LIFE SAFETY CODE ESSENTIALS

PRESENTED BY: LARRY VIGIL, RISK CONSULTANT

INTRODUCTION 2007-11 5,690 Structure fires

75 Civilian Deaths

$83 Million Direct Property Damage

71% in Nursery, Elementary, Middle or High Schools

Peak times week days, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

49% Intentionally Set

LEADING CAUSES Cooking Equipment

Intentional Acts

Inappropriate Use of Heat Sources

ITEM 1ST IGNITED Cooking Materials

Trash or Rubbish

Magazine, Newspaper or Writing Paper

Most of These Confined to Room of Origin

NFPA 101 LIFE SAFETY CODE

Most Widely Used For Fire Protection Strategies

Requirements for: Egress Fire Protection Emergency Lighting Smoke Barriers Special Hazard Protections

LIFE SAFETY CODE PURPOSE Provide Minimum Requirements Regarding:

Design

Maintenance

Operation

Group E - Educational Group B - Business Group A-3 – Assembly

Community or Exhibition Halls Gymnasiums (without seating) Indoor Swimming Pools (without seating) Indoor Tennis Courts (without seating) Lecture Halls Libraries

K-12 Facilities

OCCUPANCY- K-12 FACILITIES

Group A-4 – Assembly – Arenas (with seating) – Swimming Pool (with seating) – Tennis Courts (with seating)

Group A-5 – Assembly – Bleachers – Grandstands – Stadiums

Assembly with seats Shall be determined by number

of seats

Assembly without seats Concentrated - chairs not fixed–

7 net Unconcentrated - tables and

chairs– 15 net

Educational Classroom – 20 net Shops/ Vocational room – 50 net

Means of Egress

OCCUPANCY- MEANS OF EGRESS

Rooms greater than 1000sf have two exits.

Travel distance exceed 150 feet non-sprinkled, exceed 200 feet sprinkled building.

Exist corridors minimum of 6 feet wide.

Spaces serving 100 or more have panic exit hardware.

Checklist

EGRESS- CHECKLIST

Among the requirements of NFPA 101: lighting of means of egress under normal conditions must be maintained at a

minimum of one foot-candle along the entire path;

emergency illumination must be provided for a period of 1.5 hours in the event of the interruption or failure of normal lighting;

emergency lighting must provide at least an average of one foot-candle and a minimum of 0.1 foot-candle measured along the path of egress at floor level;

a functional test must be done on every battery-powered emergency lighting system every 30 days for a minimum of 30 seconds, and once a year for 1.5 hours’ duration;

means of egress must be clearly marked, with directional exit signs along the paths of egress and exit doors, doors into stairway enclosures, etc. clearly marked; and

exit signs must be illuminated, either internally or externally.

Exit Lights

EGRESS- EXIT LIGHTS

EGRESS- RELIABILITY Width – 36 to 44 inch minimum

Exit corridors minimum of 6 feet wide

Dead End Corridors no more than 20 feet in length.

Free of Obstructions or Impediments

No Furnishings or Decorations in Means of Egress

Do Not Prop Open Fire Doors

FIRE DOORS Openings And Surrounding Areas Kept Clear

Blocking or Wedging of Doors Prohibited

Maintenance Of Closing Mechanisms Annual Testing Written Records

DECORATIONS ON FIRE DOORS Signage- Informational Not To Exceed 5%

Use Adhesive

Not on Glazing

Do Not Impair or Interfere with Operation

CLASSROOM DECORATIONS Not To Exceed 20% Non-sprinklered, 50%

Sprinklered

Curtains, Draperies Flame Retardant Treated

Clothing Personal Effects Should Not be Stored in Hallways

No Combustibles from Ceiling

COMMUNICATING TO STAFF

COMMUNICATING TO STAFF Fire Drills

Daily Inspections of Exits

Awareness Of Location Of Fire Protection, Alarm Pulls

Emergency Evacuation Maps in ALL Rooms

Everyone Participates in Drills

COMMUNICATING TO STAFF Emphasis on Order During Drills

Identify Individuals with Special Needs

Rosters to Ensure Accounting

Drills During Expected and Unexpected Times and Varying Conditions

Drills are a Model for Students

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