As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
Any floor space enclosed on all sides by either the exterior
walls, fire walls or fire partitions.
The connection of any two floor areas, whether in the same
building or not, by means of a vestibule, or by an open-air balcony
or bridge or through a fire partition or fire wall.
Equipped with an approved system of automatic sprinklers
throughout the building.
A direct connection of any floor area to a stairway constructed
in accordance with the requirements of this article for required stairs.
Not equipped with an approved system of automatic sprinklers
throughout the building.[1]
Unless otherwise specifically stated in this article, the provisions
hereof shall apply to buildings hereafter erected, except multiple
dwellings.
A.
Kind. Every building hereafter erected shall have one or more exits,
as required in this section, consisting of interior or exterior stairs,
fire towers or horizontal exits, constructed and arranged as specified
in this article, with the necessary hallways and doorways.
B.
Number of occupants.
(1)
For the purpose of this article, when the number of persons to be
accommodated by the exits is not stated in the application for a permit
to construct, such number of persons within any floor area shall be
taken, according to the use of such floor area, as one person per
what is determined by the New York State Building and Fire Codes,
current edition, which will govern for number of occupants.
(2)
It shall be unlawful to occupy any floor area by a greater number
of persons than that for which exits have been provided, in accordance
with this article.
C.
Required number.
(1)
From rooms. Every room having an occupancy of more than 49 persons
and/or having a travel distance exceeding the New York States codes
shall have at least two doorways, remote from each other, leading
to an exit or exits. Three or more exits shall be provided if required
by the New York State Building and Fire Codes.
(2)
From ground floor. Every floor area having direct exit by doorways
or hallways to a street and having an occupancy of more than 49 persons
shall have at least two means of exit. Three or more exits shall be
provided if required by the New York State Building and Fire Codes.
(3)
From floor areas. All floors shall have exits, stairways, and/or
other means of egress to a public way as per the New York State Building
and Fire Codes.
D.
Location. Exits shall be located as per the New York State Building
and Fire Codes.
E.
Stairway exits. Every required stairway shall lead to a street or
open public way. Stairways shall lead to a roof as per the New York
State Building and Fire Codes.
F.
Engineers' ladders. Every building, including multiple dwellings,
factories, theaters and motion-picture theaters, in which high-pressure
steam boilers are placed below the curb level shall have stationary
iron ladders or stairs from such story leading directly to a manhole
through the sidewalk or other outside exit, unless exit is provided
by an enclosed stairs or a horizontal exit.
A.
Construction.
(1)
Strength. All stairs, platforms, landings and stair halls shall be
of sufficient strength to safely sustain a live load of not less than
100 pounds per square foot.
(2)
Materials. All stairs and stairways serving an exit shall be constructed
of materials as per the New York State Building Codes.
(3)
Support for treads and landings. When treads or landings are slate
marble, stone or composition, they shall be supported for their entire
length and width by a solid steel plate at least 1/8 of an inch thick,
securely fastened. When stairs are of fireproof construction, the
treads and landings may be solidly supported for their entire length
and width by the materials of which such stairs are constructed. The
treads and landings shall be constructed and maintained in such a
manner as to prevent persons from slipping thereon.
B.
When to be enclosed.
(1)
Fireproof enclosures. Interior required stairways shall be enclosed
with fireproof partitions or walls of approved masonry when required
by the New York State Building and Fire Codes.
(2)
Non-fireproof enclosures. In buildings with interior required stairways
which are not enclosed in fireproof partitions or walls of approved
masonry, the stairways shall be enclosed in partitions of minimum
wood studs fire-stopped at every story with noncombustible material
covered with approved plasterboard on both sides, or of other approved
equally slow-burning material and construction.
(3)
Stairs of ornamental character. Nothing in this section shall require
the enclosure of the flight of a required stairs, when ornamental
in character, from the main entrance floor to floor next above, provided
that such stairs are not the only required stairs, that all other
required stairs in the same story are enclosed as prescribed in this
section and that some other required stairs are accessible from the
upper part of the stairs in question.
(4)
Open stairwells. Except as otherwise provided in this section and
the New York State Building and Fire Codes, not more than two stories
in any building shall be connected by an open well or unenclosed stairway.
(5)
Opening in enclosures. No openings shall be permitted in the stair
enclosures required by this section other than doorways, and such
windows as are necessary for proper lighting. The doorways shall be
equipped with approved self-closing fire doors, except that in non-fireproof
enclosures, substantial self-closing hardwood, metal or metal-covered
doors may be used. Windows opening on the interior of the building
shall be stationary fire windows.
C.
Width. No stairs or stairway required by this article as an exit
shall have an unobstructed width less than what is required as per
the New York State Building and Fire Codes. The aggregate width of
stairs in any story of the building shall be such that the stairs
or stairway may accommodate at one time the total number of persons
ordinarily occupying or permitted to occupy the largest floor area
served by such stairs or stairways above the flight or flights of
stairs under construction, on the basis of what is required by the
New York State Building and Fire Codes.
D.
Treads and risers. The treads and risers of stairs shall be as per
the New York State Building and Fire Codes.
E.
Landings. All landings shall have minimum dimensions required by
the New York State Building and Fire Codes.
F.
Handrails. All guardrails and hand railings shall have minimum dimensions
and be located in all areas as per the New York State Building and
Fire Codes.
G.
Space under stairs. The space under any stairs built in whole or
in part of combustible materials shall be left entirely open and kept
clear and free from encumbrance. The underside shall be finished as
required by the New York State Building and Fire Codes.
