(a) All buildings and structures and all parts thereof, both existing and new, shall be maintained in a safe and sanitary condition. All service equipment, means of egress, devices and safeguards which are required by this chapter in a building or which were required by a previous statute in a building when erected, altered or repaired, shall be maintained in good working order.
(b) It shall be unlawful for the owner of a building or his designated agent to fail to maintain the structure and its exitways in a safe and sanitary condition at all times. (1975 L.M.C., ch. 1, § 1.)