A continuous and unobstructed way of exit travel from any point in a building to a public way containing three separate parts describes which term?

• A. Means of Egress
• B. Exit Access
• C. Area of Refuge
• D. Exit

Answer: (A)

The key idea is understanding what means of egress encompasses. Means of egress is the entire, continuous path that takes a person from any point in a building to a public way, and it must be unobstructed. That path is made up of three parts: the exit access (the portion from the occupied space to the entrance of an exit), the exit (the protected part like stairs or sized doors that leads toward the outside), and the exit discharge (the portion that carries you from the exit to the public way). The description in the question matches this complete pathway, so the term described is means of egress. The other options refer to either a piece of that path or a different concept altogether: the exit is just the protective portion between exit access and discharge, exit access is the portion from the occupied area to the entrance of the exit, and an area of refuge is a designated safe space for occupants who cannot use the primary means of egress.