Fire Escape Inspections and Repairs in Philadelphia
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Philadelphia Fire Escape Inspection FAQ PDF
All fire escapes and fire escape balconies must be inspected and the reports submitted by July 1, 2017.
IMPORTANT:
The owner of any building with fire escapes or fire escape balconies shall be responsible for retaining a Professional to conduct periodic inspections of the fire escapes and fire escape balconies, and to prepare and file a report on such inspection with the owner. All fire escapes and fire escape balconies must be inspected and the reports submitted by July 1, 2017.
A summary of that inspection must be submitted to the Department of Licenses and Inspections on a form titled
“Summary Inspection Report of Fire Escapes and Fire Escape Balconies”.
The City of Philadelphia’s Property Maintenance Code requires all building owners to maintain their buildings in good repair, structurally sound and sanitary so as to not impose a threat to the public. Additionally, the Fire Code establishes specific requirements for periodic inspections of fire escapes and fire escape balconies and the filing of reports of such inspections. This document serves to inform the public of the method of reporting those inspections to the Department.
See Section F-1011.1 of the Philadelphia Fire Code BELOW for more details.
Philadelphia Fire Escape Inspection
Fire Escapes Philadelphia
Philadelphia residential building owners, including private homeowners, are also responsible for complying with statewide fire codes that regulate fire escapes. All Philadelphia residential buildings that have living space on the second floor or above require at least two means of escape for residents. This usually means a normal entrance stairway and an escape window. These windows must be less than 3 feet above the interior floor. If they are more than 6 feet above the exterior ground, they require ladders or exterior stairs made from fire-retardant wood or metal.
Maintenance and Egress
The Philadelphia fire code borrows from the International Residential Code and similar standards to provide requirements for residential fire escape maintenance. Building owners are responsible for inspecting and repairing fire escape stairs and escape windows, as well as alarms and sprinkler systems. Homeowners with living space in basements must install egress windows to provide secondary escape routes. Philadelphia and Pennsylvania state authorities can impose fines or require alterations to residential buildings that fail to meet applicable fire escape code requirements.
F-1011.1.2 Materials and strength.
Components of fire escapes shall be constructed of noncombustible materials. Fire escapes and balconies shall support the dead load plus a live load of not less than 100 pounds per square foot (4.78 kN/m2). Fire escapes and balconies shall be provided with a top and intermediate handrail on each side.
F-1011.1.10 Inspection procedures.
5. To be considered Safe or Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program, the fire escape and fire escape balconies shall be capable of meeting or exceeding the load requirements of Section F-1011.1.2. This load requirement can be met by either an engineering analysis by the Professional or by conducting a load test. Any load test shall be witnessed by the Professional.
Send us photos of your fire escape by email: info@FireEscapesPhiladelphia.com
or click here to submit via an online form
The City of Philadelphia adopted the State of Pennsylvania’s Act 45, the Uniform Construction Code (UCC) on July 8, 2004. The UCC includes very specific regulations regarding the administration and enforcement of construction codes.
Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC), the Commonwealth has adopted the 2015 International Code Council’s (ICC) family of codes which are available for free online, and become effective October 1, 2018.
Section A105 – Responsibility
A-105.1 Owners: The owner shall be responsible for the testing, maintenance and repair of structures and systems in accordance with the maintenance provisions of this code and the technical codes.
A-105.2 Occupant responsibility: If an occupant of a structure creates conditions in violation of this code or the technical codes, by virtue of any improper use of the premises or by virtue of storage, handling and use of substances, materials, devices and appliances, the occupant shall be responsible for the abatement of said hazardous conditions.
A-105.3 Contractor responsibility: 10.1 All contractors, whether licensed by the Department or exempt from licensing under State law, shall be responsible for compliance with this code and the technical codes in the performance of their work.
A-105.4 Transfer of responsibility: 10.2 A contract between owner and operator, owner and contractor, operator and occupant, operator and contractor, occupant and contractor, or owner and occupant with regard to compliance with this code and the technical codes shall not relieve any party of direct responsibility under such codes.
