Chapter 5: Means of Egress

What component of a means of egress is sometimes required for persons with disabilities?

Area of refuge

There are two primary strategies for the means of egress: __________ and _______________

Exit and defend in place

An accessible ramp in a means of egress should have a slope no greater than what ratio? A. 1:8 B. 1:12 C. 1:18 D. 1:20

b.

Name the three main interior‐related components of a means of egress.

Exit access, exit, exit discharge. An area of refuge is another possible answer. An exit discharge can also be an exterior element. A public way is typically an exterior portion of a means of egress.

What are two types of door pulls that can be considered accessible?

The most common answers include lever, push‐type, panic bar, and U‐shaped.

A stairwell

exit

An Exterior Door

exit

A corridor

exit access

A stairway must have an intermediate landing if it rises more than how many feet or millimeters?

12 feet (or 3658 mm)

The means of egress is most commonly described as a ________ and _________ path of travel _____________ in a building to its exterior or a __________.

Continuous, unobstructed, from any point, public way

Name the two types of means of egress illumination required by the code in a high‐rise building.

Emergency lighting and luminous egress path markings (required in high‐rise buildings only)

Every element within the path of travel throughout a building is considered part of the means of egress. (True/False)

False. A means of egress must be an unobstructed path that leads a person safely out of a building. The pathway must meet certain code requirements. For example, although escalators and elevators are often used as part of the general circulation within a building, the codes generally do not allow them to be a means of egress unless very specific code requirements are met (i.e., escalators must be fully enclosed by rated assemblies, and elevator shafts must meet requirements for smoke and fire protection).

All interior egress doors must swing in the direction of travel to the exit. (True/False)

False. In several specific situations, the codes require that the doors within the means of egress swing in the direction of travel. For example, when the occupant load is greater than 49 occupants, or in Hazardous occupancies, the door must swing toward the direction of exit. However, when the occupant load is small, such as in a private office, the door is not usually required to swing toward the exit.

If the width of an alley or sidewalk is more than 10 feet (3048 mm) wide, it is no longer considered a public way. (True/False)

False. It is the opposite. They must be 10 feet (3048 mm) wide or more to be considered a public way.

No doorway can be more than 48 inches (1220 mm) wide. (True/False)

False. The doorway can be larger than 48 inches (1220 mm) wide. It is the leaf of the door that cannot be more than 48 inches (1220 mm) wide.

A fire resistance-rated corridor that connects the bottom of an exit stair to an exterior exit door is called an exit

Passageway. It is an example of a type of exit discharge.

The final destination in a means of egress is always a BLANK

Public way. Even if a disabled occupant waits for a time in an area of refuge, the code assumes that the final destination of all occupants is to a public way and out of the building.

When three exits are required in a space, the third exit should be placed as __________________________ as possible.

Remotely. The first two exits must follow the half‐diagonal rule (or one‐third diagonal rule if sprinklered). New editions of the codes emphasize that the loss of one exit should not decrease the exiting capacity by more than half.

In addition to an exit sign, name another type of exiting sign that may be required by the codes:

The most common answers include no exit, stair number, floor number, and area of refuge.

When determining the number of exits in a multi‐story building, the floor with the largest occupant load determines the number of required exits for all lower floors that lead to the ground level. (True/False)

True. (Note that the floors below ground level may have different requirements.)

The main difference between a corridor and an aisle is that a corridor is typically surrounded by full‐height walls and an aisle is created by furniture or equipment. (True/False)

True. There may be some other ways to describe them; however, this is the main difference between the two.

Foyers and vestibules are examples of which of the following? A. Exit discharges B. Public ways C. Exit accesses D. Exits

a.

What is the typical head clearance required in an exit and exit access way? A. 80 inches (2030 mm) B. 84 inches (2134 mm) C. 90 inches (2286 mm) D. 96 inches (2440 mm)

a. 90 inches (2286 mm) is the required ceiling height, but some items are allowed to project down from the ceiling a maximum of 10 inches (254 mm) for a minimum head clearance of 80 inches (2032 mm).

If an elevator is used as an exit in a means of egress, which of the following statements would not be correct? A. The elevator is required to have an area of refuge located somewhere in each floor. B. The elevator shaft and the adjacent lobby on each floor are required to be fire rated. C. The elevator is required to be connected to standby power. D. All of the above are correct.

a. If required, the area of refuge must be located adjacent to the elevator shaft (similar to Plan C in Figure 5.15, as shown in the Guidebook), not anywhere on the floor.

Which of the following statements about interior means of egress doors is not correct?A. They must have a minimum clear opening that is 36 inches (914 mm) wide. B. The floor level on both sides of the door cannot be more than inch (13 mm) below the top of the threshold. C. They cannot reduce any required landing by more than 7 inches (178 mm) when fully open. D. All of the above are correct.

a. The minimum clear opening is 32 inches (813 mm). A 36‐inch (914‐mm) door is typically required to create 32 inches (813 mm) of clear width.

Horizontal exits are most commonly found in which of the following occupancy classifications? A. Institutional occupancies B. Mercantile occupancies C. Residential occupancies D. Educational occupancies

a. This is most typically found in hospitals and prisons. Others would include Storage and Industrial occupancies (and large high‐rise buildings).

