Take the fast track to compliance! The 2012 NFPA 101® Handbook puts practical answers to Code questions at your fingertips so you’re ready to apply requirements correctly.

The decisions you make on the job affect lives. That’s why when a new Life Safety Code® edition comes out, there’s no room for error and no time to lose. You need to get up-to-speed fast so you can hit the ground running, comply right the first time, and avoid costly mistakes, violations, and job delays. Your best source for the knowledge you need to master new requirements is the 2012 NFPA 101: Life Safety Code Handbook.

Written by leading life safety authorities, this essential full-color NFPA 101 companion provides total compliance support with:

Code text for new and existing buildings presented side-by-side for easy comparison — this feature alone makes the Handbook a must!
The full 2012 Life Safety Code text for easy access
Expert commentary explains the reasoning and intent behind provisions and provide hands-on examples of how to apply rules, including new and revised provisions affecting health care occupancies, high-rise buildings, CO detection and alarms, and elevator use for occupant evacuation.
More visuals than ever before! 300 photos and 400 charts, tables, illustrations, and diagrams — not found in the Code — all in full color for better visual clarification of NFPA 101 provisions
Vertical rules alert you to Code additions and bullets signal deletions, so it’s easy to see what’s different in this edition.
Matrix comparing the 2009 and 2012 NFPA 101 provides an overview of technical/substantive changes at-a-glance.

Life safety depends on you. Shorten the learning curve on the new Code and save lives.

Whether you’re an architect, designer, contractor, engineer, AHJ, or inspector, you can depend on the 2012 Life Safety Code Handbook to make sure requirements are applied properly to protect building occupants

