NFPA 101: Life Safety Code 2009 Edition

NEWER EDITION AVAILABLE

NFPA 101: Life Safety Code addresses those construction, protection and occupancy features necessary to minimize danger to life from the effects of fire, including smoke, heat and toxic gases created during a fire. The code establishes minimum criteria for the design of egress facilities so as to allow prompt escape of occupants from buildings or, where desirable, into safe areas within buildings. The code addresses other considerations that are essential to life safety in recognition of the fact that life safety is more than a matter of egress, including protective features and systems, building services, operating features and maintenance activities.

NFPA 101: Life Safety Code 2009 Edition has been fully updated with new and revised requirements that work together more effectively than ever to minimize danger to life from the effects of fire and related hazards. Only NFPA 101: Life Safety Code establishes a minimum threshold of safety in both new and existing structures, contains a performance-based compliance option and provides separate, more flexible criteria for building rehabilitation vs. new construction to encourage adaptive reuse of buildings without sacrificing safety.

NFPA 101: Life Safety Code 2009 Edition incorporates the latest research, technological advances and industry developments to provide the most advanced rules for sprinklers, alarms, egress, emergency lighting, smoke barriers and special hazard protection, the complete range of construction, protection and occupancy features that impact lives every day.

• New evacuation strategies and technologies facilitate faster movement of more people in an emergency. Get up-to-date on rules for elevator use for occupant-controlled evacuation and supplemental evacuation equipment.
• Additional sprinkler mandates for all existing high-rise health care occupancies and all new apartment buildings will save even more lives and further reduce fire injuries.
• New requirement for inspection of door openings ensures that fire doors will be operational in an emergency.
• New criteria for remoteness of exit accesses and exit discharges minimizes the possibility of both paths becoming blocked by a single fire.
• New rule for 2-way communication systems in areas of refuge even where the building is sprinklered means people unable to leave the area can communicate with emergency responders as to their location.
• Health care occupancy door locking for patient protective needs improves security.