Sim Day Results: Life Safety

Grade: PASS

How I felt during: Strong, efficient, and thorough

{ How I did }

Door/Frame/Hardware Schedule 

(26/28 Selections Correct)

• Got my door heights right this time! All 7'-0"
• Used HM (Hollow Metal) for a storage room door, and SCW (Solid Core Wood) for all others
• Kept it consistent: AL (Aluminum) frames for all
• Kept it consistent: Same door type for all single doors, with the exception of one double door (no visibility requirements)
• Rated all doors requiring it to 20 minutes (not one hour!)
• I selected 2 of 4 locksets incorrectly. Bummer. Well, really - who knows if they could be right? The solutions are not helpful. I'd love to learn this!!
• (X) One was for a rated storage room (TIP: greater than 100 SF must be rated) requiring controlled access. I selected a Lever Passage Set with Maglock and Card Reader. Correct: Lever Passage Set with Maglock, Closer, and Card Reader. TIP: Rated doors (like this one) require a closer. 
• (X) For a rated assembly space, I specified: Lever Passage Set with Closer. Correct: Lockset with Panic Bar and Closer.**
• **Still not sure why a panic bar is required in a training room. Panic bars are typically required on exits from a tenant space, doors to stairways, and exits from stairways/buildings. Anyone know for sure?

Partition Schedule 

(14/15 Selections Correct)

• (X) I got everything right except a Conference Room wall with acoustical properties needed to extend to the deck not 4" above finished ceiling; TIP: Acoustical = to deck. 

Plan

• (X) Missed an Exit sign
• (X) Drew arrows on an exit sign in the wrong direction

I will be featuring a post this week titled "Hardware: Rules of Thumb." I'm determined to get this right!!!

Luck with locks,

Carolyn

Life Safety: How I Did!

A few weeks back, I published this helpful post with tips and symbols found in the Life Safety plan. I took this portion of the practice test a week ago and felt stronger than I had last year. I did not pass this portion the first time I took the test.

For this practice test section, my result is FAIL. Boo-hoo. I was a wee hard on myself, but how will I improve otherwise?!

As mentioned in this post, several of the things I missed are in the Codes provided. I've - admittedly a nerd - hash-tagged "RTD" (Read The Directions) beside points I lost for not referencing the Code Section provided. While I know most of these by heart/practice, it's tough to recall everything when you're stressed and timed on test day. TIP: Practice learning ahead of time here: NCIDQ Codes. 

Door / Frame / Hardware Schedule

• My door heights are incorrect at 6'-8" (which is acceptable for residential, but not commercial spaces); minimum is 7'-0". Section 4.5.1 of Codes provided. #RTD
• I used the wrong notation for wood doors: HWD (Hollow Wood Door); SCW (Solid Core Wood) is correct. I'm not sure if they'd mark this down, but I will use SCW in the future.
• I specified a set of double doors which have glass in them, but did not write "SCW/GLZ" or "SCW w/ glazing" under "Material".
• Door types are all acceptable.
• I wrote (1) hour rating rather than 20-minute rating for fire/heat-rated doors. Section 2.4 of Codes provided. #RTD
• All frame materials are acceptable.
• I assigned a "Lever Passage Set" to the double doors to the Conference Room. It should be "Lever Passage Set, (1) Dummy Set with Flush Bolts".
• I assigned "Lever Passage Set, (1) Dummy Set with Flush Bolts" to the single doors of the Training Room. Not sure why because they need only (1) set per door (???). "Lever Passage Set with Closer" is acceptable. 

Partition Schedule

• All of my partition ratings are correctly marked (1) hour rated and non-rated. 
• Partition height: P3 is noted at 4" above finished ceiling; it should be "to finished ceiling"; P4, a (1) hour rated partition between the training room and the corridor should be "to deck" rather than "4" above finished ceiling.  
• P1 should be acoustical as it is a rated corridor wall. 

Life Safety Equipment

• I placed most* AV Fire Alarms and Wall-mounted Emergency Lights.
• I placed most* smoke detectors properly.
• *I missed (1) smoke detector, (1) AV alarm, and (1) emergency light in one wing of the lobby. There was a portion of the corridor where the AV/Lights were not visible, therefore I should have provided more.
• I only placed AV alarms and smoke detectors in the Restrooms; Emergency lights should also be shown. #RTD (sort of, this was not clear as one could argue by this direction that Restrooms also require Exit signs based on the direction, but they are not, apparently?)
• I missed a Fire Extinguisher in the Elevator Lobby. #RTD

{ TIPS }

• Rated partitions extend to the deck. 
• Partitions between tenants should be rated, extend to the deck, and have acoustical properties. Unless the program notes additional acoustical separation, it is not required.
• (1) Fire Extinguisher should be in the common lobby, in addition to the amount required in the suite. 
• All door heights 7'-0".
• SCW = solid core wood door
• HMD = hollow metal [alum.] door
• MTL or HMF = alum. frame (Use these throughout unless directed otherwise)
• Follow directions for locking / hardware requirements. This is a tough part for me because it could be a few, but there is usually one that is best.
• Make sure your AV alarm has the strobe light (triangle) pointed OUT into the room.
• Make sure your Exit Signs have directional arrows where direction of exit is not obvious (aka, not placed right over the door).
• Make sure your Exit Signs are shaded properly to depict the illuminated side. 

That's all for now... As this is a tough one for me (I don't do it all the time... or ever), I'm focusing on it until I get it right. Andrew told me how he and all of his prep school AP Physics (said to be the hardest of all AP exams) classmates got 5's by doing as many practice problems as it took to get them all right. I was blown away. 

He asked me, "Carolyn, do you know the difference between amateurs and professionals?"

Me: "No.. what is it?"

Andrew: "Amateurs practice till they get it right. Professionals practice till they can't get it wrong."

Live Safely,

Carolyn

Exit Signs: Useful Facts

This is a problem area for me (and likely, many designers) as it is typically done by a registered architect. However, designers should have a knowledge of exit sign symbols, locations, and regulations as it affects the safety and well-being of those occupying a given space. It also determines location of sprinklers, lighting, and other systems components. 

Note: while I would be capable of laying out a life-safety plan (even as a licensed designer), I would always have a registered architect review, approve, and alter (as fit) my layout. 

Some helpful facts

- All exit signs with a directional indicator must be placed in every location where the direction of travel to reach the nearest exit is not apparent. [NFPA 101, Section 7.10.2] 
- At each door providing access to the area of refuge
- At all exits providing an accessible mean of egress
- Where necessary to indicate clearly the direction to an area of refuge
- All doors opening to corridors, to an exit, to an exit passageway
- Within Exit Stairs, horizontal extensions in exit stairs

- There MUST be an audio/visual fire signal device located in each restroom, hallway, lobby, and general assembly area. Also, MUST be visible from any location in the room or space and MUST be mounted between 6’-8” to 7’-6" AFF. 
- The minimum number of fire extinguishers MUST be calculated based on one (1) fire extinguisher per 3000 SF
- Fire extinguishers MUST be located no more than 75’ from the furthest occupant. 
- Smoke and Heat Detector coverage MUST include all rooms, corridors and storage areas.

Sample Symbols

Now Exiting,
Carolyn