Location: Burkholder Building
10700 Page Avenue
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Telephone: 703-246-4849
TTY: 703-385-4419

This document provides the latest Fairfax County Fire Prevention Code regarding lobby and corridor furniture in schools.

in this publication:
CODE
COMMENTARY

LOBBY AND CORRIDOR FURNITURE IN SCHOOLS - Policy June 2006

After the required public hearing on June 26, 2006, the 2003 edition of the Fairfax County Fire Prevention Code was adopted by the Board of Supervisors.

CODE

The County of Fairfax amended the Virginia Statewide Fire Prevention Code with the addition of the following new section. The Commentary Notes below the code section are provided as a means of understanding and implementing the requirements of Section 803.3.3.

The Code of the County of Fairfax, Chapter 62, as it pertains to this subject reads as follows:

803.3.3 Furniture, furnishings and displays. Furniture, furnishings, displays or other objects shall be prohibited in exit corridors serving Group E occupancies.

Exception: Furniture, furnishings, displays and other objects shall be permitted in exit corridors when secured in place and not located in any portion of the required 72 inch exit corridor width or other required element of the means of egress. Upholstered furniture shall meet the requirements for Class 1 when tested in accordance with NFPA 260.

COMMENTARY NOTES:

1. Lobby furniture that obstructs the direct egress path to an exit, or reduces the corridor width to less than 72 inches shall be removed.

2. Lobby furniture that does not obstruct the direct egress path to exit doors, and does not reduce the required 72 inch corridor width shall be secured in place.

3. Emergency equipment, including fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguishers, and automated external defibrillators (AED) shall have a minimum of a 36” wide access path free of all objects.

4. Small free-standing directional signs, information racks, and plants are not required to be secured in place.

5. Side chairs that are placed at tables in lobbies shall not be required to be secured in place.

6. Large and/or heavy items that cannot be moved by a student do not need to be secured.

7. Egress paths through “wet-and-dirty” instructional spaces that lead to a single 36” wide exit door shall be maintained at a minimum width of 44 inches.

8. Egress paths through wall-less open space instructional areas (“pods”) shall be maintained at a minimum of 72 inches in width.

9. Student desks used for individual tutoring shall be permitted to be placed in corridors as long as the required 72 inch corridor width is maintained. These desks shall not be required to be secured in place.