PDF Catalog

PDF Pages	PDF Title
1	Life Safety Code® Handbook
2	Copyright
3	Contents
7	Preface
9	Acknowledgments
11	About the Editors
13	In Memoriam
15	PART ONE – Life Safety Code® and Commentary
17	Administration – CHAPTER 1 1.1* Scope
22	1.2* Purpose 1.3 Application
23	1.4* Equivalency
25	1.5 Units and Formulas
26	1.6 Enforcement
27	Referenced Publications – CHAPTER 2 2.1 General
28	2.2* NFPA Publications
30	2.3 Other Publications
32	2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections
33	Definitions – CHAPTER 3 3.1 General
34	3.2 NFPA Official Definitions 3.3 General Definitions
65	General – CHAPTER 4 4.1* Goals
67	4.2 Objectives 4.3* Assumptions
68	4.4 Life Safety Compliance Options
70	4.5 Fundamental Requirements
71	4.6 General Requirements
82	4.7* Fire Drills
83	4.8 Emergency Plan
89	Performance-Based Option – CHAPTER 5
90	5.1 General Requirements
94	5.2 Performance Criteria
96	5.3 Retained Prescriptive Requirements
97	5.4 Design Specifications and Other Conditions
110	5.5* Design Fire Scenarios
118	5.6* Evaluation of Proposed Designs
122	5.7* Safety Factors
123	5.8 Documentation Requirements
127	Classification of Occupancy and Hazard of Contents – CHAPTER 6 6.1 Classification of Occupancy
146	6.2 Hazard of Contents
149	Means of Egress – CHAPTER 7
150	7.1 General
170	7.2 Means of Egress Components
288	7.3 Capacity of Means of Egress
303	7.4* Number of Means of Egress
306	7.5 Arrangement of Means of Egress
320	7.6* Measurement of Travel Distance to Exits
325	7.7 Discharge from Exits
329	7.8 Illumination of Means of Egress
332	7.9 Emergency Lighting
338	7.10 Marking of Means of Egress
349	7.11 Special Provisions for Occupancies with High Hazard Contents 7.12 Mechanical Equipment Rooms, Boiler Rooms, and Furnace Rooms
350	7.13 Normally Unoccupied Building Service Equipment Support Areas
352	7.14 Elevators for Occupant-Controlled Evacuation Prior to Phase I Emergency Recall Operations
363	Features of Fire Protection – CHAPTER 8 8.1 General
364	8.2 Construction and Compartmentation
371	8.3 Fire Barriers
382	8.4 Smoke Partitions
384	8.5 Smoke Barriers
388	8.6 Vertical Openings
412	8.7 Special Hazard Protection
417	Building Service and Fire Protection Equipment – CHAPTER 9 9.1 Utilities
418	9.2 Heating, Ventilating, and Air-Conditioning
419	9.3 Smoke Control
421	9.4 Elevators, Escalators, and Conveyors
425	9.5 Rubbish Chutes, Incinerators, and Laundry Chutes
426	9.6 Fire Detection, Alarm, and Communications Systems
442	9.7 Automatic Sprinklers and Other Extinguishing Equipment
448	9.8 Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detection and Warning Equipment
449	9.9 Special Inspections and Tests
451	Interior Finish, Contents, and Furnishings – CHAPTER 10 10.1 General
453	10.2* Interior Finish
475	10.3 Contents and Furnishings
483	Special Structures and High-Rise Buildings – CHAPTER 11
484	11.1 General Requirements
485	11.2 Open Structures
486	11.3 Towers
489	11.4 Water-Surrounded Structures
490	11.5* Piers
491	11.6* Vehicles and Vessels 11.7 Underground and Limited Access Structures
494	11.8 High-Rise Buildings
496	11.9 Permanent Membrane Structures
498	11.10 Temporary Membrane
500	11.11 Tents
503	New and Existing Assembly Occupancies – CHAPTER 12/13
506	12.1 General Requirements 13.1 General Requirements
523	12.2 Means of Egress Requirements 13.2 Means of Egress Requirements
572	12.3 Protection 13.3 Protection
584	12.4 Special Provisions 13.4 Special Provisions
617	12.5 Building Services 13.5 Building Services 12.6 Reserved 13.6 Reserved 12.7 Operating Features 13.7 Operating Features
637	New and Existing Educational Occupancies – CHAPTER 14/15 14.1 General Requirements 15.1 General Requirements
643	14.2 Means of Egress Requirements 15.2 Means 14.2 Means of Egress Requirements of Egress Requirements
660	14.3 Protection 15.3 Protection
673	14.4 Special Provisions 15.4 Special Provisions
674	14.5 Building Services 15.5 Building Services
675	14.6 Reserved 15.6 Reserved
676	14.7 Operating Features 15.7 Operating Features
681	New and Existing Day-Care Occupancies – CHAPTER 16/17 16.1 General Requirements 17.1 General Requirements
688	16.2 Means of Egress Requirements 17.2 Means of Egress Requirements
697	16.3 Protection 17.3 Protection
703	16.4 Special Provisions 17.4 Special Provisions
704	16.5 Building Services 17.5 Building Services
705	16.6 Day-Care Homes 17.6 Day-Care Homes
712	16.7 Operating Features 17.7 Operating Features
717	New and Existing Health Care Occupancies – CHAPTER 18/19
718	18.1 General Requirements 19.1 General Requirements
739	18.2 Means of Egress Requirements 19.2 Means of Egress Requirements
781	18.3 Protection 19.3 Protection
831	18.4 Special Provisions 19.4 Special Provisions
836	18.5 Building Services 19.5 Building Services
840	18.6 Reserved 19.6 Reserved 18.7* Operating Features 19.7* Operating Features
853	New and Existing Ambulatory Health Care Occupancies – CHAPTER 20/21
