§ 244.960. Egress.

Dwellings erected after July 1, 1972, shall have and shall maintain the egress facilities required by the Minnesota State Building Code at the time of erection. Dwellings existing prior to July 1, 1972, shall be provided with egress facilities as required by said Minnesota State Building Code or in compliance with the following regulations: Every habitable unit shall have a safe unobstructed means of egress. Every dwelling unit located above the first floor and every rooming house where three (3) or more roomers occupy one (1) or more rooming units or hotel units located above the first floor and every basement dwelling or hotel unit shall have at least two (2) independent egress stairways which shall be located remote from each other, and one (1) of such stairways shall be an inside stairway. Every such egress shall comply with the following requirements:

(a)

Every dwelling with an occupant load of ten (10) persons or fewer shall have one (1) approved means of egress. Dwellings located on the second story shall have at least one (1) approved means of egress if the occupant load of the entire story does not exceed ten (10) persons. Second stories having an occupant load of more than ten (10) persons and all other stories and basements shall have not less than two (2) approved means of egress. Exception: Only one (1) approved means of egress shall be required from a basement within an individual dwelling unit when the occupancy load of such basement is ten (10) or fewer.

(b)

All required egress stairs shall be easily accessible from every dwelling or dwelling unit without passing through any room other than public, shared or communal areas. Egress shall lead directly to grade, and such grade shall have an unobstructed path of travel to a public way.

(c)

All inside egress stairways located in multiple dwellings more than two (2) stories in height shall be enclosed with materials and doors approved and acceptable to the director of regulatory services now or at the time of their installation or materials having a one-hour fire-resistant rating with self-closing doors rated as Type B. The rated materials and doors shall be tested and approved and listed as such in the files of the director of regulatory services. Smoke barriers of record, approved by the director of regulatory services and the city fire marshal, shall be deemed an acceptable alternate and be allowed to remain and be maintained.

(d)

The minimum width of all required egress stairways shall be thirty-six (36) inches measured at the face of the tread. Private stairways serving an occupancy of fewer than ten (10) persons may be thirty (30) inches wide.

(e)

Risers of stairs serving habitable space shall not exceed eight (8) inches in height and the treads shall be not less than nine (9) inches in depth. Stair nosing shall not project more than one (1) inch.

(f)

All stairways which have four (4) or more risers, inside or attached to a dwelling shall have at least one (1) handrail. All such stairways which are required to be forty-four (44) inches or more in width or which are open on both sides shall have a handrail on each side. If a stairway is open on one (1) side, the required handrail shall be placed on the open side, when required by the director of regulatory services. Stairways required to be more than eighty-eight (88) inches in width shall be provided with an intermediate handrail. Only one (1) handrail shall be required for exterior stairs of one- and two-family dwellings when such stairs do not exceed forty-two (42) inches above the adjacent ground or surface.

(g)

All handrails shall be installed not less than thirty (30) inches nor more than thirty-four (34) inches measured vertically above the nose of the stair treads or stairway platforms. Handrails projecting from a wall or other similar surface shall have a space of not less than one and one-half (1½) inches between said wall or surface and the handrails shall be so installed, located, and be of such size and shape that an adult person can grasp and hold onto the same. Handrails hereafter installed or replaced shall be in compliance with the state building code as to location and size.

(h)

All dwellings in a multiple dwelling shall have an approved exit within forty (40) feet from the exit of every dwelling above the first story if such building is of nonfireproof construction, and within fifty (50) feet if such building is of fireproof construction.

(i)

Egress doors connected to public, shared or communal areas must be easily opened from the inside along the path of egress and remain unlocked or be of a type which can be unlocked without the use of a key or any special skill or knowledge. Where multiple dwellings have more than five (5) dwelling units, or more than ten (10) rooming units sharing the same means of egress, the doors serving such egress shall swing in the direction of travel and be selfclosing and latching. All stair tower doors located in multiple dwellings which are four (4) or more stories in height, and where the dwelling units are not individually owned, shall be openable from the inside of the stair tower without the use of a key or any special skill or knowledge when such stair tower doors open into a public, shared or communal area. No person shall lock, fasten closed, block open or in any other way tamper with the operation of selfclosing fire doors so that said doors do not function as required by this section.

(j)

Any required means of egress exposed to the elements shall be kept clear of rubbish, snow, ice and other such obstructions at all times. All vertical ladders and other emergency fire escapes not recognized as a required means of egress shall be maintained in good order and repair. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 75.080; 78-Or-244, § 39, 11-22-78; 79-Or-109, § 2, 5-25-79; 82-Or-106, § 32, 6-11-82; 2013-Or-161, § 25, 12-6-13)