Travel Distance Measurement Under OSHA 1910.157

OSHA 1910.157(d)(2) and (d)(4) set maximum travel distances to fire extinguishers:

- 75 feet for Class A hazards

- 50 feet for Class B hazards

Sounds simple. It is not.

Travel distance means actual walking path. Not straight-line measurement on a floor plan. Not the distance a drone would fly from workstation to extinguisher. The path a person walks — around racking, through doorways, past equipment.

Here is how OSHA compliance officers measure it during inspections:

1. They stand at the farthest workstation in the area

2. They walk the most direct unobstructed path to the nearest extinguisher

3. They count steps or use a measuring wheel

4. If the path exceeds the limit, that is a citation

WHERE FACILITIES FAIL:

Seasonal layout changes. A warehouse that passes in January fails in October because holiday inventory blocks the direct path. The extinguisher did not move. The walking distance changed.

Equipment relocation. A new CNC machine or packaging line shifts traffic patterns. The extinguisher is still on the wall — but the path around the new equipment adds 30 feet.

Expansion without reassessment. A facility adds 5,000 sq ft of production space. Nobody recalculates travel distances for the new zone.

THE FIX:

Measure travel distance quarterly — not just during annual inspections. Walk the routes. If your facility layout changes seasonally, measure every season.

Mobile storage racks give you the flexibility to reposition extinguisher stations when floor plans shift. Wall-mounted brackets are permanent. Your floor layout is not.

Travel distance is the most commonly cited fire extinguisher violation. It is also the most preventable.

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