In a lodging or room house where a sleeping room is above the level of exit discharge, the primary means of escape shall be which of the following?

In a lodging or room house where a sleeping room is above the level of exit discharge, the primary means of escape shall be which of the following?

• A. Exterior Stair
• B. Enclosed Stairs
• C. Horizontal Exit
• D. Fire Escape

Answer: (B)

When a sleeping room is above the level of the exit discharge, occupants must have a protected path to safety. Enclosed stairs provide that protected vertical route inside the building, with fire-resistance-rated walls and doors that help keep smoke and heat out and maintain a tenable environment as people move toward the exterior. Exterior stairs and fire escapes are exposed to the outdoors and to heat or smoke, can become blocked, and do not offer the same level of protection, so they are not considered the primary means of escape in this situation. A horizontal exit moves occupants laterally to another area within the building, but it is not the main vertical escape path from sleeping rooms to the exit discharge. Thus, enclosed stairs are the correct primary means of escape.

When a sleeping room is above the level of the exit discharge, occupants must have a protected path to safety. Enclosed stairs provide that protected vertical route inside the building, with fire-resistance-rated walls and doors that help keep smoke and heat out and maintain a tenable environment as people move toward the exterior. Exterior stairs and fire escapes are exposed to the outdoors and to heat or smoke, can become blocked, and do not offer the same level of protection, so they are not considered the primary means of escape in this situation. A horizontal exit moves occupants laterally to another area within the building, but it is not the main vertical escape path from sleeping rooms to the exit discharge. Thus, enclosed stairs are the correct primary means of escape.