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> can you give me examples where fire codes are over-zealous? There's a small movement to eradicate the requirement for midrise buildings to have 2 stairways.
by adrianparsons 4y ago
> can you give me examples where fire codes are over-zealous?
There's a small movement to eradicate the requirement for midrise buildings to have 2 stairways. Advocates point to European regulations and claim that a single stairway is just as safe as 2.
Double stairways, they say, makes construction more expensive and results in awkward, undesirable apartment layouts.
https://slate.com/business/2021/12/staircases-floor-plan-twitter-housing-apartments.html https://slate.com/business/2021/12/staircases-floor-plan-twi...
- cm2012 4y agoYes, I suspect this rule will be removed more and more as the housing crisis continues across first world metros.
- the_mitsuhiko 4y agoMany European regulations on fire safety are pretty stringent in other areas too that equally run up costs. Also certain buildings require two staircases but scissor staircases are permitted.
- mjevans 4y agoI remember a commentator in a previous thread mentioned something like... 'In NY "Fire-Proof" buildings can be built like that', when they're built out of materials that do not burn and in ways where the fire cannot spread. Effectively the safer place in a fire, in theory, would be to shelter in place as it cannot spread. I'm all for using as many non-burning materials as possible in building construction.
- flavius29663 4y agoThis to me sounds like another case of out of context "Europeans do this, so it must be better". From personal experience, the UK takes fire safety much more serious than the US: fire alarm tested every week, fire drills are made often and *for real*, fire doors everywhere, every kitchen has a fire blanket (not just an extinguisher), every building has 2 doors, every appliance has a plug with a fuse in the plug itself (btw, American plugs are a joke) etc. Are you proposing to get rid of the second stairway alone, or are you going to bring all the other regulations too?
- LouisSayers 4y agoMaybe they could just put a fire pole or a rope on the other end. It may not be as ideal as stairs, but if it's a backup option you'd think that'd be much less costly while still allowing at least a majority of people to escape.
- itronitron 4y agoUS apartment buildings are much more likely to involve wood frame construction than EU apartment buildings.