If a builder has built a house for a man, and his work is not done properly and a wall shifts, then that builder shall make that wall good with his own silver‌ If a builder has built a house for a man and his work is not strong, and if the house he has built falls in and kills the householder, that builder shall be put to death... If the child of the householder be killed, the child of that builder shall be put to death. -- Code of Hammurabi, verses 229 through 233 (ca. 2200 B.C.)
• A building code is a set of rules that specify the minimum acceptable level of safety for structures in order to protect public health, safety and welfare as they relate to the occupancy of buildings and structures, by regulating and controlling their design, construction, quality of materials, use, occupancy, location, and maintenance.
• “The position of the building official is to review proposed and completed work to determine if the construction conforms to the code requirements. The design professional [i.e., the Architect] is responsible for the design of a safe structure.” (Florida Building Code, Preamble)
THE ARCHITECT HAS THREE CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PUBLIC:
THE ARCHITECT HAS THREE CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PUBLIC:
LIFE SAFETY
THE ARCHITECT HAS THREE CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PUBLIC:
LIFE SAFETY
ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE DISABLED
THE ARCHITECT HAS THREE CRITICAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PUBLIC:
LIFE SAFETY
ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE DISABLED
PROVIDING ADEQUATE SANITATION
Life safety requirements are spelled out in a number of code manuals published by the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA). Of these, NFPA-101 governs building design issues. This manual is an indispensible resource in the architect’s office.
The NFPA was formed in 1896, as a consortium of about 200 separate committees, to study safety conditions in turn-of the century American factories. Its purpose was to create a consensus of understanding about building design, construction methods, and materials, with respect to the safety of a building’s occupants.
Catastrophic incidents, such as the so-called “Triangle Waist Company” fire of 1911 in New York City -- where 146 people perished because the building’s owner padlocked all but one exit shut to discourage thefts by sweatshop employees -became the impetus for rigorous review of safety conditions in public buildings and places of employment.
Other subsequent fires in factories, nightclubs, and office towers, revealed that the great majority of them were deficient in safety features (insufficient exits, locked doors, narrow corridors, flammable materials, etc.). This aroused national interest in life safety issues, and with each incident the scope of the NFPA’s concern was broadened.
NFPA-101 is updated every three years to include new or modified design requirements. This document is not a LAW. In itself, it is not enforceable. It is made available for adoption by local building codes, and serves as a universal standard for life safety design.
Meanwhile, the spirit of social activism that flowered in the 1960s in America resulted in three major civil rights statutes enacted by the federal government (the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the Fair Housing Act of 1968) intended to broaden, equalize, and protect the rights of all U.S. citizens.
Eventually, the challenges faced by the physically impaired were recognized and addressed in the federal legislation now known as The Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, signed into law by President George Bush (senior) in 1990.
It’s not just about wheelchairs…
Injured…
Eyesight impairment‌
Mobility impairment‌
Wounded Warriors‌
Aging…
The federal ADA law was codified into a document called the Americans With Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). Each state in the union adopted this code into its own local codes. In Florida, the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction (FACBC), went into effect in 1997.
Originally consisting of independently published documents, in 2001 the language of both the NFPA-101, and the Florida Accessibility Code for Building Construction, were incorporated into the Florida Building Code, as Chapters 10 and 11, respectively.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN COMPONENTS This lecture will present the intent of Building Codes in terms of the Objectives of the Codes (“what do the Codes enforce?”), and the Design Elements that must be used to implement the Codes (“how are the Code requirements verified?”).
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES The lights have gone out; an alarm sounds; the room begins to fill with smoke, ash, and hot gases; there may be no natural daylight; the occupant may not be familiar with the layout of the building; breathable oxygen is quickly being consumed.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • PROVIDE A CLEAR AND RECOGNIZABLE PATH TO EVERY MEANS OF EGRESS.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • PROVIDE A CLEAR, SAFE, AND RECOGNIZABLE PATH TO EVERY MEANS OF EGRESS.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES •PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE MEANS OF EGRESS FROM EVERY SPACE.
WHERE MORE THAN ONE MEANS OF EGRESS IS PROVIDED, THE NUMBER IS BASED ON THE POPULATION SERVED. OCCUPANT LOAD
NUMBER OF EXITS REQUIRED
INDOOR SPACES
1 TO 500 (Except as permitted otherwise)
2 MEANS OF EGRESS
501-1000
3 MEANS OF EGRESS
1000 +
4 MEANS OF EGRESS
OUTDOOR SPACES
1-6000
2 MEANS OF EGRESS
6001 – 9000
3 MEANS OF EGRESS
9001 +
4 MEANS OF EGRESS
IN SOME LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES, THE LIFE SAFETY CODE DOES PERMIT A SINGLE MEANS OF EGRESS FROM CERTAIN KINDS OF SPACES. THIS IS BASED ON THE USE OF THE SPACE, AND THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE (MAXIMUM OCCUPANCY) EXPECTED TO BE THERE AT ANY GIVEN TIME. SOME EXAMPLES: USE OF THE SPACE (“OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION”)
WITH ONLY ONE MEANS OF EGRESS, SPACE MAY ACCOMMODATE:
CLASSROOMS, OFFICES, SMALL ASSEMBLY UP TO 50 PEOPLE AREAS, AND UTILITY USES : HIGH HAZARD AREAS:
UP TO 3 PEOPLE
MODERATE HAZARD AREAS:
UP TO 10 PEOPLE
STORAGE/WAREHOUSE
UP TO 30 PEOPLE
IF SUCH SPACES ARE DESIGNED LARGE ENOUGH TO EXCEED THE ABOVE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, THEN MULTIPLE MEANS OF EGRESS MUST BE PROVIDED.
