tip: All buildings on campus have multiple points of egress, explore the many ways to exit the building. In the event of a new obstruction caused by the emergency, occupants should be prepared to adapt and exit by other means.
NOTE: Elevators are not considered a safe means of egress during a fire. If possible, the stairs should always be considered as the first option.