An easement gives one party the right to go onto another party's property. That property may be owned by a private person, a business entity, or a group of owners. Utilities often get easements that allow them to run pipes or phone lines beneath private property. Easements may be obtained for access to another property, called "access and egress", use of spring water, entry to make repairs on a fence or slide area, drive cattle across and other uses. The easement is a real property interest, but separate from the legal title of the owner of the underlying land.
Egress, in the context of building or fire safety, refers to the act or process of leaving a place or exiting a building during an emergency situation. It involves the design, implementation, and maintenance of evacuation routes, systems, and strategies to ensure the safe and efficient movement of people towards a place of safety. Egress is crucial in preventing injury or loss of life during emergencies such as fires, natural disasters, or other potentially hazardous situations. There are different types of egress that are commonly recognized in building design and safety protocols: 1. Normal Egress: This refers to the regular means of exiting a building during routine situations, such as when leaving work at the end of the day or during daily activities. Typically, it comprises doorways, hallways, staircases, elevators, and possibly ramps that are easily accessible and well-marked. 2. Emergency Egress: When an emergency occurs, such as a fire or earthquake, emergency egress routes and protocols come into play. These are pre-planned strategies to quickly and safely evacuate occupants from a building, ensuring their well-being. Emergency egress routes may differ from normal ones and often involve the use of designated emergency exits, emergency staircases, and other dedicated paths to minimize confusion and congestion. 3. Secondary Egress: In larger buildings or those with higher occupant loads, secondary egress provides additional means of exiting the premises apart from the primary pathways. Secondary egress routes can include secondary staircases, fire escapes, alternative exits, or even windows. These additional options help distribute people more evenly during emergency evacuations, reduce congestion, and improve overall safety. 4. Accessibility Egress: Accessibility egress focuses on ensuring that individuals with disabilities have equal access to safe and effective exit routes during both normal and emergency situations. It involves implementing measures such as ramps, elevators, hearing-aid compatible alarms, visual cues, Braille signage, and additional assistance systems to cater to the diverse needs of occupants. 5. Egress Lighting: Adequate lighting is an essential component of egress. It ensures clear visibility of exit signs, pathways, stairs, or other means of egress during low-light conditions or power outages. Egress lighting can be provided through emergency lighting systems, which often include backup power sources, such as batteries or generators, to ensure continued illumination during emergencies. 6. Egress Planning: Egress planning encompasses the process of identifying and analyzing potential hazards, designing appropriate emergency evacuation routes, establishing evacuation procedures, and regularly practicing and refining protocols. It includes assigning responsibilities to trained personnel, conducting drills and exercises, and ensuring that all occupants are familiar with the egress strategies and exit routes within a building to facilitate a safe and orderly evacuation process. In summary, egress is a critical aspect of building safety that encompasses the design, implementation, and maintenance of evacuation routes and protocols to ensure the safe exit of occupants during emergencies. Proper egress planning, including the consideration of various types of egress, is essential in mitigating risks and saving lives.
