Ballast: Chapter 14 - Codes and Regulations

Question 1

Fire Resistance Rating

Answer 1

Length of time that a construction material or assembly can withstand a standardized fire resistance test

Question 2

Name three fire resistance tests:

Answer 2

1. ASTM E119 (walls, floors, ceilings, structural enclosures)
2. NFPA 252 (doors)
3. NFPA 257 (windows and glass block)

Question 3

What is a fire damper?

Answer 3

A device located in ducts designed to close automatically on detection of heat to resist the passage of a flame

Question 4

What is a smoke damper?

Answer 4

A device located in ducts designed to resist the passage of smoke

Question 5

What is a fire partition?

Answer 5

A wall assembly with a 1-hr rating.

Must be used for walls:

• separating dwelling units (dorms, apartments)
• separating guestrooms in R1 occupancies (hotels)
• separating tenant spaces in shopping centers
• corridor walls
• elevator lobbies in certain groups

Question 6

What is a fire barrier?

Answer 6

A vertical or horizontal assembly that is fire-resistance rated and designed to restrict the spread of fire, confine it to limited areas, and/or protect egress

Question 7

TRUE OR FALSE: fire barriers must be continuous from slab to slab, but fire partitions do not need to be.

Answer 7

TRUE

Question 8

What is the maximum opening allowed in a fire barrier?

Answer 8

25% of the maximum aggregate width of the assembly. No single opening can exceed 156 sqft.

Exceptions can occur with sprinklers and exit enclosure fire doors.

Question 9

Glazing assembly: W

Answer 9

meets the wall assembly criteria of ASTM E119

Question 10

Glazing assembly: OH

Answer 10

meets the fire window assembly criteria and hose test of NFPA 257

Question 11

Glazing assembly: D

Answer 11

meets the fire door assembly of NFPA 252

Question 12

Glazing assembly: H

Answer 12

meets the fire door assembly hose stream test of NFPA 252

Question 13

Glazing assembly: T

Answer 13

meets for 30 minutes the 450 deg. temperature rise criteria of NFPA 252

Question 14

Fire wall

Answer 14

Rated assembly - runs foundation through roof to separate a single structure into different construction types or to allow for a greater FAR by effectively creating 2 buildings

Question 15

Smoke Barrier

Answer 15

Continuous vertical or horizontal membrane with a minimum fire rating of 1 hr to control passage of smoke

Question 16

When are textile wall coverings allowed?

Answer 16

• if they are Class A flame spread (ASTM E84) w/ sprinklers
• meet NFPA 265, method B
• meet NFPA 286

Question 17

Means of egress

Answer 17

continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal exit travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way

Question 18

What are the three parts of the means of egress?

Answer 18

• exit access
• exit
• exit discharge

Question 19

What is a public way?

Answer 19

any street, alley, or similar parcel of land essentially unobstructed from the ground to the sky that is permanently appropriated to the public for public use and has a clear width of not less than 10 ft.

Question 20

Exit Access

Answer 20

Portion of the means of egress that leads to an exit. Travel distance is measured and regulated.

Question 21

Exit

Answer 21

Portion of the egress system that provides a protected path of egress between the exit access and the exit discharge. Fully enclosed and fire rated.

Question 22

Exit Discharge

Answer 22

Portion of the egress system between the termination of the exit and a public way.

Question 23

Occupant Load

Answer 23

Number of people that a building code assumes will occupy a given building or portion of a building

Question 24

Occupant Load Factor

Answer 24

the amount of floor area presumed to be occupied by one person. Based on the generic function of building spaces

Question 25

Common path of egress travel

Answer 25

Portion of the exit access travel distance measured from the most remote point within a story to the point where occupants have separate access to two exits or exit access doorways.

Question 26

Exit Access Travel Distance

Answer 26

distance that an occupant would have to travel to get from the most remote point in the occupied exit access area to the exit

Question 27

Which types of rooms can egress travel through?

Answer 27

- one space is accessory to another - neither room or space is a Group H (high hazard) occupancy - There is a discernible path of egress to an exit

Question 28

Which types of rooms can egress NOT travel through?

Answer 28

- storage - kitchens - closets - any lockable rooms

Question 29

Corridor

Answer 29

fully enclosed portion of an exit access that defines and provides a path of egress travel to an exit - provides limited choices to an occupant regarding paths or direction of travel

Question 30

Minimum Stair Width for occupant load over 50

Answer 30

44 in

Question 31

Minimum Stair width for occupant load under 50

Answer 31

36 in

Question 32

High Rise Building

Answer 32

One with occupied floors more than 75 ft above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access

Question 33

Area of Refuge

Answer 33

area where people unable to use stairways can remain temporarily while awaiting assistance

Question 34

Automatic Closing Door

Answer 34

a door that is normally held open but is released to close on activation by a smoke detector or other type of fire alarm system

Question 35

Combustible Material

Answer 35

Material that will ignite and burn

Question 36

Exit Court

Answer 36

A court of yard that provides access to a public way for a required exit

Question 37

Exit Enclosure

Answer 37

Fully enclosed portion of an exit that is only used as part of a means of egress

Question 38

Fire Area

Answer 38

Area enclosed and bounded by fire walls, fire barriers, exterior walls, or horizontal assemblies of a building

Question 39

Fire Assembly

Answer 39

An assembly of a fire door, fire window, or fire damper including all required anchorage, frames, sills, and hardware

Question 40

Fire Exit Hardware

Answer 40

Panic hardware that is listed for use on fire doors

Question 41

Fire Partition

Answer 41

A fire resistant component used to separate dwelling units in R2 construction and other tenant or guest spaces