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Means of Egress

Well, certainly not graspable. Of not much use to some one with arthritis. They'll have to renter the house afire and find "the" means of egress.
 
bill1952 said:
Doesn't make it right or safer. Meeting code minimums is just a passing grade, D-, and I guess I'm just cursed by a desire to do better.
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I’d agree. I just can’t find anything that says I can fail it. It meets the minimum passing grade.
 
The OPs argument is that 3.11 begins with:

R311.1 Means of egress.​

Dwellings shall be provided with a means of egress in accordance with this section....

emphasizing "A means of egress..." as in one single one but

311.7 Stairways.
says

R311.7.1 Width.​

Stairways shall be not less than 36 inches (914 mm) in clear width..... (and all the rest)

which I think means all stairways, not just stairways a part of the single required m.o.e.

2021 changes are clearer, but I don't think they mean anything different.
 
It is quite clear in R311.4 that when egressing vertically from one raised portion to a lower level portion within the dwelling unit that R311.8 or R311.7 are the sections you are to use when designing and constructing the egress for the dwelling.
 
Salty_Sailor said:
None of that answers the question. Does it state that homes shall have more than one means of egress? Or are we supposed to interpret it as any means of egress that fits the requirements of the chapter of means of egress be considered as such? Meaning if I have multiple doors leading to the outside that fits the description of means of egress is automatically deamed means of egress? I haven't seen a plan come across my desk that labels anything as means of egress in residential buildings. So how do we know what means of egress any house is using
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Salty_Sailor:

Not sure what the issue is why the question so specific, but here are a few takeaways that might help.
  • Titles and Chapters are not enforceable, the actual text in the code Section's of R311... is, ask the ICC, they are nothing more than like the Giant Capital "D" in a dictionary that helps you navigate to all the words that begin with a "D", or "Di" so you can skip ahead.
    • So R311.1 Means of Egress. is a title/pointer - Not code
      • The enforceable text part starts with "Dwellings ....
      • At least that is what has been drilled into me at every code hearing I ever attended for the last 28 years, just like 3 weeks ago...
    • Then R311.2 Egress door, again just a title
      • "Not less than one egress door", the code says you only need one, but assumes you could have more,
      • if you only need one, why or how do you have others?
  • So, then this takes us I am guessing only here to R311.4 Vertical egress, again a title pointer.
    • This sends you to R311.8 & R311.7.
  • R311.7 Stairways, again a title pointer
    • So if you have stairs, they need to meet the code.
    • Stairs and stair flights, seemed reasonable to place them in an area that needs stairs in the book, hence the "means of egress chapter/chapter section" in the IBC and sub chapter of M.O.E., title by name, not code text.
  • R311.8 Handrails, again a title pointer
    • Actual Code: "Handrails shall be provided on not less than one side of each flight of stairs with four or more risers."
    • So simply, you have a stair flight with 4 or more then a compliant handrail is required on one side.
      • Nothing in that code text says only in designated or required Means of Egress stairs, just Stairs!
      • What the local AHJ will accept or not, is on them, but that is how the actual code text reads, and have followed as enforced in all the jurisdictions I have worked in across the country on projects.
Not sure this helps or not.

Regards - Tom
 
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