Fire Code of the Philippines Ebook - SafetySignsPH.com Fire Code of the Philippines eBook - SafetySignsPH | Page 99

prevent any possibility of injury to persons at head or stairs or on
balconies when stairs swing downward. Minimum clearance
between moving sections where hands might be caught shall be
ten centimeters (10 cm).
f.
If distance from lowest platform to ground exceed three and two-
thirds meters (3.67 m), an intermediate balcony not more than
three and two-thirds meters (3.67 m) from the ground or less than
two meters (2 m) in the clear underneath shall be provided with
width not less than that of the stairs and length not less than one
and two tenths meters (1.2 m).
g. Counterweight shall be provided for swinging stairs and this shall
be of type balancing about a pivot, no cables being used.
Counterweight shall be securely bolted in place, but sliding ball
weights or their equivalent may be used to hold stairs up and help
lower them. Counterbalancing shall be such that a person
weighing sixty eight kilos (68 kg), who makes one step from the
pivot, will not start swinging the section downward, but when he is
one quarter of the length of the swinging stairs from the pivot, the
section will swing down.
h. Pivot for swinging stairs shall either have a bronze bushing or have
sufficient to prevent sucking on account on corrosion.
i.
No latch to lock swinging stairs section in up position shall be
installed.
B. Fire Escape Ladders
1. Application
No form of ladder shall be used as a fire escape under the provisions
of this Chapter, except that ladders conforming to the following
specifications may be used to provide access to unoccupied roof
spaces to provide a means of escape from boiler rooms, grain
elevators and towers as permitted by Division 16 and 17 of this
Chapter, elevated platforms around machinery or similar spaces
subject to occupancy by not more than three able-bodied adults and
in single and two family dwellings and residential apartments of not
more than three (3) storey provided that the height shall not exceed
nine meters (9 m). For purposes of this subsection, mezzanine floors
shall be counted as ordinary floor.
2. Installation
a. All ladders shall be permanently installed in fixed position,
supported by rigid connection to the building or structure at
intervals not exceeding three meters (3 m).
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