Set the scene
Start with context
Fill the frame
2–3 ft for close-ups; keep ladders, cords and workers fully in view.
A blocked exit and walkway hazard scanner finds obstructed egress paths and cluttered walkways in a photo. Upload an image of a corridor, aisle, exit, or stairwell and OSHA Scan flags exits blocked by storage or equipment, egress routes narrowed by clutter, and walkways obstructed by cords, materials, or debris — then references the OSHA standard each may relate to and suggests a fix. Keeping exits and paths clear is one of the most common and most serious findings across every industry, because an obstructed exit turns a small incident into an emergency. It is an AI-assisted preliminary review of what is visible, not a formal fire-code inspection.
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Blocked exits and cluttered walkways rarely feel urgent — until they do. A pallet parked in front of a fire door, a corridor narrowed by boxes, a cord run across a path: each looks minor on a normal day, and each becomes dangerous the moment people need to move quickly or an emergency starts. Because they build up gradually, they are exactly the hazards a routine glance stops noticing.
The scanner is a fast way to make that check objective and repeatable. Photograph an exit, a stairwell, an aisle, or a corridor and it flags what is obstructing the path, so the problem gets cleared before it matters. It applies anywhere people work — warehouses, restaurants, offices, and job sites alike.
OSHA's means of egress standard (29 CFR 1910.36–37 for general industry) requires exit routes to be kept free and unobstructed at all times, maintained to permit emergency evacuation, and marked with exit signs visible under emergency lighting conditions. 'At all times' is not qualified by shift activity or temporary storage — an exit blocked by a delivery pallet during the receiving rush is a violation during that rush. The standard also governs exit route width (28 inches minimum, but wider for the occupant load), door swing direction, and the prohibition on locking exit doors in a manner that prevents evacuation from the inside.
Local fire codes, typically based on the International Fire Code or NFPA 101 (Life Safety Code), govern exit capacity and suppression systems, and they are enforced by local fire marshals independently of OSHA. Multi-tenant commercial buildings add a layer of complexity: property managers, individual tenants, and building owners each have responsibilities for different exit-route segments. The most efficient way to maintain continuous compliance in high-throughput operations is a documented, shift-by-shift exit-route check, because storage and material-handling activities are the most consistent sources of temporary obstructions.
The obstructions that make exits and paths unsafe, read from an image.
Fire and emergency exits obstructed by storage, equipment, deliveries, or parked material.
Corridors, aisles, and stairwells where clutter reduces the clear width people need to evacuate.
Trailing cords, materials, and debris across walking paths that create trip hazards and slow movement.
Exit access that is hard to reach or where the route to the exit is not clearly kept open.
Scan a photo like the one above and this is the report you get — score, findings, OSHA references, and fixes. It is an illustrative example, clearly marked — not live scan data.

Compliance score
55
Lower means more potential hazards found
5 potential hazards found
1Exit access blocked by stored material
HighPossibly related to exit route obstruction (29 CFR 1910.37)
Observed condition: An obstructed exit slows evacuation and can turn a minor incident into a serious emergency.
Corrective action: Clear the exit access and keep a marked, unobstructed route to every exit at all times.
High confidence
2Loose pallets leaned upright beside the exit path
MediumPossibly related to walking-working surfaces (29 CFR 1910.22)
Observed condition: Leaned pallets can topple into the route, and materials near an exit narrow the usable escape path.
Corrective action: Store pallets flat in racking or a staging area away from the exit route.
Medium confidenceNot fully clear from the photo — verify on site.
Upload a photo like the one above and get a compliance score and hazard count in seconds. No account needed to scan — create a free account to unlock the full report.
Use the real site or facility name. If you save the scan after signup, it becomes the report name.
Three angles, one deeper scan
Only the wide shot is required — every extra angle gives the AI more places to look.
Required: Set the scene — one wide shot lets the AI sweep the whole area at once
Stand at the entry point and capture corner to corner: floors, ladders, scaffolds, and everyone at work
Drop a job-site photo or walkthrough video
Click to upload, drag & drop, or snap a photo on site. Photos scan free in about 15 seconds — no signup, no card. Video walkthroughs (up to 3 min) run on a free account.
Small habits, sharper scans
Set the scene
Start with context
Fill the frame
2–3 ft for close-ups; keep ladders, cords and workers fully in view.
Capture clearly
Make the frame usable
Light it right
Keep the sun or lights behind you — glare and shadows hide hazards.
Tap to focus
Tap the hazard on screen and hold still one second — blur can't be flagged.
Choose the useful view
Give the AI room to understand
Go landscape
Turn your phone sideways — a wider frame catches more of the scene.
Only upload photos you have permission to use, and avoid images showing personal, customer, or confidential information. Demo photos and results are held privately for up to 48 hours so you can save them to a free account; unclaimed photos are deleted automatically. Results are an AI-assisted preliminary review, not an official OSHA determination.
New: Video walkthrough scans
Record up to 3 minutes of your site — the AI extracts frames and flags every hazard with exact timestamps. Free account required.
Get the best results
Wide shot first
Stand at the entrance and photograph the entire work area so AI sees the full context
Hazard areas
Photograph elevated surfaces, equipment, electrical panels, and anywhere workers are active
Close-ups last
Move in close on anything damaged, missing, or that looks risky — the AI catches more detail
Walk every egress route with these points. The first four are free — create a free account to unlock the full checklist and scan your own exit-route photos.
Exit doors unblocked and operable
Nothing stored against any exit door — inside or outside — and every door opens freely without a key, tool, or special knowledge.
Exit signs visible and illuminated
Signs lit, unobstructed, and legible from anywhere in the space; directional signs wherever the route to an exit is not obvious.
Egress paths at full required width
Aisles and corridors leading to exits stay at their designed width for the whole run — a single staged pallet can put a route out of compliance.
Exit discharge clear to a safe area
The path outside the exit door — often forgotten — is clear of dumpsters, deliveries, snow, and parked vehicles all the way to the assembly point.
OSHA Scan reads a single photo. That makes it fast and easy for anyone on site — but it also means it has real limits. Here's an honest look at both.
A scan is a fast first look, not the final word. Before treating this kind of area as safe, a competent person should still confirm:
Because they compromise the one thing people rely on in an emergency — the ability to get out fast. An exit blocked by storage or a walkway narrowed by clutter can turn a manageable incident into a life-threatening one, which is why obstructed egress is one of the most cited and highest-priority findings.
Yes. Blocked exits and cluttered walkways are hazards in every setting — restaurants, offices, retail, and job sites included. The scanner works on any photo of a corridor, aisle, stairwell, or exit.
No. It flags visible obstructions and references the OSHA standard they may relate to, but egress widths, exit capacity, signage, and fire-code compliance require a qualified inspection. Use the scan to catch and clear obstructions quickly, not as a code determination.
Reviewed by OSHA Scan Editorial
Last updated August 29, 2026
This content is produced by the OSHA Scan Editorial team and reviewed with AI assistance. It is general safety information, not legal or compliance advice. OSHA Scan is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or certified by OSHA or the U.S. Department of Labor.
Free PDF checklist
33 critical checks across 7 categories — the same visible gaps the AI scanner looks for. Sent to your inbox as a free PDF.
More ways to see what an AI OSHA scan can do for your site.
The overview hub — how the scanner works and every job, site, and hazard it covers.
Egress checks within a full warehouse scan.
Exit and walkway checks for food-service teams.
The walking-surface hazards that share these walkways.
How AI finds hazards of every category in one photo.
See a complete labelled example of everything a scan returns.
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