Contents:

• Introduction
• Background Information
• Corridor Use Review and Approval Process
• Exit Corridor Obstruction
• Notice of Corridor Obstruction

Introduction

Exit corridors in all public buildings must be kept clear and open in order to provide emergency egress. This requirement is one of the most frequently violated fire/life safety codes at UK. Common violations include using corridors for storage, placing office equipment in corridors (e.g., file cabinets, chairs, etc.), and temporary obstruction of corridors during construction or renovation. All uses of corridors, temporary or permanent, are prohibited without written permission from the University Fire Marshal.

Background Information

The Kentucky Building Code (KBC), Section 1011, and the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Fire Prevention Code require a prescribed minimum width to be maintained in building corridors to help ensure that occupants have a convenient and accessible means to exit, both during emergency and normal circumstances. In addition to requiring minimum widths to be maintained, KBC also requires the corridor to be "maintained free of obstruction." The Code allows judgmental decisions as to whether or not corridors can be utilized for purposes other than exiting. The University Fire Marshal's office is responsible for the application of building and fire prevention codes for the University of Kentucky.

Corridor Use Review and Approval Process

Before utilizing an exit corridor for a special use, the following information shall be forwarded in writing to the University Fire Marshal's office for review:

1. A letter from the responsible department/unit person or project construction manager describing the proposed special use of the corridor. The letter must include the timeframe needed for the special use.
2. A floor drawing of the area involved. Drawings can be printed off the Physical Plant Division's web site at //www.ppd.uky.edu/bldg/bldgfind.html.
   1. Indicate on the drawing the area to be used. The length and width of the area should be indicated on the drawing.
   2. The remaining clear width of the corridor must be indicated on the drawing.
   3. The proposed usage of the area must be indicated on the drawing.
   4. Does the area have existing sprinklers or smoke detectors? If yes, indicate the approximate location of each on the drawing.

The following will be used in making a decision:

• How long will the special use be needed?
• Is the area heavily traveled?
• What types of activities occur in the adjacent rooms?
• Will the esthetics of the area be compromised?
• Can cleaning and maintenance operations be conducted without hardships?
• Is the intended use area adjacent to an exit?

The University Fire Marshal's office will review all information and will call the responsible person to arrange for a time to inspect the area involved in order to determine if the request for a temporary use of the corridor space can be approved. If the request is approved, an approval letter will be provided to the responsible department/unit person(s) or project construction manager. A compliance inspection will be required when the space has been occupied.

Future compliance inspections will be conducted by the University Fire Marshal's office. If the conditions for special use are violated, the approval may be voided, in which case the responsible department/unit person(s) or project construction manager must arrange for removal of the items from the corridor.

Exit Corridor Obstruction

All items in exit corridors not approved by the University Fire Marshal's office must be removed immediately. Items in exit corridors creating a code violation are subject to being removed at the expense of the responsible department/unit. When such items are observed during building inspections, the University Fire Marshal's office will notify the responsible department/unit person(s) or project construction manager that the items must be removed. Items not removed are subject to be picked up by Trucking and taken to Surplus Property. Charges associated with moving these items will be the responsibility of the department/unit.

The following shall not be permitted in exit corridors under any circumstances:

• Pressurized cylinders
• Flammable or combustible liquids
• Biohazard materials, radioactive materials, or chemicals
• Any items that would create a fire hazard
• Any items that would be a safety hazard to the general public, physically impaired persons, or emergency response personnel

Revision date:
October 2000

The following items are causing a corridor obstruction in violation of the Kentucky Building Code and the NFPA Fire Prevention Code and must be removed. Items not removed are subject to be picked up by Trucking and taken to Surplus Property. Charges associated with moving these items will be the responsibility of the department/unit.

Fire Marshal