Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 18, September 16, 2024
(a) Automatic Fire
Sprinkler System: In Group R-2 dormitories, an automatic fire sprinkler system
shall be installed throughout the work area.
(b) Exits: Two exits shall be required for
stories with less than 500 occupants. Three exits shall be required for stories
with 501 to 1,000 occupants. Four exits shall be required for stories with more
than 1,000 occupants. Two means of egress are also required from all mezzanines
with an occupant load greater than 50 or with exit travel distance greater than
75 feet.
1. When more than one exit is
required, existing fire escapes shall be accepted as providing one of the
required means of egress unless judged to be dangerous for use under emergency
exiting conditions. For use of fire escapes, access shall be through a door
except when serving an occupant load of 10 or fewer. All occupants shall have
unobstructed access to fire escapes without having to pass through a room
subject to locking.
i. When more than one
exit is required and there is not sufficient space for an exterior stair within
the lot line, a new fire escape shall be accepted as providing one of the
required means of egress. Newly-installed fire escapes shall comply with
FTO-3.
ii. Window access to fire
escapes shall be permitted from individual units.
iii. For rooming houses, ladders shall be
prohibited on fire escapes used as a required means of egress.
2. A single exit is permitted in
the story at the level of exit discharge when the occupant load of the story
does not exceed 50 and the exit access travel distance does not exceed 75
feet.
3. Dwelling units in
basements (stories below grade) shall have two means of egress unless the
building has an automatic sprinkler system. (An operable window with a net
clear opening of at least five square feet, a minimum net clear opening of 24
inches in height and 20 inches in width, and a sill height of not more than 44
inches above the finished floor is acceptable as one of the means of
egress.)
4. For rooming houses, a
single exit shall be prohibited.
5.
Multilevel dwelling units do not require an exit from each level within the
dwelling unit provided that these conditions are met: The building is Type 1 or
Type 2 construction, with travel distance within the dwelling unit not
exceeding 75 feet or the building is not more than three stories and all third
floor space is part of a dwelling unit located in part on the second floor and
no habitable room has a travel distance of greater than 50 feet from the door
of the room to the entrance of the dwelling unit.
6. A single exit is permitted from floor(s)
that are not more than 16 feet above grade provided that each dwelling unit on
such floors has an operable window with a sill height of not more than 44
inches. (In community residences for the developmentally disabled, the maximum
occupant load, excluding staff, is 12.)
7. A single exit is permitted in buildings
that are not more than two stories in height from floors that are more than 16
feet above grade with not more than four dwelling units per floor and exit
access travel distance not exceeding 50 feet and with a minimum fire resistance
rating of one hour for the exit enclosure and opening protectives and provided
that each dwelling unit on such floors has an operable window with a sill
height of not more than 44 inches. (In community residences for the
developmentally disabled, the maximum occupant load, excluding staff, is
12.)
8. As used in this subsection,
"rooming house" means any building and any part thereof, which contains two or
more units of dwelling space which do not provide a private, secure dwelling
space arranged for independent living and containing both full bath and kitchen
facilities (exclusive of any such unit occupied by an owner or operator),
including any residential hotel. The term does not include any hotel, motel or
established guest house in which a minimum of 85 percent of the units of
dwelling space are offered on a temporary basis only, for periods lasting no
more than 90 days, to guests who either maintain or intend to maintain a
primary residence at a location other than the hotel, motel or established
guest house. The term also does not include one-family residential dwellings
made available for occupancy by not more than five roomers. (Plan
review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(c) Emergency Egress Windows: When the work
being performed creates a bedroom below the fourth floor, at least one sleeping
room window or exterior door shall:
1. Be
operable;
2. Have a sill height of
not more than 44 inches; and
3.
Have a width of at least 20 inches, a height of at least 24 inches, and have a
minimum total area of 5.7 square feet measured from head to sill and side to
side.
