The doors leading outside must, when the premises are occupied, be able to be opened at any moment to facilitate the evacuation of the building and the passage of emergency services.
Private Roads
The private roads leading to these doors must remain unobstructed.
Placement, Distribution, and Width
The placement, distribution, and width of stairs, exit routes, exits, doors, and the paths leading to them must allow for the rapid and easy evacuation of people.
Retail Stores
In retail stores, sales areas, and adjacent storage rooms with a total area equal to or greater than 2,000 m², including the space occupied by counters and other furniture, the aforementioned paths must not have zigzag sections.
Upper Floors and Basements
Rooms located on upper floors or in basement levels must be served by at least one staircase, regardless of any other means of access.
Minimum Width Requirements
The width of stairs, exit routes, exits, and the paths leading to them must be equal to or greater than 0.80 m.
The above requirement does not apply to passageways between checkout counters in self-service retail stores.
Exemptions for Older Buildings
It also does not apply to buildings that existed or were under construction on June 1, 1972, concerning the width of stairs. In these buildings, the width must be equal to or greater than 0.70 m.
Door Width Requirements
The width of doors must be equal to or greater than 0.70 m.
Total Width Calculation
The exit routes, exits, doors, and the paths leading to them must have a total width that is at least equal, in centimeters, to the number of people who will use them to reach the exits of the building.
Stairs must have a total width that is at least equal, in centimeters, to that number multiplied by 1.25 if they descend to the exit and multiplied by 2 if they ascend to it.
Width Calculation Assumptions
The calculation of these widths must be based on the assumption that, upon leaving the building, all persons from one floor join the neighboring floor, and that this floor has already been evacuated when they arrive.
Included Persons
These persons include not only the company’s staff but also visitors, customers, and others who must use these stairs, exit routes, exits, and paths leading to them.
Responsibility for Estimating Occupancy
When the number of these persons cannot be accurately determined, the head of the company determines this number under their own responsibility.
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