Section A106 – Inspections
A-402.10 Required inspections. 67.7 Required inspections shall include the following items as they relate to the technical codes. The Department is authorized to conduct additional inspections as determined by conditions and the scope of work authorized by the permit. The permit holder and contractor shall be responsible for the scheduling of such inspections. The contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that the required inspections are approved before proceeding.
A-402.10.5.5 Other inspections. In addition to the called inspections above, the code official may make or require any other inspections to ascertain compliance with the Residential Code and other laws, rules and regulations enforced by the code official.
Section A503 – Violations
A-501.1 Unlawful acts: It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, alter, extend, repair, remove, demolish, maintain, fail to maintain, provide, fail to provide, occupy, let to another to occupy or permit another person to occupy any structure or equipment regulated by this code or the technical codes, or cause same to be done, contrary to or in conflict with or in violation of any of the provisions of this code or the technical codes, or to fail to obey a lawful order of the code official, or to remove or deface a placard or notice posted under the provisions of this code or the technical codes.
A-503.1 Failure to correct: 71.1 After the expiration of the time for compliance as stated on the notice of violation, a re-inspection or reinvestigation shall be made by the code official to determine compliance. If the violation has not been corrected and no appeal is pending, the code official shall institute the appropriate legal proceedings to apply penalties as provided for in this code or for the purpose of ordering the responsible person:
- To restrain, correct or remove the violation or refrain from any further execution of work;
- To restrain or correct the erection, construction, conversion, installation, maintenance, repair or alteration of the structure in violation;
- To require the removal of work in violation; or
- To prevent the use or occupancy of the premises or structure that is not in compliance with the provisions of this code or the technical codes.
A-503.1.1 Immediate hazard: Notwithstanding the provisions of Section A-503.1, nothing shall prevent the code official from instituting appropriate remedies to protect occupants or the public from conditions which pose an immediate threat to health or safety.
A-503.2 Abatement of violation: 72 Whenever any violation of this code or the technical codes or any order issued pursuant thereto is not corrected, the department, in addition to invoking any other sanction or penalty shall be authorized to, itself or by contract, correct the violation, charge the costs (including administrative costs) thereof to the violator, and with the approval of the Law Department collect the costs by lien or otherwise. Repeat violations of the Property Maintenance Code, requiring more than one such abatement of violation on the same property in a twelve-month period, may be assessed an additional penalty pursuant to subsection 1. of § A-601.1. 72.1
SOURCE:
Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections
https://www.phila.gov/li/codesandregulations/Pages/codes.aspx
NATIONAL CODES:
IFC 2015 1104.16 Fire Escape PDF actual code
2012 IFC 1104.16.5.1 Fire escape stairs must be examined every 5 years ,by design professional or others acceptable and inspection report must be submitted to the fire code official.
IBC 1001.3.3 All fire escapes shall be examined and/or tested and certified every five years by a design professional or others acceptable who will then submit an affidavit city official.
NFPA LIFE SAFETY CODE 101 7.2.8.6.2 The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) shall approve any fire escape by Load Test or other evidence of strength (Certification).
OSHA 1910.37 Exit routes must be maintained during construction, repairs, alterations or provide alternative egress with equivalent level of safety. (permit issued if egress is certified or with egress scaffolding)
FIVE STEPS to Certify a Fire Escape:
- Schedule a pre load test evaluation by a design professional or others acceptable by City Official – AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction)
- Said professional will confirm with City Official if there are any other requirements other than load testing or other evidence of strength and if City Official wants to witness initial evaluation
- Submit evaluation report to owner/agent and a copy to the City Official as per code
- Issue certification, if passed, done by load test or other evidence of strength to City Official or, if failed, owner/agent and city official to confirm next steps (ex. engineer oversight, permits or other conditions)
- Please contact your local City Official (AHJ) with any questions about the above steps
Philadelphia Fire Escape Inspection
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