4. Windows are not required
to meet these requirements in buildings where the sleeping room is provided
with a door to a corridor having access to two remote exits or in buildings
equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system. For dwelling units in
basements, one of the two remote exits may be as per (b)3 above.
(d) Egress Doorways: A minimum of
two egress doorways shall be required for all rooms and spaces with an occupant
load greater than 50 or in which the travel distance exceeds 75 feet. All
egress doors serving an occupant load greater than 50 shall swing in the
direction of exit travel.
1. Exception:
Storage rooms with a maximum occupant load of 10 shall not be required to have
two egress doorways.
2. All
dwelling unit, guest room or rooming unit corridor doors shall be at least 1
3/8 inch solid core wood or approved equal with approved door closers and shall
not have any glass panels, other than approved wire glass in metal frames.
Corridor doors shall not be constructed of hollow core wood, shall not contain
louvers and shall not be of panel construction. Doors shall fit both plumb and
level in frames, and be reasonably tight fitting. All replacement doors shall
be 1 3/4 inch solid core wood or approved equal, unless existing frame will
accommodate only a 1 3/8 inch door. (Note: Existing doors meeting HUD
Guidelines or BOCA Existing Structures Code (1984) for a rating of 15 minutes
or better shall be accepted.)
3. In
buildings with an automatic sprinkler system, doors are required only to
provide a smoke barrier, to be free of louvers, to fit plumb and level and to
be reasonably tight fitting.
4. All
doors opening onto a passageway at grade or onto an exit stair shall be
self-closing or automatic closing by listed closing devices.
i. Exception: Group homes with a maximum of
15 occupants and an approved automatic detection system shall not be required
to have self-closing doors. (Plan review--Building, Fire.
Inspection--Building)
(e) Capacity of Means of Egress: The capacity
of the means of egress in each work area shall be determined in accordance with
5:23-6.11(b).
(Plan review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(f) Dead End Corridors: Existing dead end
corridors shall not exceed 35 feet in length. Exceptions are allowed as
follows:
1. Dead end corridors may be up to
50 feet in length in a building with an automatic alarm system installed in
conformance with the building code in effect at the time of its
installation.
2. Dead end corridors
may be up to 70 feet in length in a building with an automatic sprinkler system
installed in conformance with the building code in effect at the time of its
installation. (Plan review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(g) Means of Egress Lighting:
Artificial lighting with an intensity of not less than one foot candle at floor
level shall be required during all times that the conditions of occupancy of
the building require that the exits be available. Lighting shall also be
required to illuminate the exit discharge. In all buildings, rooms or spaces
required to have more than one exit or exit access, means of egress lighting
shall be connected to an emergency electrical system conforming to NFPA 70
(NEC) except that continued illumination shall be required to be provided for
not less than one hour in the case of primary power loss.
1. Means of egress lighting shall be wired on
a circuit independent of circuits within any dwelling unit. The disconnecting
means and over current protection device shall not be located within a dwelling
unit or such that access must be obtained by going through a dwelling unit.
(Plan review--Building, Fire, Electric. Inspection--Building)
(h) Illuminated Exit Signs:
Illuminated exit signs shall be provided for all required means of egress in
all buildings, rooms or spaces required to have more than one exit or exit
access. Exit signs shall be visible from the exit access and supplemented by
directional signs when necessary. (Exception: Approved main exterior doors that
are clearly identified as exits are not required to have exit signs.) Exit
signs shall meet the criteria contained in (h)1 and 2 below:
1. Red or green letters at least six inches
high; minimum width of each stroke 3/4 inch on a white background or in other
approved distinguishable colors. Arrows, if provided, shall be such that the
direction cannot readily be changed. The word "Exit" shall be clearly
discernible when the sign is not energized.