854	20.1 General Requirements 21.1 General Requirements
862	20.2 Means of Egress Requirements 21.2 Means of Egress Requirements
866	20.3 Protection 21.3 Protection
875	20.4 Special Provisions 21.4 Special Provisions 20.5 Building Services 21.5 Building Services
877	20.6 Reserved 21.6 Reserved 20.7* Operating Features 21.7* Operating Features
885	New and Existing Detention and Correctional Occupancies – CHAPTER 22/23
886	22.1 General Requirements 23.1 General Requirements
901	22.2 Means of Egress Requirements 23.2 Means of Egress Requirements
914	22.3 Protection 23.3 Protection
934	22.4 Special Provisions 23.4 Special Provisions
946	22.5 Building Services 23.5 Building Services
947	22.6 Reserved 23.6 Reserved 22.7 Operating Features 23.7 Operating Features
953	One- and Two-Family Dwellings – CHAPTER 24 24.1 General Requirements
955	24.2* Means of Escape Requirements
962	24.3 Protection
966	24.4 Reserved 24.5 Building Services
967	Reserved – CHAPTER 25
969	Lodging or Rooming Houses – CHAPTER 26 26.1 General Requirements
971	26.2 Means of Escape Requirements
975	26.3 Protection
979	26.4 Reserved 26.5 Building Services 26.6 Reserved 26.7 Operating Features
981	Reserved – CHAPTER 27
983	New and Existing Hotels and Dormitories – CHAPTER 28/29
984	28.1 General Requirements 29.1 General Requirements
987	28.2 Means of Egress Requirements 29.2 Means of Egress Requirements
999	28.3 Protection 29.3 Protection
1010	28.4 Special Provisions 29.4 Special Provisions
1011	28.5 Building Services 29.5 Building Services
1012	28.6 Reserved 29.6 Reserved 28.7 Operating Features 29.7 Operating Features
1015	New and Existing Apartment Buildings – CHAPTER 30/31
1016	30.1 General Requirements 31.1* General Requirements
1020	30.2 Means of Egress Requirements 31.2 Means of Egress Requirements
1033	30.3 Protection 31.3 Protection
1047	30.4 Special Provisions 31.4 Special Provisions
1048	30.5 Building Services 31.5 Building Services 30.6 Reserved 31.6 Reserved
1049	30.7 Operating Features 31.7 Operating Features
1051	New and Existing Residential Board and Care Occupancies – CHAPTER 32/33
1052	32.1 General Requirements 33.1 General Requirements
1058	32.2 Small Facilities 33.2 Small Facilities
1086	32.3 Large Facilities 33.3 Large Facilities
1110	32.4* Suitability of an Apartment Building to House a Board and Care Occupancy 33.4* Suitability of an Apartment Building to House a Board and Care Occupancy
1112	32.5 Reserved 33.5 Reserved 32.6 Reserved 33.6 Reserved 32.7 Operating Features 33.7 Operating Features
1117	Reserved – CHAPTER 34
1119	Reserved- CHAPTER 35
1121	New and Existing Mercantile Occupancies – CHAPTER 36/37
1122	36.1 General Requirements 37.1 General Requirements
1133	36.2 Means of Egress Requirements 37.2 Means of Egress Requirements
1148	36.3 Protection 37.3 Protection
1153	36.4 Special Provisions 37.4 Special Provisions
1167	36.5 Building Services 37.5 Building Services 36.6 Reserved 37.6 Reserved
1168	36.7 Operating Features 37.7 Operating Features
1169	New and Existing Business Occupancies – CHAPTER 38/39
1170	38.1 General Requirements 39.1 General Requirements
1175	38.2 Means of Egress Requirements 39.2 Means of Egress Requirements
1189	38.3 Protection 39.3 Protection
1195	38.4 Special Provisions 39.4 Special Provisions
1196	38.5 Building Services 39.5 Building Services 38.6 Reserved 39.6 Reserved 38.7 Operating Features 39.7 Operating Features
1199	Industrial Occupancies – CHAPTER 40
1201	40.1 General Requirements
1205	40.2 Means of Egress Requirements
1214	40.3 Protection
1216	40.4 Special Provisions – High-Rise Buildings
1217	40.5 Building Services 40.6* Special Provisions for Aircraft Servicing Hangars 40.7 Operating Features
1219	Reserved – CHAPTER 41
1221	Storage Occupancies – CHAPTER 42 42.1 General Requirements
1223	42.2 Means of Egress Requirements
1229	42.3 Protection
1230	42.4 Special Provisions – High-Rise Buildings
1231	42.5 Building Services 42.6* Special Provisions for Aircraft Storage Hangars 42.7* Special Provisions for Grain Handling, Processing, Milling, or Other Bulk Storage Facilities
1232	42.8 Special Provisions for Parking Structures
1237	42.9 Operating Features
1239	Building Rehabilitation – CHAPTER 43 43.1 General
1244	43.2 Special Definitions
1247	43.3 Repairs
1248	43.4 Renovations
1250	43.5 Modifications
1251	43.6 Reconstruction
1257	43.7 Change of Use or OccupancyClassification
1264	43.8 Additions
1266	43.9 Reserved 43.10 Historic Buildings
1271	Explanatory Material – ANNEX A
1273	Supplemental Evacuation Equipment – ANNEX B
1274	B.1 General
1276	B.2 Supplemental Escape Devices or Systems
1280	B.3 Platform Rescue Systems
1281	B.4 Controlled Descent Devices
1283	Informational References – ANNEX C C.1 Referenced Publications
1286	C.2 Informational References
1287	C.3 References for Extracts in Informational Sections
1289	PART TWO – Supplement
1291	Technical/Substantive Changes 2009–2012 Editions
1339	Index
1383	IMPORTANT NOTICES AND DISCLAIMERS