DESPITE THESE ALLOWANCES IN THE CODE, THE BEST PRACTICE IS TO ALWAYS CONSIDER WHETHER THE OCCUPANTS OF ANY SPACE ARE GIVEN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO EXIT THE SPACE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE IN AN EMERGENCY.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES •PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE MEANS OF EGRESS FROM EVERY SPACE.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES •PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE MEANS OF EGRESS FROM EVERY SPACE.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES •MULTIPLE MEANS OF EGRESS MUST BE REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER.
“REMOTENESS” FOR THE SPACE BEING CONSIDERED, TWO MEANS OF EGRESS ARE CONSIDERED REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER IF THEY ARE AT LEAST AS FAR APART AS ONE-HALF THE LONGEST DIAGONAL DIMENSION OF THE SPACE.
D / 2 MINIMUM D
“REMOTENESS” FOR THE SPACE BEING CONSIDERED, TWO MEANS OF EGRESS ARE CONSIDERED REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER IF THEY ARE AT LEAST AS FAR APART AS ONE-HALF THE LONGEST DIAGONAL DIMENSION OF THE SPACE.
D / 2 MINIMUM D
“REMOTENESS” THE DEFINITION APPLIES TO EVERY APPLICABLE ROOM OR SPACE…
“REMOTENESS” … AS WELL AS TO EVERY FLOOR OF A BUILDING.
“REMOTENESS”
MAXIMUM TRAVEL DISTANCE WHILE REMOTENESS OF EXITS CREATES REDUNDANCY AND ALLOWS OCCUPANTS TO BECOME AWARE OF A CHOICE OF ROUTES TO SAFETY, IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT EXCESSIVE DISTANCE BETWEEN EXITS INCREASES THE DANGER.
THE LIFE SAFETY CODE REQUIRES THAT MULTIPLE MEANS OF EGRESS BE LOCATED WITHIN A REASONABLE DISTANCE FROM EACH OTHER TO MAKE FINDING THEM AS EASY AS POSSIBLE. THE MAXIMUM TRAVEL DISTANCE BETWEEN EXITS IS BASED ON THE USE OF THE BUILDING, AND WHETHER IT IS PROTECTED WITH A FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM. OCCUPANCY
UNSPRINKLERED BUILDING
SPRINKLERED BUILDING
ASSEMBLY & EDUCATIONAL
150 FEET
200 FEET
BUSINESS
200 FEET
300 FEET
INSTITUTIONAL
NOT ALLOWED
200 FEET
DAYCARE
150 FEET
200 FEET
MERCANTILE
150 FEET
250 FEET
RESIDENTIAL
175 FEET
325 FEET
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • MULTIPLE ROUTES MUST NOT DIMINISH IN CAPACITY OR REDUCE AVAILABLE CHOICE.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
DESIRED
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LAB KITCHEN
STORAGE DINING
NOT DESIRED
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • EGRESS ROUTE SHOULD AVOID COMPELLING PEOPLE TO CROSS THROUGH INTERVENING SPACES, AND ALWAYS LEAD OCCUPANTS TOWARD AREAS OF LESS HAZARD.
LAB KITCHEN
STORAGE DINING
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • LIMIT THE LENGTH OF ANY “COMMON PATH OF TRAVEL.”
X
X
COMMON PATH OF TRAVEL •
A “COMMON PATH OF TRAVEL” EXISTS WHERE AN EGRESS ROUTE DOES NOT YET PRESENT A CHOICE BETWEEN TWO OR MORE DIRECTIONS LEADING TOWARD AND EXIT. IT IS MEASURED FROM THE FURTHEST POSSIBLE OCCUPIABLE LOCATION TO THE POINT WHERE THE CHOICE IS AVAILABLE.
•
THE LIFE SAFETY CODE LIMITS THE MAXIMUM COMMON PATH OF TRAVEL ACCORDING TO THE USE OF THE BUILDING OR SPACE, AND WHETHER THE BUILDING IS PROTECTED WITH A FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEM.
