The Life Safety Code: What Is It and Why Does It Matter?

By March 25, 1911, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) had already been in operation for a little over 14 years. And yet, tragedies like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City still occurred, devastating hundreds.

Located on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of the Asch Building in New York City, the Traingle Shirtwaist Factory employed over 500 people, primarily teenage immigrant girls.

There were laws in place at this time to prevent fires, but they were lackluster at best. Buildings that were 11 stories or higher were mandated to have stone floors and metal windows; since it only had 10 stories however, the Asch Building got away with being entirely wooden. Labor laws saying that factory doors had to open outward only applied if doing so would be “practical,” and the architect of the Asch Building argued outward-opening doors would not fit with the building’s design. These doors were also meant to remain unlocked during the workday, but there was no one enforcing this, and so the Triangle Shirtwaist Company kept them locked in order to keep employees from stealing.

In short, the workers were in abysmal conditions: they were crowded, paths to exits were narrow and littered with two month’s worth of cloth scraps, and partitions blocked the doors and elevators. All of these factors contributed to the ease with which the fire sparked from either a cigarette butt or a match in a rag bin on the 8th floor spread.

As the workers rushed to get out of the building, they ran into obstacle after obstacle. Doors were locked, elevators were broken down, and the tiny fire escape was so hot and laden with people it collapsed. Workers jumped or were pushed down elevator shafts and even out of windows.

That day, 146 lives were lost and everyone in the city was affected.

Unfortunately, the Asch Building was not a fluke or an outlier. A 1910 investigation found that, of 1,234 coat and suit shops, 99% were not up to standard safety-wise and 94% had doors that opened inward. Clearly, the laws of the time were not good enough; drastic change was needed.

On June 23, 1913, the NFPA officially formed its Committee on Safety to Life, which devoted itself to finding ways to prevent fire-related deaths. In 1927, this Committee published what is considered to be the forerunner of the Life Safety Code, the Building Exits Code.

The Life Safety Code, which you may also hear being referred to as NFPA 101, defines the minimum requirements for occupant protection during emergencies in various kinds of buildings. These requirements pertain to everything from the design of a building to the way it is maintained.

Though it is not a legal code and has no legal authority, lots of states in the U.S. have adopted the Life Safety Code as a regulatory requirement. Ultimately, its adoption varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, so be sure to check if your local authority having jurisdiction has adopted it into their framework.

Egress

Means of egress refers to the ways that people inside of a building are able to get out of it. The Life Safety Code provides standards pertaining to different aspects of these means, including

• Width and number of exit paths
• Maximum travel distance to exits
• Protection of exits to keep them unobstructed
• Visibility of exit signs
• Stair configurations
• Illumination level, duration, and reliability of emergency lighting systems
• Doors allowing free escape
• Safe and slip-resistant walkways

Building construction and services

The Life Safety Code specifies what kinds of materials and methods can be used for construction on different types of buildings. It also outlines the ways that building services should be installed, tested, and maintained.

Building services include

• Air conditioning
• Commercial cooking equipment
• Electrical wiring
• Elevators
• Escalators
• Gas equipment and piping
• Heating
• Ventilation

Criteria for the installation, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems and their individual components are detailed in the Life Safety Code.

Fire protection

Fire protection equipment includes

• Alarm and communication systems
• Automatic sprinklers
• Fire and smoke barriers
• Fire and smoke detection devices
• Fire partitions
• Smoke control systems

Interior finishes, contents, and furnishings

The kinds of interior finishes, contents, and furnishings (such as decor, furniture, and wall coverings) allowed in a building depends on the building type and location. All materials must be evaluated for how fast flames are able to spread on them and how much smoke they generate in the event of a fire. More hazardous materials may not be allowed in certain areas of some buildings.

Special structures

Each building has unique needs, and the Life Safety Code takes this into account. Therefore, special structures are addressed directly and given their own set of rules specific to their needs.

Special structures include

• Historic buildings
• Open structures
• Piers
• Structures surrounded by water
• Tents
• Towers
• Underground structures
• Windowless structures

Accessibility

Buildings must be fit for use by people with disabilities and the Life Safety Code explains exactly how to keep buildings disability-friendly, with requirements provided for the number, location, and design of accessible means of egress. Requirements vary depending on the type of accessibility feature being used (for example, a ramp vs. an elevator).

Inspections, testing, and maintenance

The Life Safety Code sets forth the necessary standards for inspections, testing, and maintenance of the aforementioned features. These standards specify how frequently these procedures should be performed, what qualifications are necessary for the people performing them, and what documentation is necessary for each procedure.

Occupancy classifications

Under the Life Safety Code, buildings are divided into different occupancy classifications, with each classification being subject to criteria tailored to their distinct risks and needs. 

Classifications are based on

• How many people will be within the space at once
• How those people are likely to behave in an emergency scenario
• The activities that are expected to take place in the space

Anyone who works on the design, construction, or operation of a building will benefit from being familiar with the Life Safety Code. This includes

• Architects
• Code enforcement officials
• Contractors
• Designers
• Engineers
• Facility managers
• Insurance companies
• Maintenance teams

The Life Safety Code is unique in that it is constantly being updated to keep up with new technological developments, building designs, occupant behaviors, and real-world instances of fires. The NFPA revised the Life Safety Code after the Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire of 1942, the Our Lady of Angels School fire of 1958, the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire of 1977, and the The Station nightclub fire of 2003, just to name a few. Now, the Code continues to be revised at least every 3 years.

The importance of protecting occupants throughout the entirety of a building’s lifecycle by distinguishing between new and existing buildings, with requirements differing for each, is also emphasized in the Life Safety Code. This way, building owners know what to take into consideration when their building is being designed and built, as well as after it has been erected.

InspectNTrack helps building owners to not just be compliant, but able to prove it as well. InspectNTrack is well versed in inspecting emergency lighting systems, exit signs, fire doors, and more. Additionally, InspectNTrack’s software is already in use in buildings of all occupancy classifications, whether they be healthcare facilities, government buildings, or buildings on college campuses.

As evidenced by the tragedy of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire and all those that came both before and after it, following the requirements of the Life Safety Code is a matter of life or death. InspectNTrack understands just how big of a responsibility this is and is here to help you shoulder that burden.