PX- Chapter 8: Means of Egress

Question 1

define means of egress

Answer 1

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

Question 2

List (do not describe yet) the parts of egress (the progression through exiting)

Answer 2

1. Exit Access
2. Exit
3. Exit Discharge
4. this leads to a public way

Question 3

what is a exit access

Answer 3

portion that leads to the entrance of an exit- may or may not be protected depending on occupancy and construction type.

includes things like rooms, aisles, hallways, corridors, fire rated corridors

Question 4

what is an exit

Answer 4

provides a protected path between the exit access and the exit discharge.

fully enclosed and protected.

once you reach the exit, travel distance is not an issue

Question 5

what is the exit discharge

Answer 5

between the termination of an exit and a public way like exterior exit stairways and exit courts, could be a lobby, exterior ramps

Question 6

what is the public way

Answer 6

any street, alley or similar parcel of land that is unobstructed from the ground to the sky and that is permanently appropriated to the public for public use and is no less than 10’ wide.

Question 7

what is the occupant load

Answer 7

the number of people that the building code assumes will occupy a given building or portion of a building.

based on occupancy classification

Question 8

what does the occupant load assume about different spaces

Answer 8

that different types of use in a space will be more densely packed with people than others and that exiting provisions should designed accordingly

example- auditorium has more people than an office space of the same area

Question 9

what is the occupant load factor

Answer 9

the amount of floor area presumed to be occupied by one person- not based on ergonomics or proxemics but on generic functions of spaces

Question 10

what is the gross floor area when it comes to occupant loads

Answer 10

floor area including stairs, corridors, toilet rooms, mechanical rooms, closets and interior partition thicknesses

Question 11

what does net area refer to when referring to occupant load

Answer 11

just the space actually used

Question 12

why must you have two exits in some spaces

Answer 12

to have an alternate way out of a room if one exit is blocked

Question 13

what is the max occupant load in most occupancy categories (minus R) before you need 2 exits

Answer 13

49

Question 14

what is the max occupancy load for apartments and condos before you need two exits

Answer 14

20

Question 15

besides occupant load, what other factor might determine if you need 2 or more exits

Answer 15

the common path of egress travel exceeds code (which varies based on occupancy category and if it’s sprinklered or not.

Question 16

how do you calculate occupant load

Answer 16

you are given square footage

1. find out which type of occupancy the space is- like assembly with out fixed seats
2. look at the table, find what type it is and look at the occupant load factor given
3. divide the square footage by the occupant load factor and ta da!

Question 17

why do you need to have two exits a certain distance away from each other

Answer 17

so that both exits will not be blocked by the fire or emergency.

Question 18

how do you find out the minimum distance of exits when two exits are required

Answer 18

find the diagonal length of the room and divide in two. so a room that is 50 feet long , the doors need to be 25’ apart or 1/3 the distance if sprinklered

Question 19

what is the travel distance in egress

Answer 19

the distance traveled from the most remote point in the space to the nearest exit (usually stairs in a highrise)

Question 20

what are maximum travel distances based on

Answer 20

the occupancy of the building and if the building is sprinklered

Question 21

what is the maximum exit access travel distance for most occupancy types

Answer 21

200’ with out sprinkler and 150 feet with sprinklers except business is 200 & 300. Institutional is not allowed to not have sprinklers and is 200’ with.

Question 22

what types of spaces are you not allowed to exit through for egress

Answer 22

kitchen, store rooms, restrooms, closets. Can’t exit a bedroom through a closet or bathroom unless it’s a residential space with a OL of less than 50

Question 23

how do you determined the minimum width of exits

Answer 23

multiplying the occupand load by 0.3 inches for stairs and 0.2 inches for all other egress components- however it can’t be less than elsewhere in the code (like a corridor can’t be less than 44” wide and exit doors can’t be less than 32” wide- stairs can’t be less than 36” wide for OL of 49 or less). This also changes if two or more exits are required

door width is the clear door space when the door is open to 90 degrees

safe to go with minimum 36” exit door and have two exits

Question 24

what is the minimum corridor width for occupancies greater than 50 and less than 50

