PM-701.2 Responsibility. The owner of the premises shall provide and maintain such fire safety facilities and equipment in compliance with these requirements. A person shall not occupy as owner-occupant or permit another person to occupy any premises that do not comply with the requirements of this Chapter.
PM-702.4 Emergency escape openings. Required emergency escape openings shall be maintained in accordance with the code in effect at the time of construction, and the following. Required emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys or tools. Bars, grilles, grates or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with the code that was in effect at the time of construction and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening.
PM-702.5 Exterior stairs and fire escapes. 454 All exterior stairways and fire escapes, as defined in the Fire Code, shall be kept free of snow and ice. The owner of the building shall have weather protecting products applied to all exterior stairways and fire escapes constructed of materials requiring the application of such products in an approved manner and as often as necessary to maintain the stairways and fire escapes in safe condition. Fire escapes and fire escape balconies shall be examined for structural adequacy and safety in accordance with Section F-1011.1.
Notes
| 454 | Added, Bill No. 160462 (approved June 28, 2016). |
1. On the ceiling or wall outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of bedrooms.
2. In each room used for sleeping purposes.
3. In each story within a dwelling unit, including basements and cellars but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.
Single- or multiple-station smoke alarms shall be installed in other groups in accordance with the International Fire Code.
[F] PM-704.3 Power source for Smoke Alarms. Single-station smoke alarms shall receive their primary power from the building wiring provided that such wiring is served from a commercial source and shall be equipped with a battery backup. Smoke alarms with integral strobes that are not equipped with battery backup shall be connected to an emergency electrical system. Smoke alarms shall emit a signal when the batteries are low.
Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than as required for overcurrent protection.
Exceptions:
1. Smoke alarms are permitted to be solely battery powered with 10-year nonremovable (sealed) batteries in existing one- and two-family dwellings built prior to January 1, 1988, where no construction is taking place.
2. Smoke alarms are permitted to be solely battery powered with 10-year nonremovable (sealed) batteries in one- and two-family dwellings that are not served from a commercial power source.
3. Smoke alarms are permitted to be solely battery powered with 10-year nonremovable (sealed) batteries in existing one- and two-family dwellings built prior to January 1, 1988, undergoing alterations or repairs that do not result in the removal of interior walls or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space or basement available which could provide access for building wiring without the removal of interior finishes.
PM-704.4 Interconnection. 455 Where more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling unit in Group R-2, R-3, or R-4 and in dwellings not regulated as Group R occupancies, the smoke alarms shall be interconnected in such a manner that the activation of one alarm will activate all of the alarms in the individual unit. The alarm shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with all intervening doors closed.
Exceptions:
1. Interconnection is not required in buildings which are not undergoing alterations, repairs or construction of any kind, except for congregate living facilities as regulated by the Philadelphia Fire Code.
2. Except in congregate living facilities, smoke alarms in existing areas are not required to be interconnected where alterations or repairs do not result in the removal of interior wall or ceiling finishes exposing the structure, unless there is an attic, crawl space or basement available which could provide access for interconnection without the removal of interior finishes.
Notes
| 455 | Amended, Bill No. 180464 (approved July 18, 2018), effective October 1, 2018. |