A.
Required stairs which may be permitted on the outside of a building
shall be constructed of materials that are allowable as per the New
York State Building and Fire Codes. Doors and windows opening on such
stairs shall be protected as required by the New York State Building
and Fire Codes.
B.
Metal mesh or other rigid guards at least six feet high shall be
provided on each unenclosed side of such stairways throughout.
Interior stairways constructed and arranged as follows shall
be known as "fire towers." The enclosing walls shall be of what is
required by the New York State Building and Fire Codes. Access to
the stairway shall be provided at each story served by a fire tower
through outside balconies or fireproof vestibules having solid floors
or incombustible materials and provided with substantial railings.
Such balconies or vestibules shall be level with the floors of the
buildings and platforms of the stairs connected by them, and shall
be separated therefrom by self-closing fire doors. The clear width
of such connecting balconies and vestibules shall be not less than
that required for a hallway sized per the New York State Building
and Fire Codes. The stairs in fire towers shall comply in all respects
with the requirements of this article relating to interior stairs.
No horizontal exit shall be deemed satisfactory under this article
unless the floor area on either side or such horizontal exit is sufficient
as per the New York State Building and Fire Codes. When vestibules
or open-air balconies are used, they shall conform to the requirements
for vestibules or open-air balconies or fire towers. When bridges
are used, they shall be constructed of incombustible material. All
doorways or windows opening on such vestibules, balconies or bridges
shall be equipped with self-closing fire doors or automatic fire windows.
When there is a difference in level between the connected floor areas,
gradients shall be provided of not more than one foot in 10 feet.
When serving as an exit from or in connection with one or more
stairways, the clear width of any hallway or passageway shall be not
less than the aggregate required clear width of all stairs leading
to it. The clear width of every hallway or passageway leading to an
exit shall be not less than what is required by the New York State
Building and Fire Codes.
A.
Width. The aggregate clear width of doorways serving as an exit from
any room or floor area to a hallway, stairs or other means of exit
shall be not less than what is required by the New York State Building
and Fire Codes.
B.
Hanging of doors. The doors of any doorway required by this section
shall be so hung and arranged that, when opened, they shall not in
any way obstruct the required width of hallway, stairs, or other means
of exit and, in the case of doorways leading directly to a street,
shall not in any position project more than what is required by the
New York State Codes. Doorways serving as exits to a street from required
stairways of any building, or to a yard, court or open passageway
communicating with a street, shall have the doors, including the doors
of vestibules, so hung as to swing outwards when opening; but this
requirement shall not be construed to prohibit the use of doors swinging
both inwards and outwards, nor of sliding doors in stables and garages;
and in the shipping and receiving rooms of business buildings, nor
any other requirements of or exceptions to the New York State Building
and Fire Codes.
C.
Exits to be kept clear. No doorways, hallway, passageway, stairs
or other means of exit required by this article shall be obstructed
or reduced, except as to handrails, beyond its required width in any
manner whatsoever.
A.
Exit signs. All exits from floor areas shall be plainly marked by
approved exit signs if required by the New York State Building and
Fire Codes.
No building shall hereafter be altered so as to reduce the number or capacity of exits to less than that required for buildings hereafter erected. New exits hereafter installed in any building shall be installed in conformity to the requirements for exits in new buildings, unless such exits are installed to comply with a notice issued under the provisions of § 265-20 of this chapter.
Every building now existing which is not provided with exit
facilities as prescribed in this article for new buildings, and in
which the exit facilities are inadequate for the safety of the occupants,
shall be provided with such good and efficient fire escapes, stairways
or other means of egress in case of fire as shall be directed by the
Superintendent of Buildings; and said Superintendent shall have authority
within said Village to direct fire escapes and other means of egress
to be provided upon and within such buildings or any of them, except
as may be otherwise provided by law. If the owner of any building
affected by any order issued under this section, or his agent, shall,
within 48 hours, Sundays and holidays excluded, after personal service
of such order has been made, file with the Superintendent of Buildings
a written appeal from such order, the Superintendent of Buildings
shall appoint a Board of Survey for unsafe buildings, upon the findings
of which a new order shall be based and issued.
A.
Construction. All fire escapes hereafter erected shall be constructed
of incombustible materials and of sufficient strength to safely sustain
a superimposed load of 100 pounds per square foot. The owner or lessee
of any building upon which a fire escape is erected shall keep the
same in good repair.
B.
Encumbrances prohibited. No person shall at any time place any encumbrance
of any kind whatsoever before or upon any fire escape, balcony or
ladder.
C.
Duty of fire fighters and police officers. Any fire fighter or police
officer who shall discover any fire escape, balcony or ladder of any
fire escape encumbered in any way shall forthwith report the same
to the commanding officer of his company or department, who shall
forthwith cause the occupant of the premises or apartment to which
said fire escape, balcony or ladder is attached or for whose use the
same is provided to be notified, either verbally or in writing, to
remove such encumbrance and keep the same clear.
D.
Penalties for offenses. If said notice shall not be complied with
to effect the removal forthwith of such encumbrance and keeping said
fire escape, balcony or ladder free from encumbrance, then the commanding
officer shall apply to the Superintendent of Buildings or Code Enforcement
Officer for a summons for the occupant of the premises or apartment
of which the fire escape forms a part, and, on conviction, the occupant
shall be fined, as per Village law, in the discretion of the court.
