N.M. Admin. Code § 8.370.14.51 - SEPARATION OF SLEEPING ROOMS

A. All sleeping rooms shall be separated from escape route corridors by walls and doors that are smoke resistant. There shall be no passages, louvers, or transfer grills penetrating the wall to other spaces in the building.

B. All sleeping rooms shall be provided latches suitable for keeping the doors closed.

C. Every sleeping room shall have access to a primary means of escape that provides a path to the exterior, without exposure to unprotected vertical openings. Where sleeping rooms are above or below the level of exit discharge, the primary means of escape shall be:

(1) an enclosed interior stair; or

(2) an exterior stair; or

(3) a horizontal exit; or

(4) an existing approved fire escape stair.

D. Every sleeping room shall provide a secondary means of escape which may be any one of the following:

(1) a door leading directly to the outside, at or to grade level;

(2) a door, stairway, passage or hall remote from the primary escape and to the exterior; or

(3) an outside window or door, operable without tools from the inside with a minimum clear opening measured 20 inches wide, measured 24 inches high; the distance of the bottom of the opening from the floor is a maximum of 44 inches; this means of escape is acceptable if the bottom of the window is no more than 20 feet above grade or is accessible by fire department rescue apparatus, approved by the authority having jurisdiction, or it opens onto an exterior balcony; and

(4) bars, grills, grates or similar devices that are installed on emergency escape or rescue windows or doors shall be equipped with release mechanisms which are operable from the inside without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.

E. Stairways and other vertical openings between floors shall be enclosed with construction to provide a smoke and fire resistance rating of not less than 20 minutes. Open stairways between floors shall not be permitted.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.370.14.51

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024