Changes in the 2000 Edition of NFPA's Life Safety Code

By Douglas Erickson, ASHE consultant

Introductory Chapters:

1. Awareness of Egress System – every exit shall be clearly visible or the route to reach every exit shall be conspicuously indicated.  Each means of egress in its entirety, shall be arranged or marked so that the way to a place of safety is indicated in a clear manner.
   
   The Joint Commission has requested its surveyors to stay away from making recommendations on the placement of exit signs.  This paragraph in Chapter 1 of the Life Safety Code clearly states that exit signs do not have to be placed so that two paths are clearly marked as long as the route is arranged to be clearly indicated.  Work with your local authority to determine the proper number of exit signs, and if a Joint Commission surveyor writes you up challenge it with Joint Commission staff.
   
   
2. Drill Frequency – The code has deleted some language which use to state that drills shall include suitable procedures to ensure that all persons in the buildings or all persons subject to the drill actually participate.  Also modified was the addition of the word participant and the deletion of building occupants.
   
   By the deletion of these words and further clarification the Code no longer requires all persons to participate and this was the impetuous for the Joint Commission to require the 20% random sampling of the total number of zones.  We anticipate the Joint Commission to modify their requirements in the early part of 2000.
   
   
3. New language was introduced in Chapter 5 on the use of delayed egress locks and the time frames before the lock opens.  The new language permits 15 seconds as the standard but will allow 30 seconds if permitted by the authority having jurisdiction.  A sign indicating that there is a delayed egress lock will be required on the door.
   
   
4. Photoluminescent signs are now included in the Code.  However there was a major floor discussion on this item so it is likely to go to the Standards Council as an appeal.
   
   
5. New chapter numbers have been assigned and New Health Care is now Chapter 18, and Existing is Chapter 19.

Chapter 12 – New Health Care Occupancies

1. Changes in Occupancy – Language was added to permit the modification of:
   1. a nursing home to a limited care facility without having to meet the requirements for new, and
   2. a hospital or nursing home to an ambulatory health care facility without having to meet the requirements for new construction.
      
      
2. Reintroduced the language for ambulatory facilities that it is four or more patients which the treatment received in the facility that renders them incapable of self-preservation.  This helps determine whether it is a hospital or ambulatory health care occupancy.
   
   
3. Added language which clarifies the Code intent which was to require the initiation of the closing action of the smoke doors by smoke compartment.  This should help alleviate the problem of having all these doors closing throughout the building and creating a problem with safety, staff communication, and the need to reset them after an alarm initiation.
   
   
4. Restressed the TC’s strong opinion against presignal systems but strengthen the fact that visible alarm indication appliances shall be permitted in critical care areas.
   
   This is a provision that should be taken advantage of in areas such as Ors, DRs, ICUs, CCUs, cardiac catherization, trauma areas, etc.
   
   
5. Added language to state that compliance with NFPA 80 is not required for corridor doors and that a clearance between the bottom of the door and floor covering of 1” is permissable.
   
   This means 1” undercuts are now permitted and acceptable to the Joint Commission and have been for almost one year.
   
   
6. Inserted new language about blocking open of corridor doors – states that doors shall not be blocked open with furniture, door stops, chocks, tie backs, drop down or plunger type devices that necessitate manual unlatching or releasing action to close the door.  The paragraph also permits friction type door hold open devices, catches or magnetic catches to be used on these doors.
   
   
7. Added an appendix note to clarify what is an unobstructed and clear corridor width.  The appendix definition states that wheeled items “in use” such as housekeeping carts, food carts, gurneys, beds, crash carts, and similar items shall be permitted if there is staff training included relocating these items in the event of a fire.  Storage of these units will not be allowed unless it meets the requirements for areas open to the corridor.
   
   
8. Added an appendix note to assist in defining what a smoke tight ceiling is: an architectural, exposed suspended grid acoustical tile ceiling with penetrating items such as sprinkler piping and sprinklers, ducted HVAC supply and return diffusers, speakers, and recessed lighting fixtures is capable of limiting the transfer of smoke.
   
   
9. Added an exception to permit fully sprinkled ambulatory health care occupancies to be of 10,000 square feet before it needs to be subdivided into two some compartments.

Existing Health Care Occupancies

1. Added an exception to corridor doors to permit a 28” door if not used to move beds, gurneys, or wheel chairs through.
   
   
2. Deleted the window sill height requirement.
   
   
3. Further defined that the repair or replacement of existing roller latches is not considered a new installation
   
   
4. Reworded the exception for existing interior room finishes to read:  In rooms protected by an approved supervised automatic sprinkler system, Class C interior finish, shall be permitted to be continued to be used on walls and ceilings within rooms separated from the exit access corridor in accordance with the requirements for corridor walls.
   
   This will permit the wood paneling in chapels, board rooms and other non patient sleeping or treatment areas to remain in use without having to treat it with an intumescent paint.
   
   
5. All of items except number one above.