EXIT sign requirement in a 4 unit rowhouse?

[dirtynails]

Hi,

I apologize if my asking this question is deemed inappropriate, I searched hard in vain to find relevant posts.

At issue is the emergency systems in small residential buildings, Brownstone/rowhouse type with 3-7 units, single stairwell and one exit. Most under my management simply have an E-lighting unit on each floor of the stairwell lighting the stairs and halls. But one newly acquired building has EXIT signs too. These sure are butt ugly. As the emergency lighting and smoke alarms were retrofitted with EMT on the surface of the walls, I want to have my electrician rewire it in the walls as part of a light reno. He thinks the EXIT signs were either the previous contractor or the inspector getting creative, but I'd like to get more opinions before taking on the inspectors. My experience and reading of this board confirms that they will often err to the most strict interpretation. I went through this recently with a hallway door. Few walls, never mind doors in these buildings are 90 minute, but if you ask them, they'll tell you it needs to be 90.

So, any advice about signage requirements, and for that matter location of E-lights and or EXIT signs would be much appreciated. AFAIK, I'm under 2005.

Thanks.

 

[mgookin]

If the stairwell serves more than one dwelling unit, you'll need exit signs in these common areas, generally speaking. Call your local building inspector and fire marshal for clarification in a particular jurisdiction.

 

[dirtynails]

If the stairwell serves more than one dwelling unit, you'll need exit signs in these common areas, generally speaking. Call your local building inspector and fire marshal for clarification in a particular jurisdiction.

But the buildings with just lights have passed both city and state inspections. Grandfathered? I'm going to call, but wanted more background info beforehand.

 

[Strathead]

If the stairwell serves more than one dwelling unit, you'll need exit signs in these common areas, generally speaking. Call your local building inspector and fire marshal for clarification in a particular jurisdiction.

I disagree, but note that it is just opinion, for both of us, unless perhaps mgookin is an AHJ or Architect. My interpretation of NFPA 101 is that an exit sign is only required where there is the possibility of confusion for exiting means. If, for example the stairwell has a door, and there are also apartment doors. If the stairwell is open and/or the means of egress is obvious then an exit light is not needed. That said, remember that obvious is tempered by panic when there is actually a fire. So, for example, a conference room with a closet and an exit must have an exit light. Ultimately this will have to be determined by an Architect, or an AHJ who would probably listen to an Architect.

 

[mgookin]

There was great effort in making the Florida Building Code (FBC) consistent with NFPA 101 (called the Florida Fire Prevention Code locally). Keep in mind this does not apply to 1&2 family dwellings and that townhomes are single family dwellings on zero lot lines. As an AHJ I'd have to see the plans to answer the question. Things to look for are property lines, are there stacked units, multiple units egressing through a common area, etc.

From 2010 FBC:
SECTION 1011 EXIT SIGNS

1011.1 Where required.

Exits and exit
access doors shall be marked by an approved exit sign readily visible
from any direction of egress travel. The path of egress travel to exits
and within exits shall be marked by readily visible exit signs
to clearly indicate the direction of egress travel in cases where the exit
or the path of egress travel is not immediately visible to the occupants.
Intervening means of egress doors within exits shall be marked by
exit signs. Exit sign placement shall be such that no point in an
exit access corridor or exit passageway is more than 100 feet (30
480 mm) or the listed viewing distance for the sign, whichever is less,
from the nearest visible exit sign.

Exceptions:



1. Exit signs are
not required in rooms or areas that require only one exit or exit
access.

2. Main exterior exit
doors or gates that are obviously and clearly identifiable as exits
need not have exit signs where approved by the building
official.

3. Exit signs are
not required in occupancies in Group U and individual sleeping units or dwelling
units in Group R-1, R-2 or R-3.

4. Exit signs are
not required in dayrooms, sleeping rooms or dormitories in occupancies in Group
I-3.

5. In occupancies in Groups
A-4 and A-5, exit signs are not required on the seating side of
vomitories or openings into seating areas where exit signs are provided
in the concourse that are readily apparent from the vomitories. Egress lighting
is provided to identify each vomitory or opening within the seating area in an
emergency.

1011.2 Illumination.

Exit signs shall be
internally or externally illuminated.

Exception: Tactile signs
required by Section 1011.3 need not be provided with illumination.

1011.3 Tactile exit signs.

A tactile sign stating
EXIT and complying with ICC A117.1 shall be provided adjacent to each door to an
area of refuge, an exterior area for assisted rescue, an exit
stairway, an exit ramp, an exit passageway and the exit
discharge.

1011.4 Internally illuminated exit signs.


Electrically powered, self-luminous and photoluminescent
exit signs shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 924 and shall be installed in accordance with the
manufacturer's instructions and Chapter
27. Exit signs shall be illuminated at all times.

1011.5 Externally illuminated exit signs.


Externally illuminated exit signs shall comply with Sections
1011.5.1 through 1011.5.3.



1011.5.1 Graphics.


Every exit sign and directional exit sign shall have
plainly legible letters not less than 6 inches (152 mm) high with the principal
strokes of the letters not less than ³/₄ inch (19.1 mm)
wide. The word "EXIT" shall have letters having a width not less than 2 inches
(51 mm) wide, except the letter "I," and the minimum spacing between letters
shall not be less than ³/₈ inch (9.5 mm). Signs larger
than the minimum established in this section shall have letter widths, strokes
and spacing in proportion to their height.

The word "EXIT" shall be in
high contrast with the background and shall be clearly discernible when the
means of exit sign illumination is or is not energized. If a chevron
directional indicator is provided as part of the exit sign, the
construction shall be such that the direction of the chevron directional
indicator cannot be readily changed.

1011.5.2 Exit sign
illumination.

The face of an exit sign illuminated from an
external source shall have an intensity of not less than 5 footcandles (54
lux).

1011.5.3 Power source.


Exit signs shall be illuminated at all times. To ensure
continued illumination for a duration of not less than 90 minutes in case of
primary power loss, the sign illumination means shall be connected to an
emergency power system provided from storage batteries, unit equipment or an
on-site generator. The installation of the emergency power system shall be in
accordance with Chapter
27.

Exception: Approved exit sign illumination means
that provide continuous illumination independent of external power sources for a
duration of not less than 90 minutes, in case of primary power loss, are not
required to be connected to an emergency electrical system.

 

[dirtynails]

thanks, that's interesting, perhaps I win 2 and lose on 1. These buildings typically have one or 2 apartments per floor, often with 2 doors per apartment (is this a very old pre-fire escape building code?). So I have one place with 4 doors in the stairwell, but the way down is pretty obvious. In the building in question, at the bottom of the stairs you're in a long hall, with an apartment door at at one end and the solid front door at the other, with clear transom windows above it. I guess I would admit in the dark it might not be obvious which way to go. But the the upper floor EXIT's do seem superfluous in the context described, as the stairway down cannot be obscured, it's an old fashioned, open, bannistered stairwell with the units opening off it, you can go down without taking your hand off the rail.

 

[mgookin]

Difference in the Life Safety Code is that LSC has new and existing requirements. The above is for new construction only. Sounds like on annual inspections by the fire marshal (assuming they do them) they were a little relaxed on some and not on others, or maybe one building had some rework that the other buildings did not have. Or maybe over the years ownership went back and forth so they did not all get inspected at the same time by the same inspector; hard to tell on those old buildings unless you can find someone familiar with them over the past x decades.