Why aren't fire escapes required on the outside of high rise buildings?

Question

OSHA requires them on smaller buildings, in addition to the inside stairwells, so why did all those people have to jump to thier deaths on 9-11?

Answer 1

would not be of much help. you will just be blown away by high velocity wind.

Answer 2

OSHA does not only NOT require outside fire escapes, it doesn't apply to anything except industrial buildings. Fire escapes are covered by local building codes which can vary, but generally agree on how many stairwells are required according to occupancy and that they be separated from the building with at least two-hour rated fire walls. People jumped to their deaths because no building is made to withstand something the size of a jet laden with tons of kerosene smashing into it and spilling fuel down the stairwells.

Answer 3

It is a sad tale but the exterior emergency exit strategy saw it's demise do to the prevalent use of electric driers. It's true. Why do you need an exterior landing if you aren't going to hang wet cloths on it? And it would have increased the load to vertical stress ratio, to say nothing of increasing the amount of steel used on the Towers by another third or more. It has ALWAYS been about cost, aesthetics are second or third.