2. Exit signs shall be illuminated at all
times when the building is occupied by a source providing at least five foot
candles at the illuminated surface or shall be approved self-luminous signs
which provide evenly illuminated letters with a minimum luminance of 0.06 foot
lamberts. Exit signs shall be connected to an emergency electrical system
conforming to NFPA 70 (NEC) except that continued illumination shall be
required to be provided for not less than one hour in the case of primary power
loss. No emergency power shall be required for approved self-luminous
signs.
3. Exceptions: Illuminated
exit signs shall not be required for buildings with an occupant load, excluding
staff, of 20 or less or when the second means of egress is a fire escape that
is accessed directly from the individual sleeping room. (Plan review--Building,
Fire. Inspection--Building)
(i) Handrails: Every required exit stairway
having three or more risers and not provided with handrails or in which the
existing handrails are in danger of collapsing when used under emergency
exiting conditions, shall be provided with handrails for the full length of the
run of steps on at least one side. All exit stairways more than 66 inches wide
shall have handrails on both sides unless the full width of the stairway is not
needed to accommodate the design occupancy. (Plan review--Building, Fire.
Inspection--Building)
(j) Guards:
Every open portion of a stair, landing or balcony which is more than 30 inches
above the floor or grade below and is not provided with guards or those in
which the existing guards are in danger of collapsing when used under emergency
exiting conditions, shall be provided with guards. (Plan review--Building,
Fire. Inspection--Building)
(k)
Vertical Opening Protection: Vertical opening protection for interior stairways
and other vertical openings shall be provided as follows:
1. For vertical openings connecting more than
six floor levels, approved assemblies having a fire resistance rating of not
less than two hours with approved opening protectives shall be
required.
2. For vertical openings
connecting four to six floor levels, approved assemblies having a fire
resistance rating of not less than one hour with approved opening protectives
shall be required.
3. For vertical
openings not exceeding three stories, a minimum 30-minute UFC fire barrier
shall be required, with the following exceptions:
i. Buildings with an automatic sprinkler
system throughout; or
ii. When the
vertical opening connects not more than two floor levels and not more than four
dwelling units per floor provided that each dwelling unit has access to a fire
escape or other approved secondary exit; or
iii. Owner-occupied buildings with not more
than four dwelling units per floor, and in which the following conditions are
met:
(1) Every sleeping room is provided with
an operable window having a sill height not greater than 44 inches;
(2) Every dwelling unit or sleeping room
above the second floor is provided with direct access to a fire escape or other
approved secondary exit; and
(3)
The building is protected throughout by a supervised, automatic fire alarm
system, installed in accordance with the UCC. (Plan review--Building, Fire.
Inspection--Building)
(l) Transoms and Other Interior Openings: All
transoms shall be either glazed with 1/4 inch wire glass set in metal frames
and permanently secured in the closed position or sealed with materials
consistent with the corridor construction. Any other sash, grill or opening in
a corridor, and any window in a corridor not opening to the outside air shall
be sealed with materials consistent with the corridor construction. (Plan
review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(m) Boiler/Furnace Equipment Rooms:
Boiler/furnace equipment rooms shall be enclosed by one hour fire-rated wall
and ceiling assemblies.
1. Exception:
Enclosure shall not be required for boiler/furnace equipment of low pressure
type (operating at pressures of 15 psig or less for steam equipment or 160 psig
or less for hot water equipment) when installed in accordance with
manufacturer's recommendations or for boiler/furnace equipment of residential,
single-family type (200,000 BTU per hour input rating or less.)
2. Exception: Enclosure shall not be required
for boiler/furnace equipment rooms equipped with a limited area sprinkler
system in accordance with Section 903.3.8 of the building subcode.
