No Fire Exit in Apartment.
Hi. I live in a small studio on the ground floor. We have a door and two windows looking into the backyard. The windows have security bars so we cannot use them as a fire escape in the event of a fire. Is there a code that states that two exits are required in an…
Hi. I live in a small studio on the ground floor. We have a door and two windows looking into the backyard. The windows have security bars so we cannot use them as a fire escape in the event of a fire. Is there a code that states that two exits are required in an apartment. I want to see if my landlord should replace one of the windows with a door (leading directly into the backyard!).
The real answer is that it depends on the building construction classification, height / no. of stories on building, square footage per floor etc. There is a whole chapter for this in the 1968 / 2008 building code accessible on the DOB website.
Under 1968 code it will be chapter 6 and in 2008 code it will be chapter 10 and you will have to match the physical building characteristics with the code provisions.
check out invisible’s link
it’s there
whocan… i am interested in knowing under what circumstances or which section of the code allows for a single exit. i am always open to learning.
as far as my “situation” goes, it was being used as an example .. and not as the sole source of my knowledge.
you need a set of window bars that open from the inside. They are hideous, just so you know, way uglier than bars on the outside.
The apartment is one-room with one entrance door, which opens to a hallway. The two windows have non-opening burglar bars. So, it seems from the comments that the LL is responsible for installing at least an opening burglar bar on one of the windows.
It would be great to have the window cut out and a glass door (with an additional security door) installed since we don’t get much light into the apartment.
barc,
the answer is no, look it up at code, don’t give answer from your own experience or situation.
means of egress is actually in the building code. fire code only sets out maintenance. being part of the building code means it depends when the structure was built or altered (in addition to what kind of building it is)
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dob/downloads/bldgs_code/bc27s6.pdf
“Is there a code that states that two exits are required in an apartment.”
The answer is no.
actually … the answer is yes.
under most circumstances, an apartment in a non-fireproof building is required to have two exists. i live in a studio apartment in pre-war, 6 story apartment building. it is non-fire proof. i.e. masonry bearing walls with wood floor joists. my apartment has a door to the hall and a window to a fire escape.
brownstones are also non-fireproof, with masonry bearing walls and wood floor joists. many of them have a door to the hall and a window to a fire escape. under some circumstances, i.e. certain number of stories, certain number of units, the dob accepts sprinklered stairs in lieu of the second (fire escape) exit.
high-rise buildings are of fire-proof construction. they follow a completely different set of life safety / exiting requirements.
“Is there a code that states that two exits are required in an apartment.”
The answer is no.