Which of the following statements about stair‐related codes is correct? A. The minimum riser height is 7 inches (178 mm). B. The minimum tread length is 11 inches (279 mm). C. Spiral stairs are not allowed in the means of egress. D. Handrails are always required on both sides of the stairs.

b. 7 inches (178 mm) is typically the maximum dimension, not the minimum; spiral stairs are allowed in limited areas and conditions; and the codes allow some exceptions to stairs with handrails on both sides (especially in some Residential occupancies).

Which of the following is not considered a type of exit? A. Exit stair B. Exit corridor C. Exterior door D. Horizontal exit

b. A corridor can be used in a means of egress in three ways. A corridor used as an exit is called an exit passageway. A corridor used as an exit access is called an exit access corridor. A corridor used as an exit discharge is called a discharge corridor.

Which of the following means of egress must always be fully enclosed? A. Intervening room B. Exit stair C. Exit access stairs D. All of the above

b. Exits always have to be fully enclosed; exit accesses do not. Exit access stairs are sometimes allowed to be open when they connect a limited number of floors within the same tenant space. Intervening rooms such as reception areas are not always fully enclosed.

What is the maximum dead‐end corridor length typically allowed by the codes in a nonsprinklered building? A. 15 feet (4572 mm) B. 20 feet (6096 mm) C. 25 feet (7620 mm) D. 30 feet (9144 mm)

b. Longer lengths are usually allowed in buildings equipped with an automatic sprinkler system.

Which of the following statements is not correct? A. The width of an exit access corridor can typically be based on half of the required occupant load if it leads to two separate exits on the same floor. B. The width of an exit stairway can sometimes be reduced as it travels toward the exit discharge. C. One exit is often allowed in small buildings or spaces, depending on the number of occupants and/or the travel distance. D. All of the above are correct.

b. The width of an exit in a means of egress should never be reduced as it travels toward the exit discharge.

Which of the following statements is not correct? A. To calculate the exit widths for a whole building, you must calculate the occupant load for each floor separately. B. To calculate the exit widths for a whole floor with different occupancies, you must calculate the occupant load based on the tenant with the highest load factor. C. To calculate the exit widths for a corridor connecting several tenants, you must calculate the total occupant load for the floor. D. All of the above are correct.

b. You must calculate each tenant or occupant load separately and add them together to determine the number of exits for a whole floor.

What is the typical minimum corridor width required by the building codes in most occupancies? A. 32 inches (8135 mm) B. 36 inches (914 mm) C. 44 inches (1118 mm) D. 48 inches (1219 mm)

c. 44 inches (1118 mm) is the typical minimum building code corridor width; 36 inches (914 mm) is allowed in some Residential occupancies, and is the typical minimum accessible corridor width.

Which of the following would most likely not be allowed as an intervening room as required by the means of egress codes? A. A reception area in an accounting firm B. A secretarial area in a law firm C. A file/supply room in an advertising firm D. A front lobby in a large brokerage firm

c. File/storage rooms are more likely to be locked. They may also contain hazardous contents.

Which of the following statements about aisle access ways at tables and chairs is not correct? A. Their required width is measured to the back of the chair, not the table. B. Their required width is usually less than that of the adjacent aisle. C. 18 inches (457 mm) is the width assumed by the code to be needed for a chair. D. Their required width may have to be increased in some cases to allow for accessibility.

c. In determining the required width, the codes require that an additional 19 inches (483 mm), not 18 inches (457 mm), be added to the code minimum or required calculation.

What is the term for the maximum distance a person should have to travel from any position in a building to the nearest exit? A. Means of egress B. Natural path of travel C. Common path of travel D. Travel distance

d.

Which of the following statements about a means of egress is not correct? A. It is a continuous and unobstructed path of travel. B. It can consist of vertical and horizontal passageways. C. It affects all buildings, new and existing. D. All of the above are correct.

d.

Which of the following items are typically required at an area of refuge? A. A two‐way communication device B. A sprinkler system C. A clear floor space D. a and c

d. A sprinkler system is not required.

In most cases, nothing is allowed to reduce the width of an exit. Which of the following is a typical exception allowed by the codes? A. Doors that do not project more than 7 inches (178 mm) when fully open B. Wall trim that is less than inch (13 mm) thick C. Handrails that meet ADA requirements D. All of the above

d. All are allowed exceptions.

Which of the following codes can affect the requirements of a stair? A. IBC B. LSC C. ICCPC D. All of the above

d. The International Building Code (IBC) (or other building code such as the NFPA 5000 or a locally developed code) and the Life Safety Code (LSC) have specific requirements for stairs. When using the ICC Performance Code (ICCPC), meeting the criteria and performance codes for the means of egress may also affect the location and configuration of the stair. This would be part of the information reviewed by the code official.

Which of the following are affected by means of egress requirements? A. Finish selections B. Occupant loads C. Fire ratings of walls D. a and c

d. The allowed fire (and smoke) ratings of walls and other assemblies, as well as allowed finishes, are based on the type of means of egress. Occupant load is used to determine the means of egress.

Correctly calculating the occupant load of a space is important for determining which of the following? A. The number of exits B. The width of an exit C. The location of an exit D. a and b

d. The appropriate location of an exit or exits is determined by several factors, including travel distance and common path of travel limitations, remoteness to another exit location, and the use of spaces. However, the occupant load does not define the required location of the exits.

An aisle in an open office area between furniture system workstations

exit access

An office

exit access

After descending four flights of stairs, you leave the stairwell and find yourself in the lobby

exit discharge

An alley that is 8 feet (2438 mm) wide but open to the sky

exit discharge