F04 Exit and Egress Requirements 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under the NYC Fire Code, what must a fireguard do if an exit door is found locked during an assembly event?
- Place a sign on the door indicating it is locked
- Immediately require the door to be unlocked or stop the event (Correct answer)
- Contact building management the next business day
- Allow the event to continue if at least one other exit is available
Correct answer: Immediately require the door to be unlocked or stop the event
A locked required exit during an occupied assembly event is an immediate life-safety violation that must be corrected at once or the event must cease.
Question 2: Exit doors in places of assembly must swing in which direction when serving 50 or more occupants?
- Inward to prevent crowd surges from forcing them open
- In the direction of egress travel (outward) (Correct answer)
- Either direction as long as they open fully
- Sliding or folding is acceptable for spaces under 500 persons
Correct answer: In the direction of egress travel (outward)
Doors serving 50 or more persons must swing in the direction of egress travel so crowd pressure aids opening rather than blocking it.
Question 3: What is the minimum illumination level required for means of egress during an assembly event?
- 0.5 foot-candle at floor level
- 1 foot-candle at floor level (Correct answer)
- 2 foot-candles at floor level
- 5 foot-candles at floor level
Correct answer: 1 foot-candle at floor level
NYC Fire and Building codes require a minimum of 1 foot-candle at floor level throughout the means of egress during occupancy.
Question 4: Which of the following is NOT considered part of the 'means of egress' as defined by the NYC Building Code?
- Exit access corridor
- Exit stairway enclosure
- A lobby area used for equipment storage (Correct answer)
- Exit discharge path leading to a public way
Correct answer: A lobby area used for equipment storage
A lobby used for storage is not part of an approved means of egress; the means of egress consists of exit access, the exit itself, and exit discharge to the public way.
Question 5: What is the maximum travel distance to an exit in an unsprinklered assembly occupancy under NYC Fire Code?
- 100 feet
- 150 feet
- 200 feet (Correct answer)
- 250 feet
Correct answer: 200 feet
NYC Fire Code limits travel distance to 200 feet in unsprinklered assembly occupancies to ensure occupants can reach an exit quickly.
Question 6: How frequently must emergency lighting systems in places of assembly be tested under NYC Fire Code?
- Daily before each event
- Monthly for 30 seconds and annually for 90 minutes (Correct answer)
- Weekly for 5 minutes
- Quarterly for 15 minutes
Correct answer: Monthly for 30 seconds and annually for 90 minutes
The NYC Fire Code requires emergency lighting to be tested monthly for at least 30 seconds and annually for a full 90-minute duration to verify battery backup capacity.
Question 7: What is an 'exit discharge' in the context of a means of egress?
- The portion of egress travel from the exit to a public way (Correct answer)
- The sprinkler discharge point located near exit doors
- The fire department connection adjacent to exit stairways
- The electrical panel powering emergency lighting at exits
Correct answer: The portion of egress travel from the exit to a public way
Exit discharge is the component of the means of egress between the termination of an exit and a public way, completing the continuous egress path.
F04 Exit and Egress Requirements 1
Under the NYC Fire Code, what must a fireguard do if an exit door is found locked during an assembly event?