New Jersey Administrative Code › Title 5 - COMMUNITY AFFAIRS › Chapter 70 - UNIFORM FIRE CODE › Subchapter 4 - FIRE SAFETY CODE › Section 5:70-4.11 - Means of egress

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 14, July 15, 2024
(a) Every story utilized for human occupancy
				having an occupant load of 500 or less shall be provided with a minimum of two
				exits, except as provided in (b) below. Every story having an occupant load of 501
				to 1,000 shall have a minimum of three exits. Every story having an occupant load of
				more than 1,000 shall have a minimum of four exits.
1. Each mezzanine with an occupant load of more
				than 50 or in which the travel distance to an exit exceeds 75 feet shall have access
				to at least two independent means of egress by November 6, 1990.
2. When more than one exit is required, an
				existing fire escape shall be accepted as providing one of the required means of
				egress unless judged to be dangerous for use under emergency exiting conditions.
i. Access to a fire escape shall be through a
				door, except that window access shall be permitted from single dwelling units or
				guestrooms in Use Groups R-1, R-2 and I-1 or when serving spaces having a maximum
				occupant load of 10 in other use groups.
(1)
				Exception: Window access shall be permitted to serve more than one guestroom for bed
				and breakfasts in Use Group R-1 provided that the window serves a floor with a
				maximum occupant load of 10 and that the window has a clear opening of at least 5.7
				square feet, a minimum net clear opening of 24 inches in height, a minimum net clear
				opening of 20 inches in width, and a sill height of not more than 44 inches above
				the finished floor.
(2) For bed and
				breakfasts in Use Group R-1, where a door is required because the occupant load
				served exceeds 10, the door shall have a clear opening of at least 10 square feet, a
				minimum net clear opening of 54 inches in height and a minimum net clear opening of
				24 inches in width.
3. Any new fire escapes shall be constructed and
				installed in accordance with the Uniform Construction Code Formal Technical Opinion
				No. FTO-3 dated June 2001.
i. Access to a fire
				escape shall be through a door installed in accordance with the Uniform Construction
				Code Formal Technical Opinion No. FTO-3 dated June 2001, except that window access
				shall be permitted from single dwelling units or guestrooms in Use Groups R-1, R-2
				and I-1 or when serving spaces having a maximum occupant load of 10 in other use
				groups.
(1) Exception: Window access shall be
				permitted to serve more than one guestroom for bed and breakfasts in Use Group R-1
				provided that the window serves a floor with a maximum occupant load of 10 and that
				the window has a clear opening of at least 5.7 square feet, a minimum net clear
				opening of 24 inches in height, a minimum net clear opening of 20 inches in width,
				and a sill height of not more than 44 inches above the finished floor.
(2) For bed and breakfasts in Use Group R-1, where
				a door is required because the occupant load served exceeds 10, the door shall have
				a clear opening of at least 10 square feet, a minimum net clear opening of 54 inches
				in height and a minimum net clear opening of 24 inches in
				width.
4. In all
				buildings of Use Group A, Use Group E, buildings of Use Group I, rooming houses, and
				child care centers, ladders of any type are prohibited on all new and existing fire
				escapes used as a required means of egress.
5. All occupants shall have unobstructed access to
				all new and existing fire escapes without having to pass through a room subject to
				locking.
6. In all bed and breakfast
				homestays, every sleeping room shall be provided with an approved window having sill
				height of not more than 44 inches.
7. In
				dwelling units in basements or stories below grade in buildings of Use Group R-2
				that are not equipped throughout with an automatic fire sprinkler system, there
				shall be at least two exits from each dwelling unit.
i. An approved window providing a clear opening of
				at least five square feet in area, a minimum net clear opening of 24 inches in
				height and a minimum net clear opening of 20 inches in width, and a sill height of
				not more than 44 inches above the finished floor, shall be acceptable as one of the
				required exits.