Answer 24

more than 50 is 44” and less than 50 is 36”

Question 25

how far in to the corridor can trim project

Answer 25

1.5” max

Question 26

what is the height that 4” projection is regulated for

Answer 26

27-80”

Question 27

when do you need a 1 hour fire rated corridor

Answer 27

For non sprinklered spaces when the occupant load is more than 30 for most occupancies. this also includes the ceiling

or if you are in the institutional occupancy group regardless of occupancy load

Question 28

what fire rating must a door have in a 1 hour rated wall assembly

Answer 28

20 min

Question 29

when can you use glass in a fire rated corridor

Answer 29

if it is 3/4 hour fire-protection rated glass and the total area is less than 25% of the length of the wall it’s on

however if you use fire resistance rated glazing then there is no limit to how much you can use

Question 30

when do egress doors need to swing out in the direction of travel

Answer 30

when they are serving any hazardous area or an occupant load of 50 or more

Question 31

when is it mandatory to have panic hardware on a exit door

Answer 31

educational occupancy and assembly

Question 32

when could you use a manual sliding door as a means of egress

Answer 32

in all occupancies other than H if the occupant load is less than 10

Question 33

what is a stair

Answer 33

one or more risers

Question 34

what is a stairway

Answer 34

one or more flights of stairs

Question 35

what is the range for sizes of risers and treads

Answer 35

riser is between 4” and 7”H and the tread is no less than 11” deep except in residential or private stairs with OL less than 10, max riser can be 7.75” and min treat can be 10”

Question 36

can you use a winding or spiral stair for an exit stair

Answer 36

only in group R-3 and R-1 if they meet certain conditions

Question 37

how long (going down it’s in front of you, not the width) should a stair landing be

Answer 37

not less than the width of the stair bud doesn’t need to be longer than 48” long

Question 38

why must an exit stairway be fully enclosed

Answer 38

because a vertical shaft is the most direct path for fire and smoke to travel

Question 39

when are intermediate handrails required for a really wide stair

Answer 39

30” apart so no one is more than 30” away from a hand rail. Any stair wider than 5’ needs intermediate handrails

Question 40

how many steps before you need a handrail

Answer 40

IBC says that even one step except for decks and patiors for R occupancies

Question 41

how high should a hand rail be mounted

Answer 41

between 34 and 38” above the stair

Question 42

how far does the handrail have to extend and at which end of the stair does it extend

Answer 42

12” min extension and at the top of the stairs

Question 43

what is the minimum and maximum gripping diameter of a handrail & how far is it from the wall

Answer 43

min 1.25” and max 2” with a space 1.5” from the wall

Question 44

what part of the design process does the permitting process begin

Answer 44

after the drawings and specifications have been completed

Question 45

who is responsible for getting permits

Answer 45

the contractor

Question 46

what kind of permit inspections happen in the interior design projects

Answer 46

framing, GWB, plumbing, mechanical , electrical & final inspection. GWB inspection is done before final tape and mud to verify that all are fire rated as required and constructed correctly

Question 47

when would the fire alarm and sprinklers be inspected

Answer 47

in the final inspection

Question 48

what do you have to do to get your certificate of occupancy

Answer 48

pass all the inspections and you get it once the final inspection is complete

Question 49

what is an area of refuge

Answer 49

an area where people who can’t use stairs and wait for instructions or assistance in an emergency

Question 50

in in most occupancies, what is the max distance for COMMON PATH of travel before two separate paths of two exits become available
for: sprinklered
unsprinkelered

Answer 50

sprinklered: 100 feet
unsprinkelered: 75 feet

Question 51

how do you determine the max travel distance for a space

Answer 51

it’s the max travel distance from the most remote point to the nearest exit

based on occupancy and if the building is sprinklered