NFPA 101 Life Safety Code Study Guide

1. Administration

Scope & Purpose: Applies to all new & existing buildings; sets out enforcement, appeals, and required documentation.
Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ): The local enforcing official; can require stricter provisions than NFPA 101 minimums.
Compliance & Equivalency: Alternate methods allowed if equal or better safety is demonstrated to the AHJ.
Retroactivity: Existing buildings usually require only limited upgrades unless substantial improvements/renovations are made (>50% of value).
Recordkeeping: All inspection and test records must be kept on-site for a minimum of 3 years.

Assembly Occupancy: Any building or area used for gathering 50+ people (e.g., theaters, churches, restaurants).
Means of Egress: Continuous and unobstructed path from any occupied point to a public way (exit access, exit, and exit discharge).
Exit Access: That portion of a means of egress that leads to an exit.
Exit: Portion of egress separated by fire-rated construction; includes exterior doors, protected stairs, or horizontal exits.
Exit Discharge: Portion of the means of egress between the exit and the public way.
Occupant Load: Maximum number of people permitted; determined by area/unit factor for the use (see table in Chapter 3).
Public Way: A street, alley, or open space with a clear width and height of at least 10 ft, leading to a safe area.
Accessible Route: Unobstructed path connecting all accessible elements and spaces within a building/facility.

Class	Description	Examples	Unit Area Factor
A-1	Assembly, fixed seating	Theaters, concert halls	7 ft²/person
A-2	Assembly, food/drink	Banquet halls, restaurants	15 ft²/person
B	Business	Offices, banks	100 ft²/person
E	Educational	Schools, day-care	20 ft²/person
H	Health Care	Hospitals, nursing homes	Varies
M	Mercantile	Stores, shopping centers	30 ft²/person
R-1/R-2	Residential	Hotels, apartments, dorms	200 ft²/person
S-1/S-2	Storage	Warehouses	300 ft²/person

High-rise Buildings (≥75 ft): Must have pressurized stairs, fire service elevators, emergency voice communication, and areas of refuge.
Underground Buildings: Require at least two means of egress, smoke exhaust systems, and mechanical ventilation.
Stadiums/Arenas: Additional egress requirements due to occupant load; exit access travel distances often reduced.
Healthcare: Defend-in-place strategy, compartmentation, horizontal exits with 2-hour separation.

Construction Types: Type I (most fire-resistive) through Type V (least fire-resistive).
Height Limits: Set by construction type, occupancy, and whether the building is sprinklered.
Area Increases: Possible if building is sprinklered and/or open on multiple sides.
Fire Barriers: Used to divide buildings into smaller fire areas, limiting the spread of fire and controlling maximum area.

Components: Exit access (path to exit), exit (protected), and exit discharge (to public way).
Minimum Widths: Corridors: 0.2" per occupant (e.g. 44" for 220 occupants); stairs: 0.3" per occupant.
Doors: Must swing in the direction of egress when serving >50 persons; minimum clear width 32".
Dead-End Corridors: Max 20 ft (30 ft if sprinklered).
Stairs: Minimum tread 11", riser max 7"; handrails required on both sides; landings at least as wide as the stair.
Illumination: Egress paths must be illuminated to ≥1 foot-candle at floor, with 90-min backup.
Exit Signs: Letters at least 5" high, 0.5" stroke, illuminated ≥5 foot-candles, with battery backup for ≥90 min.

Required in most new assembly, educational, healthcare, residential, and high-rise occupancies.
Must be designed to NFPA 13 (ordinary hazard II common).
Remote head pressure ≥15 psi.

Class I (2½" for fire dept), II (1½" for occupant), III (both).
Required in high-rises, certain large floor areas; must be accessible from each stair.

Pressurization of stairwells and smoke barriers in high-rise and underground buildings.
Exhaust ventilation minimum 20 sq ft/zone or engineered solution; must operate ≥10 min after activation.

All fire protection systems must be inspected and tested per the NFPA schedule:
- Sprinklers: quarterly inspection, annual full flow test.
- Fire alarms: monthly test of devices, annual full system test.
- Doors: semi-annual self-closing and latching function check.
- Exit signs and lights: monthly illumination test, annual battery test.
Maintenance and test records retained for at least 3 years on site.
Deficiencies must be corrected within 30 days or as directed by AHJ.

Elevators: Must have recall to main floor (firefighter operation); lobbies must be smoke-protected.
Air Handling: Must shut down on fire alarm; smoke detectors required in supply/return ducts; fire/smoke dampers 2-hour rated.
Emergency Power: Required for egress lighting, alarm systems, and fire pumps; transfer to generator power <10 seconds.
Communications: Two-way emergency communication in areas of refuge and stairwells; PA/voice evac in high-rise buildings.
Plumbing: Standpipes and hose stations as required by occupancy, per NFPA 14.

Alterations classified by level: Level 1 (minor), Level 2 (reconfiguration), Level 3 (change of occupancy).
Substantial renovations (≥50% of area or value) must comply fully with current code.
Historic buildings: alternate compliance methods permitted where strict compliance would destroy historic character.
Grandfathering: Existing means of egress may remain if fire risk is not increased, subject to AHJ review.
Where compliance is not feasible, risk assessment and mitigation may be required.

Means of Egress Width: Corridors: 0.2 in/person; Doors: 0.15 in/person.
Dead-end Corridors: Max 20 ft (30 ft if sprinklered).
EXIT Signs: Letters ≥5" high, 0.5" stroke; illuminated ≥5 fc; 90 min backup.
Travel Distance: Assembly (unsprinklered) 200 ft; Business/Mercantile 200 ft; Educational 150 ft.
Number of Exits: ≥2 for occupant load >50; additional required as per load/height.
Fire Alarm Audibility: ≥15 dBA above ambient.
Sprinkler Inspection: Visual quarterly; flow and trip annually.
Battery Backup: Egress lighting 90 min; fire alarm 24 hr standby, 5 min alarm.
Formulas:
Occupant Load = Room Area (ft²) / Unit Area Factor (see Table, Ch.3)
Corridor Width (in) = Occupant Load × 0.2
Door Width (in) = Occupant Load × 0.15
“2-2-2” rule: 2 exits, 2" stroke EXIT letters, 2 doors from any point.