(A) Performance requirements. Every rental dwelling and rooming unit shall have access to two independent, unobstructed means of egress remote from each other. Except for a dwelling or rooming unit of the first story or below grade, neither means of egress shall consist solely of a window approved for emergency escape or rescue. At least one mode shall be an exit which discharges directly to a corridor, stairway or public way. If both exits are to a common corridor, they shall permit emergency egress in two directions.
(B) Structural requirements.
(1) Escapes.
(a) Sleeping rooms shall have a least one operable window or exterior door approved for emergency escape or rescue. The units shall be operable from the inside without resorting to separate tools.
(b) Doorways shall be a least six feet, four inches high by at least 32 inches wide.
(c) Escape windows shall have a minimum net opening of 5.7 square feet. The minimum net opening height shall be 24 inches, with a minimum net opening width of 20 inches and a maximum sill height of 44 inches from the floor.
(2) Stairway safety. Stairways having more than four risers shall be equipped with a substantial and safely constructed handrail of a height not less than 34 inches and not more than 38 inches above front nosing stair tread. The stairway rise height shall be uniform and each tread shall be of uniform width to allow uniform stepping motion for traversing the stairway.
(3) Raised floors.
(a) Porches, balconies or raised floor surfaces located more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 36 inches height.
(b) Open sides of stairs with a total rise of more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below shall have guards not less than 34 inches in height measured vertically from the nosing of the stair tread.
(4) Acceptability criteria. Acceptability criteria are the same as performance and structural requirements.
(Ord. 2364, passed 9-3-2019)