In this article we will take a look at fire and Life Safety Codes to learn how they compare and contrast with each other.
How do fire and life safety relate to one another?
Though fire and life safety codes are often grouped together, the terms “fire safety” and “life safety” refer to two different concepts of building design and safety.
Ultimately, life safety has a broader scope that fire safety falls under. While fire safety is (unsurprisingly) primarily concerned with fire-related emergencies, life safety pertains to emergencies of all kinds, including, but not limited to, earthquakes, floods, power outages, terrorist attacks, and fires, of course.
In one way, however, life safety’s scope is actually narrower than that of fire safety: Where fire safety focuses on preserving both lives and property, life safety is solely focused on life preservation.
What is life safety?
Life safety refers to the features of a building meant to provide a reasonable level of safety to occupants during various emergencies.
Life safety systems are made up of
- Accessibility features
- Backup power systems
- Emergency communication features, such as mass notification alarms
- Emergency egress routes, lighting, and signs
- Emergency plans and drills
- Smoke control systems meant to allow occupants more visibility and time to evacuate
- Trainings and education
What is fire safety?
Fire safety—which, again, is part of life safety—is more commonly referred to as fire protection. The basis of fire protection is preventing, suppressing, and containing fires and protecting occupants. Fire protection systems can be classified as active or passive.
| Active | Passive | |
|---|---|---|
| Description of system | Performs actions to respond to fires | Features built into a structure for the purpose of impeding the spread of fire and damage |
| Examples | Alarm system that notifies occupants of fire or smoke Sprinkler system that suppresses or extinguishes the fire | Fire dampers in HVAC systems Fire-resistant construction materials Fire walls |
Within an active fire protection system is a suppression system, usually automatically activated by the detection system. Some of the common types of suppression systems include
- Condensed aerosol
- CO2
- Dry chemical
- Foam
- Gaseous
- Sprinklers
- Water mist
- Wet chemical
Suppression systems are classified as being either local or total.
| Local | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Description of system | Protect a small, specific area | Protect an entire area |
| Commonly used for | Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines Electrical panels Engine compartments Stations for mixing paint | Battery energy storage systems Control rooms Electrical rooms Elevator machine rooms Generator rooms Museums |
Fire and life safety codes
While there is no one code called the “Fire and Life Safety Code,” there are multiple different codes that relate to both fire protection and life safety.
The most prominent bodies that set these standards are the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the International Code Council (ICC).
Though the codes vary one from another, they cover many of the same topics, among them being
- Accessibility
- Construction types, requirements, materials, and safeguards
- Emergency planning and evacuation
- Fire and smoke protection features
- Fire protection and life safety systems
- Hazardous materials
- Interior furnishings
- Occupancy classifications
- Means of egress
OSHA codes
OSHA addresses fire safety in the following standards:
- General Industry (29 CFR 1910)
- Maritime (29 CFR 1915, 1917, 1918)
- Construction (29 CFR 1926)
Additional information can be found in OSHA Publication 3256: Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems and the OSHA eTool Evacuation Plans and Procedures.
NFPA codes
On the other hand, the NFPA has published the Fire Code (also called NFPA 1), a 75-chapter code that makes reference to over 130 other NFPA codes. Among the codes referenced is NFPA 101, commonly referred to as the Life Safety Code.
ICC codes
The ICC has published:
- The 35-chapter International Building Code
- The 80-chapter International Fire Code
The best way to comply with each fire and life safety code
InspectNTrack makes proving compliance with each fire and life safety code a breeze thanks to its integrated code references. If you are subject to other, non-OSHA/NFPA/ICC codes, InspectNTrack has the ability to support custom codes as well. Built to inspect both fire and life safety features in a variety of building occupancy classifications, InspectNTrack is the right choice for anyone looking to simplify the inspections process.
