Apartment complexes which are owned by providers shall adhere
to the most current edition of the NFPA 101, Life Safety Code,
Apartment Buildings Chapter, International Building Code and National
Electrical Code. Plans to construct new apartment complexes shall adhere to the
NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, Apartment Buildings Chapter,
International Building Code and National Electrical Code. These plans will be
reviewed by the Office of Life Safety and Technical Services.
(1)
FIRE SAFETY EQUIPMENT
(a) Apartment complex buildings shall be
protected throughout with an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system
unless one of the following exceptions or met:
1. Exit door opening directly to the street
or yard at ground level from each dwelling unit.
2. Direct access to an outside stair serving
a maximum of two units located on the same floor from each dwelling
unit.
3. Direct access to an
interior stairs serving only that dwelling unit and separated form all other
portions of the building by a fire barrier having a 1 hour resistance rating
with no opening therein.
(b) Apartment complex buildings with more
than three stories or more than 11 dwelling units shall be protected with a
fire alarm system in accordance with
Section 9.6,
unless one of the following exceptions are met:
1. Each dwelling unit is separated from other
contiguous dwelling units by a fire barrier of not less than 1 hour and where
each dwelling unit has either it own independent exit or it own independent
stairway or ramp discharging at grade.
2. Building protected by an automatic
sprinkler system, not exceeding 4 stories in height and containing not more
than 16 dwelling units.
(c) Electric smoke detectors shall be
installed outside every sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms
and on all levels of the dwelling unit, including basements and in bedrooms of
dwelling units unless apartment complex is protected throughout by an approved,
supervised automatic sprinkler system.
(d) Smoke detectors shall be mounted on
ceilings where possible and only allowed on walls when impossible for ceiling
mounting. Detectors on walls shall be mounted with top of detector not less
than 4 inches nor more than 12 inches from ceiling.
(e) Smoke detectors shall not be located
under or within 3 feet of ceiling fan blades or air supply diffusers or
returns.
(f) Portable fire
extinguishers in accordance with Section 9.7.4.1 shall be provided in hazardous
areas, unless the building is protected throughout with an approved supervised
automatic sprinkler system.
(2)
MEANS OF EGRESS COMPONENTS
(a) Any building that is protected throughout
by an approved, supervised automatic sprinkler system install in accordance
with Section 30.3.5., has four or fewer stories, and has not more than four
dwelling units per story shall be permitted to have a single exit, provided
that all of the following conditions apply:
1.
The stairway is separated from the rest of the building by barriers having not
less than a 1-hour fire resistance rating, with self-closing 1-hour fire door
assemblies protecting all openings between the stairway enclosure and the
building.
2. The stairway does not
serve more than one-half story below the level of exit discharge.
3. All corridors serving as access to exits
have a minimum 1-hour fire resistance rating.
4. There is not more than 35 ft of travel
distance from the entrance door of any dwelling unit to an exit.
5. One-half-hour fire-rated horizontal and
vertical separation between dwelling units is provided.
(b) Emergency lighting in accordance with
Section 7.9 shall be provided in all buildings with 12 dwelling units, or of
more than 3 stories in height, unless every dwelling unit has a direct exit to
the outside of the building at grade level.
(c) Means of egress shall have signs in
accordance with Section 7.10 in all buildings requiring more than one
exit.
(3)
ROOM
CEILINGS AND HALLWAYS
(a) The width of
hallways shall be not less than 36 inches and the height not less than 7 feet 6
inches.
(b) The height of room
ceilings shall not be less than 7 feet 6 inches.
(c) Existing facilities which fit the
definition of this code will not be subject to the minimum ceiling height as
stated.
(4)
DOORS
(a) Doors in the path of
travel to the means of escape shall be not less than 28 inches wide and not
less than 6 feet 8 inches high.
Bathrooms and closet doors shall be not less than 24 inches
wide.
(b) Doors on
facilities with physically disabled persons must comply with ADA
standards.
(c) Doors shall not have
more than 2 locking devices.
1. No double key
dead bolt locks are allowed.
(5)
STAIRS
(a) Stairs serving as a required means of
escape shall be of permanent fixed construction and shall have handrails on
both sides of the steps that are not less than 34 inches nor more than 38
inches above the surface of the tread.
(b) In new construction, the minimum height
of risers must be a minimum of 4 inches and maximum of 7 inches in height, and
a minimum tread depth of 11 inches.
(c) In existing construction, the maximum
height of risers must be 8 inches and the minimum tread depth must be 9
inches.
(d) Stairs must be uniform
in design.
(6)
PORCHES AND LANDINGS
(a) Porches
and landings shall have guardrails not less than 42 inches high when any
portion of the porch or landing equals or exceeds 24 inches above ground
level.
(b) Open guards, other than
approved existing open guards, shall have rails or an ornamental pattern such
that an object 4 inches in diameter is not able to pass through any opening up
to a height of 34 inches.