Are You Aware of Whether or Not Your Company’s Egress System IBC and IFC Compliant?

Until recently, the emergency evacuation safety of new construction as well as existing structures relied on outdated safety technology which had outlived its day, particularly emergency backup equipment and lighting, and non-luminous safety signs. Yet, all that changed after the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, in which the building’s emergency support generators were shattered, thus making their backup lighting system useless and leaving a large number of building occupants to find their way through exit stairwells in the dark. In reaction to that ordeal, cities and states all over the U.S. began implementing versions from the International Building Code (IBC), which governs the egress safety of new construction, and also the International Fire Code (IFC), which regulates the egress safety of both new construction as well as current buildings. The two codes formally apply to structures which contain occupancy above 75 feet from the lowest level of fire department vehicle accessibility.

At this time, all 50 states now utilize a version of the IBC, and at least 42 states now utilize a version of the IFC, causing building owners in some states to choose whether or not to implement the code’s instructions. Whether or not a state has adopted a version of the IFC, there are two major reasons to have an IFC compliant egress system: backup lighting and non-luminous safety signs perform poorly in the presence of smoke, and injuries or deaths that occur during emergency evacuations frequently lead to lawsuits against building owners. Nevertheless, building owners in states that have not adopted a model from the code, commonly disregard the code’s guidelines for one or more of the following reasons: the belief that the code’s regulations are an unnecessary expense; the fact that the majority of buildings never encounter emergency evacuations; and also the stubborn belief that older building egress technology is enough.

Nevertheless, if history is any indication, all states will likely begin following a version of the IFC, at which time building owners who don’t agree with the code without researching its usefulness and ease of implementation will discover that it is inexpensive to implement while offering superior egress safety. When it comes to expense and application, implementing the code’s guidelines is as simple as buying certain types of building safety signs, fire safety signs and luminescent tape from sellers of photoluminescent safety products, then installing them according to the code’s easy to understand instructions. Concerning signage, luminescent floor identification signs which contain specific information are placed at each floor landing within vertical exit enclosures, while luminescent, NFPA compliant running man signs (i.e. emergency exit symbols) are put on all exit-leading doors within vertical exit enclosures and exit passageways. To prepare for when their particular state adopts IFC regulations, and to increase the safety of their building occupants, the sensible choice for building owners in states that are not yet IFC compliant would be to begin implementing the code’s guidelines starting today.

While conducting research for this article, I learned about Fire Safety Signs and egress safety signs at www.globritesystem.com.