Life Safety Elements Flashcards
What the minimum width of a public way?
10’
What is egress?
continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any point in a building or structure to a public way
What is the part of the egress system that leads from an occupied area to the entrance of an exit?
Exit Access
What is the part of the egress system that provides a protected path of egress between the exit access and the exit discharge?
Exit
What is the part of the egress system that connects the exit with a public way, typically on the ground level?
Exit Discharge; can be inside (main lobby) or can include exterior areas
What is the part of the exit access path before two separate paths to two different exits becomes available?
common path
What’s the common path of egress travel distance (non-sprinklered)?
75’
What’s the common path of egress travel distance (sprinklered)?
100’
What is the distance an occupant must travel from the most remote point of the exit access to the nearest exit?
maximum travel distance
What is the number of exits required from a space based on?
the occupancy type
the occupancy load of the space itself
limitations on the travel distance length
What do you multiply to get the minimum exit width in stairways?
0.3 per occupant (x) occupant load
What do you multiply to get the minimum exit width dimensions of other egress components (like corridors)?
0.2 per occupant (x) occupant load
What addresses the resistance to the spread of fire within a building?
Fire separating
4 main goals of compartmentation:
contain a fire, limit the spread of fire, allow occupants to escape the building, protect unaffected parts of the building
How is structural compartmentation achieved?
door assembly ratings, floor-ceiling assemblies, fire-rated walls, fire separations
What type of partition is a wall with a fire-resistance rating of 1-hour?
Fire partition
Where are fire partitions commonly used?
corridor walls, elevator lobby, walls separating dwelling units/guest rooms, walls separating tenants in shopping malls
What type of wall can be a vertical or horizontal fire-resistance-rated structure designed to confine fire and allow for safe passage? (usually extend from floor to floor or floor to roof)
Fire barrier
Where are fire barriers commonly used?
Enclose stairways, exit passageways, horizontal exits, and incidental use areas / Separate different occupancies in mixed-use occupancies / Separate single occupancies into different fire areas
What type of wall is an exterior wall that extends continuously from the base of the building to the roof with 3-4 hr rating?
Fire wall
What are 2 characteristics of fire doors?
self-closing & self-latching
When using an A/V combination alarm it must be located according to the code requirements for ___
visual alarms
What is public mode of notification on an alarm?
informs all occupants of the danger
What is private mode of notification on an alarm?
alerts only those who are expected to respond to the emergency
What is the ability of a substance to burn or ignite, causing fire/combustion?
flammability
What is the characteristic of a material that does not continue to burn after the heat source is removed?
flame resistance
What is the Standard Test Method for Surface Burning Characteristics of Building Materials (Steiner Tunnel Test)?
ASTM E84
What is the Standard Test Method for Specific Optical Density of Smoke Generated by Solid Materials? This is different than testing for smoke toxicity; this tests for density.
ASTM E662
What is the Standard Method of Test for Critical Radiant Flux of Floor Covering Systems Using a Radiant Heat Energy Source?
NFPA 253
What is the Standard Test Method for Ignition Characteristics of Finished Textile Floor Covering Materials, also known as the Methenamine pill test?
ASTM D2859
What is the Standard Methods of Fire Tests for Flame Propagation of Textiles and Films? Vertical Flame Test
NFPA 701
What is the Standard Test Method for Developing Toxic Potency Data for Use in Fire Hazard Modeling?
NFPA 269
What is the Standard Test Method for Measuring Smoke Toxicity for Use in Fire Hazard Analysis?
ASTM E1678
What is the Requirements, Test Procedures and Apparatus for Testing the Flame Retardance of Resilient Filling Materials Used in Upholstered Furniture?
CAL TB 117-2013
What is the Standard Methods of Tests and Classification System for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of Components of Upholstered Furniture?
NFPA 260
What are the 3 factors impacting COF?
walkway surface, bottom of footwear, presence of foreign materials between them (such as water)
What standard measures slip resistance for “Dynamic Coefficient of Friction”?
DCOF AcuTest
What is the ratio of the force necessary to keep a surface already in motion sliding over another divided by an object’s weight (or normal force)?
Dynamic Coefficient of Friction
What’s the minimum DCOF?
0.42
What’s the max height for pile in carpet?
1/2”
What’s the max height for changes in level?
1/4”
How should a change in level greater than 1/4” but not more than 1/2” be dealt with?
beveled with slope not steeper than 1:2
What is Test Method for Dynamic Coefficient of Friction of Hard Surface Flooring Materials?
ANSI A326.3
What’s the clear width of stairways between handrails?
48” (not req. in automatic sprinklered bldg.)
What is the Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality?
ASHRAE 62.1
What is the Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low‐Rise Residential Buildings?
ASHRAE 62.2
What is Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Product?
ASTM D5116
What is the Standard Practice for Full-Scale Chamber Determination of Volatile Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products?
ASTM D6670
What is the Standard Test Method for Determining Formaldehyde Concentrations in Air and Emission Rates from Wood Products Using a Large Chamber?
ASTM E1333
What standard deals with a completed chair flame test?
CAL 133
What is the Standard for Fire test for window and glass block assemblies?
NFPA 257
What does this icon relate to?
life safety (flammability)
What’s the width of a door if the clear width is 32”?
36”
What building material can be used along the bottom of a door to prevent the passage of fire, heat and smoke?
intumescent
If a material does not ignite and burn it is considered to be?
noncombustible
Where are flame-spread ratings in a building most restrictive?
in exit enclosures
What corridor elements must be finalized with the floor plan during design development?
door swings, recesses for drinking fountains, and corridor width
In a plenum, how can a fire be prevented from spreading horizontally?
fire-rated divider
__ used in partitions to allow fire-rated openings for duct work.
fire damper
What construction should be used to enclose a 1-hour-rated corridor?
single layer of 5/8” Type X wallboard
___ gives the max allowed power in watts per sq. ft of building area based on building type.
building area method
