SEC. 908 – San Francisco Building Code – MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF FIRE ESCAPES [Added by Ord. 399-89, App. 11/6/89; amended by Ord. 161-92, App. 6/4/92; Ord. 192-02, App. 9/17/02

All safety devices or equipment provided for in this chapter shall be maintained in good repair at all times. Fire escapes shall be kept clear and unobstructed and be readily accessible at all times. Upon inspection, the property owner, or authorized agent, shall demonstrate to the Director or designated personnel, that all existing fire escapes are fully operational and properly maintained. Upon completion of the inspection, all existing fire escapes shall be secured pursuant to Section 1110.3.1. of the San Francisco Fire Code.

1110.3.1 [For SFFD] Fire Escapes:
Fire escape ladders from the first balcony to the ground shall be secured to prevent access to the building.
6.01 – Design Criteria for Existing Fire Escapes

Reference: 2001 San Francisco Building Code Section 1011.1

In NEW BUILDINGS classified as R1 Occupancies fire escapes do not qualify as a required means of egress.

In EXISTING BUILDINGS, the following designs will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis:
A standard fire escape with a permanent, inclined stairway or a swinging, counterbalanced, inclined stairway to the ground.  The long side of the balcony shall be parallel to the face of the building.

An inclined, telescopic (“Slidex” type) ladder to the ground may be used where it replaces an existing ladder of the same type or where it serves only a single unit of an R-1 Occupancy.
A collapsible pull type vertical ladder may be accepted to serve an existing building only with specific approval of the Fire Marshal.

The 2001 California Building Code requires not less than two exits from the second story when the occupant load is 10 or more; furthermore, regardless of occupant load, occupants on floors above the second story must have access to not less than two properly separated exits from the floor.  Stairways and ramps are the only methods recognized by the California Building Code for exiting from upper stories.

1995 San Francisco Building Code Section 1029 includes detailed requirements for the design, construction, and installation of standard fire escapes.  Subsection 1029.7 has requirements for the ladder to ground, and paragraph 3 of that subsection authorizes any other stairway which is approved by the Superintendent and the Fire Department.

For further information, or answers to questions not covered here, please contact us.
We will enjoy finding out for both of us!