Emergency Exit Ladder

[Arcal]

Does anyone know who enforces the maintenance of existing emergency exit ladders. There is a steel/chain ladder the extends from the second floor of a Victorian era commercial building that is malfunctioning. I am dealing with it as a nuisance and requiring that it be fixed and maintained, but who is ultimately responsible for it? Would it be the fire department or the building department? I have no problem as the building official requiring the owner to repair the ladder, but I don't have any idea what the requirements are on how it is to properly function. It falls to the ground on its own and poses a problem of allowing access to the roofs of a whole block of buildings.

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[TheCommish]

Massachusetts has a specific amendment to deal whit fire escapes

 

[cda]

Was it ever a code compliant ladder??

What is it there for??

Is it part of a required means of exit??? Not sure how that one was approved

Does the fire dept even do annual or compliant inspections??

Any other code enforcement dept it may fall under??

 

[cda]

...........

 

[Arcal]

Who knows how long the ladder has been there, but it is the only second exit from the second floor of this two story stationary store. Whoever required it in the past as a fire escape thought it through because they had the business install exit signage and panic hardware on the door leading to the roof and it is old panic hardware.

 

[cda]

I am thinking maybe it got changed from an actual stair/ladder sometime in the past.

But do not see how it can be code complaint.

so what is your capacity in this??

does the fire department do annual inspections???

this fix seems like it needs a group effort of a lot of city agencies and the owner.

seem like a libility waiting to happen.

any other ladders like this in the city??????

 

[cda]

maybe convert to a more modern version

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4412303084_5ab2087e2a.jpg

 

[Arcal]

First of all I am the Building Official and no the fire department does not make annual inspections on these ladders, which there are two in the city. Right now I am giving the owner 20 days to fix the problem. I will have to see what his fix is. He may need to upgrade the ladder, but I don't think the city will approve your recommendation. This particular ladder is a big liability.

 

[globe trekker]

Arcal,

Has your AHJ adopted the Property Maintenance Code, or have a similar code/ordinance

in place?

Property Maintenance is typically an assigned responsibility by the AHJ. Here it is enforced

by the BO, but the FCO could be the assigned code official (Section 104.1, in the 2006

Edition of the IPMC).

.

 

[cda]

First of all I am the Building Official and no the fire department does not make annual inspections on these ladders, which there are two in the city. Right now I am giving the owner 20 days to fix the problem. I will have to see what his fix is. He may need to upgrade the ladder, but I don't think the city will approve your recommendation. This particular ladder is a big liability.

Is the owner going to run the fix by you first??

Sounds like you have the ball to take care of.

 

[Arcal]

The owner came into the office and said that he had drilled a hole in the lever and latching mechanism and installed a pull/pin. Then he placed a permanent note saying to pull pin to release. I will inspect this with the Fire Chief, but it appears that this could be the fix we are looking for. He believes the ladder was installed sometime in the 30's.

 

[cda]

sounds like needs a better fix down the road.

Is the second exit still needed???

 

[Arcal]

I would have to go through the total second floor and calculate the occupant load. It is retail, office, storage and who knows what else. It is nice having a second exit because 3/4 of the block is a tinder box, 100+ year old redwood. When one building goes up, we usually lose two.