1. Means of Egress
Part 3
Chapter 4

2. Exit Accesses: portion of means of egress that leads to an exit.
Doors
Stairs
Ramps
Corridors
Aisles & Accessways

3. Exit Accesses: portion of means of egress that leads to an exit.
Doors:
32” clear inside width (36” door)
Swings in direction of travel, but cannot reduce stir landing dimensions or corridor width by more than 7” when fully open
Increase swing of door
Create an alcove
Enlarge the landing
Possibly use sliding door
Must meet ADA guidelines
Less than 50 occupants – door can swing into the space
Thresholds must be same elevation as finished floor or within ½”
Transition must be beveled if between ¼” and ½” (ADA, ICC/ANSI)

5. Exit Accesses: portion of means of egress that leads to an exit.
Stairs: Exit access stairs are not the same as exit stairs
Exit access stairs: located when one tenant is located on multiple floors of a building or when there is a mezzanine within a space
All stairs must meet a set of code requirements
Treads & risers
Top & bottom landings
Handrails
Typically required on both sides, and extend beyond the top & bottom of the stairway with an un-interrupted grip
Guards
Railings used to prevent people from falling off when there are changes in elevation (over 30”)
Typically 42” high – must be mounted at required height for a handrail

10. Exit Accesses: portion of means of egress that leads to an exit.
Ramps:
Slope ratio: maximum ratio = 1:12
1 unit vertical distance to 12 units horizontal distance
36” wide, typically, measured to inside of handrail
Handrail & guard requirements are similar to stairs
Width & clearance requirements are similar to corridors
Landings: allow for 60” turn-around
Typically required every rise of 30”

12. Exit Accesses: portion of means of egress that leads to an exit.
Corridors: required to be enclosed
44” width minimum, but is dependant on codes for specific occupancy classification/load

13. Exit Accesses: portion of means of egress that leads to an exit.
Aisles & Aisle Accessways: created by furniture or equipment
Moveable or fixed seating/furniture

14. Exits: Located at the end of an exit access, it is fully enclosed & rated.
Exterior Exit Door
Exit Stairs
Most common type of exit – must be constructed of rated assemblies
Doors must swing in direction of exit discharge
Horizontal Exits
Protected exit to a safe area of refuge – no change in level
Exit Passageways
Type of horizontal passage or corridor that provides the same level of protection as an exit stair

15. Areas of Refuge
Where one or more people can wait safely for assistance during an emergency
Required to be enclosed by fire and/or smoke partitions
Most common requirement: one space for every 200 occupants
Typically 30” x 48”
If using NFPA & LSC: areas of refuge are not required if building is sprinklered
If using IBC: all buildings are required to have an accessible means of egress
Sometimes the jurisdiction of a project includes the requirement of both the IBC and LSC – you may have to consult with a code official

17. Exit Discharge: part of a means of egress that connects an exit with a public way.
Main Lobby
Foyer or Vestibule
Discharge Corridor
Egress Court
Small Alley or Sidewalk

18. Means of Egress Capacity
Number of Exits
Refer to Tables in textbook & previous lectures
2. Exit Widths
Refer to Table and additional requirements (on next slide)
3. Arrangement of Exits
Half-diagonal rule, travel distance, dead-end corridors, common path of travel
4. Signage
Exit signs & other signs

19. Means of Egress Capacity: Exit Widths
Minimum clear door widths:
Inside dim of 32”(standard 36” door)
Maximum door widths:
No more than 48” per door leaf (must spec more than one door)
More than one exit:
Can affect width of exit access (OL /# of exits)
Minimum exit discharge widths:
Exit discharge width cannot be less than width of the exit it leads from
Minimum corridor widths:
Never less than 36”, typical minimum is 44”-48”
Exiting from basement:
Ground floor OL is increased to reflect basement OL to allow for exiting
Minimum horizontal exit sizes:
Horizontal areas of refuge must be large enough to hold own occupants plus those from the “fire side”
Unobstructed paths:
Non-structural wall applications <1/2”, wall sconces & other devices <4”, doors <7”
50 percent rule:
Expected loss of any one exit location cannot reduce the total capacity of the exit width by more than 50%
Aisles & aisle accessways:
36”-44” minimum width

21. Signage
Exit signs
Typically required whenever a floor or space has two or more exits
Must be located at doors of all stair enclosures, exit passageways, horizontal exits, all exterior exit doors, & any space where the direction of egress in unclear
Typically, no point within the exit access can be more than 100’ from the nearest visible sign
Refer to building codes, LSC, ADA, and NFPA 170