•
IF THE LIMIT IS EXCEEDED, AN ADDITIONAL EXIT HAS TO BE ADDED WITHIN THE REQUIRED DISTANCE, EVEN IF ANOTHER EXIT IS NOT OTHERWISE REQUIRED FOR THE SITUATION.
COMMON PATH OF TRAVEL
SPRINKLERED BUILDING
UNSPRINKLERED
ASSEMBLY
75 FEET
75 FEET
EDUCATIONAL
100 FEET
75 FEET
BUSINESS, STORAGE, MECHANICAL ROOMS
100 FEET
50 FEET
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES What’s wrong here?
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • AVOID CREATING DEAD ENDS WHEREVER POSSIBLE. THE LIFE SAFETY CODE LIMITS ALLOWABLE DEAD ENDS TO 2O FEET MAXIMUM FOR UNSPRINKLERED BUILDINGS, AND 50 FEET MAXIMUM IF THE BUILDING IS SPRINKLERED.
LIFE SAFETY OBJECTIVES • PROVIDE A CLEAR, SAFE, AND RECOGNIZABLE PATH TO EVERY MEANS OF EGRESS. • PROVIDE MULTIPLE MEANS OF EGRESS FROM EVERY ROOM, FLOOR, AND BUILDING.
• MEANS OF EGRESS MUST BE SUFFICIENTLY REMOTE FROM EACH OTHER. • LOCATE MEANS OF EGRESS WITHIN ACCEPTABLE TRAVEL DISTANCES FROM EACH OTHER. • MULTIPLE ROUTES MUST NOT DIMINISH IN CAPACITY OR REDUCE AVAILABLE CHOICE. • EGRESS ROUTES SHOULD AVOID CROSSING THROUGH INTERVENING SPACES, AND ALWAYS LEAD OCCUPANTS TOWARD AREAS OF LESS HAZARD. • LIMIT THE LENGTH OF ANY “COMMON PATH OF TRAVEL.”
• AVOID CREATING DEAD ENDS WHEREVER POSSIBLE.
LIFE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY
The design requirements for life safety and accessibility often overlap. Usually the accessible route into a building will also serve as one of the means of egress away from it. Both codes describe many of the same features (doors, corridors, stairs, etc.) and the architect must be confidently familiar with each set of rules.
LIFE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY: LIFE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY: DESIGN ELEMENTS
LIFE SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITY: DESIGN ELEMENTS OCCUPANCY CEILING HEIGHT OBSTACLES CORRIDORS DOORS STAIRS HANDRAILS RAMPS GUARDS ELEVATORS LIFTS ASSEMBLY SPACE REQUIREMENTS
DESIGN ELEMENTS: OCCUPANCY
OCCUPANCY
FT.2 / PERSON
OCCUPANCY
FT.2 / PERSON
Aircraft Hanger
500 gross
Industrial areas
100 gross
Institutional: Inpatient treatment areas Outpatient areas Sleeping areas
240 gross 100 gross 120 gross
Kitchens, commercial
200 gross
Library: Reading rooms Stack area
50 net 100 gross
Locker rooms
50 gross
Mercantile Sales floors
60 gross
Storage, stock, shipping areas
300 gross
Parking garages
200 gross
Airport terminal: Baggage claim Baggage handling Concourse Waiting areas Assembly: • with fixed seats:
20 gross 300 gross 100 gross 15 gross
• with bleachers, benches, or grandstands: • with removable seats: • with tables and chairs: • open standing space:
• The seats are counted. • One person per 18" of linear seating area. • 7 net • 15 net • 5 net
Business areas
100 gross
Courtrooms—other than fixed seating areas
40 net
Day care
20 net
Skating rinks
50 gross
Dormitories
50 gross
Swimming pool deck
30 gross
Educational: Classroom s: Shops and other vocational:
20 net 50 net
Swimming pool water surface
50 gross
Stages and platforms
15 net
storage areas, mechanical equipment room
300 gross
Warehouses
500 gross
Exercise rooms: With equipment: Without equipment:
50 gross 15 gross
Manufacturing :
200 gross
DESIGN ELEMENTS: CEILING HEIGHT A ceiling height of 7’-6” (90”) minimum is required in all level areas that serve as egress. Stair ceilings, doorways, arches, and headroom under beams, pipes, etc., must be 6’8” (80”) minimum.
DESIGN ELEMENTS: OBSTACLES Elements (such as shelves, display cases, cabinets, etc.) located between 27 and 80 inches above the floor can not project over a walking surface along a means of egress by more than 4 inches. However, handrails may project up to 4-1/2 inches from the wall when required.
DESIGN ELEMENTS: CORRIDORS CAPACITY IN EVENT OF EMERGENCY
MINIMUM CORRIDOR WIDTH
50 People or less
36 inches
51 People or more
44 inches
Corridors in schools
72 inches
Corridors in health care facility
72 inches
Health care facility with beds
96 inches
Mechanical rooms, storage, etc.
24 inches