Emergency exits and access routes need to remain usable. When security notices an obstruction or unsafe access condition, the response should follow the site’s safety and fire procedures.
At a glance
- Ontario’s Fire Code includes minimum fire-safety requirements for existing buildings and facilities.
- Construction regulations include requirements for access and egress from work areas.
- Security training includes identifying hazards and communicating workplace safety concerns.
What this means in practice
The official rules establish a baseline, but a workable security assignment still needs property-specific decisions. The client and provider should turn general requirements into clear instructions about what is checked, who can authorize exceptions, what must be documented and when another authority takes over.
Questions to confirm
- Is the obstruction affecting an emergency route?
- Who is responsible for correcting it?
- Does the condition require immediate escalation rather than a routine note?
Picture this at your property
During a patrol, boxes are found stacked in front of a marked exit. The guard should follow the property’s safety escalation process rather than simply recording “exit blocked” for later.
The value of the example is the decision process: identify what is known, what remains uncertain, who has authority, and what information should be preserved for follow-up.
Practical takeaway
The strongest security process is usually the one that makes responsibilities, observations and escalation clear. That creates a service that can be understood and reviewed without overstating what security can guarantee.
Official sources & verification
1. Fire safety legislation and Ontario’s Fire Code — Government of Ontario
2. Achieve compliance on construction sites: access to and egress from a work area — Government of Ontario
3. Section 5: Health and safety — Government of Ontario
Last reviewed: 2026-08-08. This resource provides general information, not an emergency plan or legal advice. Follow the site’s approved emergency procedures and directions from police, fire, EMS or other competent authorities. Call 911 for an emergency or immediate threat.