INDEX Occupancy
NFPA 101 IS PRIMARILY CONCERNED WITH CONTROL OF CONDITIONS THAT THREATEN THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS IN BUILDING FIRES.
SEPARATE AND DISTINCT MEANS OF EGRESS PROVISIONS ARE MADE FOR EACH OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION.
MEANS OF EGRESS AND DESIGN SHOULD BE BASED UPON EVALUATION A BUILDINGS TOTAL FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM AND AN ANALYSIS OF THE POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS AND HAZARDS TO THE OCCUPANTS.
A MEANS OF EGRESS IS A CONTINUOUS PATH OF TRAVEL FROM ANY POINT IN A BUILDING TO THE OPEN AIR OUTSIDE AT GROUND LEVEL. EGRESS CONSISTS OF 3 PARTS:
EXIT ACCESS - PORTION OF MEANS OF EGRESS WHICH LEADS TO ENTRANCE TO AN EXIT. (e.g. HALLWAYS, CORRIDORS, AND ALIES).AVERAGE RECOMMENDED TRAVEL DISTANCE IS 200 FEET. MAY INCREASE BY 50 % IF BUILDING IS SPRINKLERED.
EXIT - SEPARATED FROM AREA OF BUILDING FROM WHICH ESCAPE IS TO BE MADE BY WALLS, FLOORS, DOORS, OR OTHER MEANS THAT PROVIDE THE PROTECTED PATH NECESSARY FOR THE OCCUPANTS TO PROCEED WITH REASONABLE SAFETY TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE BUILDING. (THE DOOR OUTSIDE)
GENERALLY, THE MINIMUM NUMBER OF EXITS IS 2. IN SOME LIMITED SITUATIONS, I EXIT MAY BE PERMITTED IN SOME OCCUPANCIES IF THERE IS A VERY LOW OCCUPANT LOAD, LOW FIRE HAZARD, AND A LIMITED TRAVEL DISTANCE. (A SMALL BUSINESS WITH 30 EMPLOYEES)
EXIT DISCHARGE - BETWEEN TERMINATION OF EXIT AND PUBLIC WAY. ALLEY THAT JOINS A STREET OR SIDEWALK IS A TYPICAL EXAMPLE.)
INSPECTORS MUST MAKE COMPUTATIONS TO DETERMINE THE OCCUPANT LOAD, TOTAL EXIT CAPACITY, AND THE REQUIRED UNITS OF EXIT WIDTH.
DOORS. DOORS USED FOR EXIT TRAVEL SHOULD BE SIDE HINGED AND SWING IN THE DIRECTION OF EXIT TRAVEL.
PANIC HARDWARE. IN PLACES OF PUBLIC ASSEMBLY AND EDUCATIONAL OCCUPANCIES, EXIT DOORS ARE TO BE EQUIPPED WITH PANIC HARDWARE ON FIRE DOORS.
STAIRS. STAIRS SHOULD BE WIDE ENOUGH TO PERMIT TWO PEOPLE TO DESCEND SIDE BY SIDE. THERE SHOULD BE NO DECREASE IN WIDTH CAUSING CONGESTION.
STAIR ENCLOSERS CANNOT BE OCCUPIED FOR ANY PURPOSE OTHER THAN OCCUPANT TRAVEL.
FIRE ESCAPE STAIRS. EXTERNAL FIRE ESCAPE STAIRS ARE NO LONGER PERMITTED IN NEW BUILDINGS, BUT MANY OLDER STRUCTURES STILL HAVE THEM IN PLACE. INSPECTIONS SHOULD ENSURE THAT FIRE ESCAPES ARE UNOBSTRUCTED, IN GOOD REPAIR, SECURELY FASTENED TO BUILDING AND IN OPERATING CONDITION.
Means of Egress and Exit Routes A Power Point Presentation
Examples of Exit Signs, Exit Doors, Panic Hardware and Fire Escape Stairs.
INDEX Occupancy
FPT 102 - Fire Prevention and Inspection // Instructor: Kevin M. Kolb Slide #1