3. For group homes and supervised
transitional living homes heated by oil-burning equipment, an emergency shutoff
switch is required at top of the stairs leading to the basement for equipment
in the basement or outside of the room for equipment located in other enclosed
rooms. (Plan review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(n) Structural Elements: Structural elements
which are uncovered during the course of the rehabilitation and which are found
to be unsound or otherwise structurally deficient, shall be reinforced,
supported or replaced in accordance with the applicable structural design
criteria of the building subcode. Where structural elements are sound, there is
no excessive deflection (defined as deflection in excess of the standards set
forth in
5:23-6.7(c)1
) , and fixed loads are not changing in a way
that will increase the stresses on existing structures beyond that which is
permitted by
5:23-6.7(c),
existing structural elements shall be permitted to remain. (Building)
(o) Electrical Equipment and Wiring:
1. All areas shall have receptable and
lighting outlets in accordance with Section 210.52 and 210.70, respectively, of
the electrical subcode.
i. In the event that
receptacle and lighting outlets cannot be installed in the required locations
without updating the small appliance branch circuits, kitchen areas shall have
a minimum of two duplex receptable outlets or equivalent and a switch
controlled lighting outlet. At least one of the required duplex receptacles
shall be provided to serve counter space.
2. Electrical service equipment (overcurrent
devices) shall be located where they will not be subject to physical damage and
shall not be located in the vicinity of easily ignitible material.
3. All 125 volt, single-phase, 15 and 20
ampere receptacles in locations specified in Section 210.8(A) of the electrical
subcode shall have ground-fault circuit protection for personnel.
4. All 125 volt, single phase, 15 and 20
ampere receptacles in locations specified in Section 210.52 of the electrical
subcode shall be tamper resistant as specified in Section 406.12 of the
electrical subcode. (Electrical)
(p) Plumbing Fixtures: Plumbing fixtures
shall be provided as required by Table 7.21.1 of the plumbing subcode. Where
the plumbing subcode allows for the substitution or omission of fixtures, such
substitutions or omissions shall also be permitted under this section.
(Plumbing)
(q) Mechanical
Requirements: All spaces intended for occupancy shall be provided with either
natural or mechanical ventilation.
1. Spaces
intended to be naturally ventilated shall be provided with openable doors,
windows, louvers, or other openings to the outdoors. The minimum openable area
to the outdoors shall be four percent of the floor area being ventilated. Where
rooms without openings to the outdoors are ventilated through an adjoining
room, the unobstructed opening to the adjoining room shall be at least eight
percent of the floor area of the interior room or space, but not less than 25
square feet. The ventilation openings to the outdoors shall be based on the
total floor area being ventilated.
2. Mechanically-ventilated spaces shall
comply with the following:
i. Newly-installed
HVAC systems shall comply with the requirements of the mechanical
subcode.
ii. Existing systems that
are altered or extended shall not reduce the amount of outside air below the
existing rate per person or the rate included in the mechanical subcode,
whichever is lower. As a minimum, mechanically-ventilated spaces shall be
provided with five CFM per person of outdoor air and 15 CFM of ventilation air
per person.
3. All
newly-introduced devices, equipment or operations that produce airborne
particulates, odors, fumes, sprays, vapors, smoke or gases in such quantities
to be irritating or injurious to health shall be provided with local exhaust.
(Building)
(r) Interior
finishes shall comply with
5:23-6.11(c).
(Plan review--Building, Fire. Inspection--Building)
(s) Specific Occupancy Areas: Specific
occupancy areas within the work area, as listed in
5:23-6.30(h),
shall comply with the requirements established in that section for separation
and/or protection.
1. Exception: Specific
occupancy areas within and serving a dwelling unit are not required to comply
with this section. (Building)
(t) Accessibility: Accessible features shall
be provided for all items that are part of the scope of work in those buildings
with four or more dwelling units that are required by Chapter 11 of the
building subcode to be accessible.
(u) Communicating Attic Spaces: Where
adjacent dwelling units have communicating space in the attic, a wall shall be
constructed to provide a continuous one hour fire separation using construction
materials consistent with the existing wall or complying with the requirements
for new structures. All work shall be performed on the side of the wall of the
dwelling unit that is undergoing reconstruction. (Plan review--Building, Fire.
Inspection-- Building)
