The CFC and Evacuation Diagrams
Beyond the general requirements of the International Fire Code, most states within the U.S. have state-specific requirements when it comes to regulatory requirements. For those residing in The Golden State, the 2019 California Fire Code (CFC) outlines requirements for emergency procedures, and those procedures involve Evacuation Diagrams. Along with diagrams, emergency procedures include locations of exits, emergency telephone number 911, and prohibition of elevator use during emergency, per CFC, § 404.6.1.2.
The code stipulates evacuation maps are required in each hotel guest room. These diagrams must have clearly visible emergency procedures, representative of the floor level, and posted on the interior of each entrance door or immediately adjacent to each door. Per CFC, § 404.6.1.2., “Every guest room available for rental in a hotel, motel, or lodging house shall have clearly visible emergency procedures information printed on a floor plan representative of the floor level and posted on the interior of each entrance door or immediately adjacent to such door.”
In addition, the code also includes provisions for the application of evacuation diagrams within common spaces. CFC, § 404.3.1 states, “Emergency procedures information printed on a floor plan shall be posted at every stairway landing, at every elevator landing, and immediately inside all public entrances to the building.” Therefore, in effort to ensure all requirements are met, you may need to update your evacuation diagrams. § 404.6.6, the most critical clause within this section of the fire code, states, “Emergency procedures signage posted prior to the effective date of these regulations may be continued in use until one year after such effective date of these regulations.”
Evaluate Your Specific Evacuation Plan Needs
Take time to evaluate your specific evacuation plan needs. While the CFC only provides minimum standards for the state of California, but several jurisdictions within California have modified this portion of the state fire code to require adherence to a stricter standard by its commercial properties. Take San Francisco for example—it states particular specifications that clearly deviate from the state minimums. In such a case, the responsibility would rest on a hotel to know what its local government requires.
Choose HOTELSIGNS.com for Your Evacuation Plan Needs
Better yet, you can rely on HOTELSIGNS.com to do the research and work to provide you with a correct line of evacuation diagrams. Our Maps team works to create evacuation plans congruent with CFC (or your state’s fire code) requirements. The process works as follows: just send in a copy of your floor plans, and our team gets to work marking each exit area and pull alarm and indicating the quickest and easiest exit route available. After you’ve received and approved the plans, our team will then produce custom evacuation maps for your hotel. You can choose from different mounting and color options to ensure an evacuation system easily visible to the eye.
Renovating or facing new construction? Our SignSpec© Planning Service makes it easy to obtain a full property quote. Since we know how crucial evacuation plans are to any property, each SignSpec© quote includes sample evacuation maps.
California residents: are your evacuation maps up-to-date? Double-check today!