No owner, operator or other person shall occupy or let to another
person any dwelling, rooming house, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or
sleeping unit which does not comply with the following minimum standards
for safety from fire, and no dwelling, rooming house, dwelling unit,
rooming unit, or sleeping unit or any premises containing such areas
shall fail to comply with the following minimum standards for safety
from fire.
No dwelling unit, rooming unit, or sleeping unit shall be located
within a building containing any establishment handling, dispensing
or storing flammable liquids in any quantity which endangers the lives
of the occupants.
Every dwelling unit, rooming unit and sleeping unit shall have
safe, unobstructed means of egress leading to safe and open space
at ground level and shall be so located as to be accessible without
going through another dwelling unit, rooming unit or sleeping unit.
Exit doors, where practical, shall swing in the line of egress.
A.
In buildings containing two or more units, no transom shall be permitted
to open onto a means of egress, nor shall they be permitted between
units. Fire protection in hallways, stairways, corridors and other
interior means of egress shall be of one-hour fire-resistive construction.
Doors opening onto public halls shall be labeled a minimum of 20 minutes
fire rated or shall be one-and-three-fourths-inch flush wood doors
with a solid lumber core. Doors shall fit into their openings with
a one-eighth-inch tolerance between the door edge and frame and one-half-inch
tolerance between door bottom and floor. Fire separation between dwelling,
rooming or sleeping units shall be one-hour fire-resistive construction.
[Amended 10-23-2012 by Ord. No. 15022]
B.
Swinging fire door shall close from the full-open position and latch
automatically. The door closer shall exert enough force to close and
latch the door from any partially open position.
C.
Egress doors shall be readily openable from the egress side without
the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.
[Amended 10-23-2012 by Ord. No. 15022]
A.
There shall be at least two means of egress available for all units
in:
[Amended 10-23-2012 by Ord. No. 15022]
B.
An existing fire escape may be accepted by the public officer as
a second means of egress. If accepted, however, the fire escape shall
be in sound working condition and serve every unit above the first
floor.
[Amended 5-18-1995 by Ord. No. 13332; 10-23-2012 by Ord. No. 15022]
C.
A required second means of egress to be newly constructed shall meet
all performance standards of the current adopted building and fire
codes.
[Amended 5-4-1983 by Ord.
No. 12554; 5-18-1995 by Ord. No. 13332; 10-23-2012 by Ord. No. 15022]
D.
Every hallway, stairway, corridor, exit, fire escape door and other
means of egress shall be kept clear at all times. Each of these means
of egress shall lead directly to grade with safe access to a public
way.
E.
Windows leading to fire escapes shall have openings large enough
to provide safe and adequate means of egress with sills not over 36
inches above the inside floor level. Height of window sill above fire
escape balcony platform or landing should not exceed eight inches.
Windows shall be maintained in fully operable condition at all times.
[Amended 2-3-2016 by Ord.
No. 15269]
A.
Single-family buildings. In all single-family residential buildings,
smoke detectors shall be required in each sleeping room, in the immediate
area outside of each sleeping room and on every story of the dwelling
unit, including basements. Smoke detectors may be battery operated.
B.
Two- to twelve-unit residential buildings. In two- to twelve-unit
residential buildings, interconnected smoke detectors shall be required
in common public use areas such as halls, corridors, stairways, stair
towers, lobbies, basements or similar common areas. Approved smoke
detectors shall be required in each sleeping room, in the immediate
area outside of each sleeping room, and on each floor level, including
the basement. Smoke detectors inside dwelling units may be battery
operated. Smoke detectors in common areas are required to be connected
to the common area system and must be hard-wired with battery backup.
C.
Thirteen-or-more-unit residential buildings. Any building containing
13 or more residential units must comply with the most recently adopted
International Fire Code. Approved smoke detectors shall be required
in each sleeping room, in the immediate area outside of each sleeping
room, and on each floor level, including the basement. Smoke detectors
inside dwelling units may be battery operated. Smoke detectors in
common areas are required to be connected to the common area system
and must be hard-wired with battery backup.
D.
Mixed-use buildings. In mixed-use buildings containing any nonresidential
use and any residential unit(s), interconnected smoke detectors shall
be required serving the nonresidential use and common use areas such
as halls, corridors, stairways, stair towers, lobbies, basements or
similar common areas. In residential unit(s) in mixed-use buildings,
approved smoke detectors shall be required in each sleeping room,
in the immediate area outside of each sleeping room, and on each floor
level, including the basement. Smoke detectors inside dwelling units
may be battery operated. Smoke detectors in common areas are required
to be connected to the common area system and must be hard-wired with
battery backup.
(1)
Exception 1: Buildings that comply with the currently adopted International
Fire Prevention Code and were constructed or converted by alteration
to a different use and occupancy by meeting the standards of the Pennsylvania
Uniform Construction Code or prior Building Codes adopted by the City
of Allentown.
(2)
Exception 2: Buildings that are sprinklered in a manner approved
by the International Fire Prevention Code, as amended, will be permitted
the following exceptions:
(a)
Common public use area smoke detection is not required other
than in the basement.
(b)
Smoke detectors will not be retroactively required inside sleeping
rooms, providing that an approved smoke detector is installed in the
immediate vicinity outside each sleeping room. This exception does
not apply to rooming units or similar sleeping units. All dwelling
units must have at least one approved smoke detector installed inside
that unit.
|
NOTE: Immediate area outside each sleeping room shall mean approximately
15 linear feet.
|
|
NOTE: The smoke detector(s) installed to protect the area outside
of each sleeping room satisfies the requirement of one smoke detector
per floor within that unit.
|
[Amended 10-17-2012 by Ord. No. 15022]
A.
All residential dwellings when attached by a common ceiling, wall
or floor to another dwelling unit, or nonresidential unit, shall have
a minimum fire separation of one-hour fire resistance rating.
B.
All residential dwellings located above or attached by a common wall
to a garage shall have a one-hour fire separation rating. Interior
doors leading to an attached garage shall be a labeled twenty-minute
fire-rated door or shall be one-and-three-fourths-inch flush wood
doors with a solid lumber core. Doors shall fit into their openings
with a one-eighth-inch tolerance between the door edge and frame and
one-half-inch tolerance between door bottom and floor.
C.
Common laundry facilities shall be separated from combustible surfaces
by material having a one-hour fire rating extending three feet beyond
the facilities. All dryers shall be connected to a smooth metal ductwork
system (not to exceed 35 feet) and properly vented to the exterior
with a back draft damper.
A.
A primary exitway containing eight risers or more shall be either
interior enclosed exitways or shall be constructed of noncombustible
materials.
B.
Exceptions to this requirement will be allowed for primary exits
from structures built of combustible materials and approved in accordance
with the Basic Building Code in force at the time of construction.
