Section 400.4538. Means of egress.

(1) Means of egress shall be considered the entire way and method of passage to free and safe ground outside a facility. All required means of egress shall be maintained in an unobstructed, easily traveled condition at all times.

(2)   In an existing facility, each resident-occupied room shall have access to not less than 2 independent, properly separated, approved means of egress or have a doorway leading directly to the outside at grade.

(3)    In existing licensed multistory secure and large facilities, at least 1 means of egress from each floor shall be direct to the outside or shall be through an enclosed stairway which is properly separated from exposure from floors below and which exits direct to the outside at grade or a previously approved escape window.

(4)   In a small facility where ambulatory residents use a floor above the street level, 1 of the 2 required means of egress may be an approved escape window from each resident-occupied room which provides direct access to the ground and which has a sill height not more than 5 feet above the ground below or which provides access to an approved fire escape.

(5)   In a newly constructed, remodeled, or converted facility, each resident-occupied story, including a resident-occupied basement, shall have not less than 2 independent approved means of egress separated by not less than 50% of the longest dimension of the story. All child-occupied rooms shall be situated between two approved exits unless the child-occupied room has an exit leading directly to the outside at grade. One adjacent intervening room shall be permitted between a sleeping room and an approved exit access corridor that leads to two approved exits in opposite or perpendicular directions.

(6)     In a newly constructed, remodeled, or converted large or secure facility, additional means of egress, in addition to the minimum of 2 required from each story, are required if the maximum possible occupancy exceeds 100 residents per story. There shall be at least 1 additional means of egress for each 100 additional residents per story. Means of egress shall be of such number and so arranged that it is not necessary to travel more than 100 feet from the door of a resident-occupied room to reach the nearest approved protected exit-way from that story.

(7)   An elevator shall not be approved as a required means of egress.

(8)   A means of egress shall not be used for the housing of residents or storage of any kind and shall not be obstructed or hidden from view by ornamentation, curtains, or other appurtenances.

(9)   Each required means of egress from floors where non-ambulatory residents are permitted shall discharge at grade or shall be equipped with a ramp which terminates at grade level. Ramps shall not exceed 1 foot of rise in 12 feet of run and shall have sturdy handrails. Once at grade, there shall be a surface sufficient to permit occupants to move a safe distance from the facility.

(10)   In a small facility housing 1 or more non-ambulatory or wheelchair residents, required exit-ways forming part of a required means of egress from portions of the facility housing such residents shall be not less than 48 inches wide in a new facility and not less than 44 inches wide in a converted facility, with doors a minimum of 36 inches wide.

History: 1983 AACS; 2015 AACS.