SB2147 Engrossed

LRB093 14560 RXD 42123 b






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    AN ACT concerning fire safety.

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
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represented in the General Assembly:


 
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    Section 5. The Public Building Egress Act is amended by 
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adding Section 1.5 as follows:
 
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    (425 ILCS 55/1.5 new)

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    Sec. 1.5. Stairwell door access.
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    (a) Stairwell enclosures in buildings greater than 4 
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stories shall comply with one of the following requirements:
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        (1) No stairwell enclosure door shall be locked at any 
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time in order to provide re-entry from the stair enclosure 
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to the interior of the building; or
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        (2) Stairwell enclosure doors that are locked shall be 
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equipped with an electronic lock release system that is 
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activated upon loss of power, manually by a single switch 
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accessible to building management or firefighting 
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personnel, and automatically by activation of the 
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building's fire alarm system.
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    A telephone or other two-way communications system 
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connected to an approved constantly attended location shall be 
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provided at not less than every fifth floor in each stairway 
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where the doors to the stairway are locked.  If this option is 
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selected, the building must comply with these requirements by 
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January 1, 2005.
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    (b) Regardless of which option is selected under subsection 
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(a), stairwell enclosure doors at the main egress level of the 
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building shall remain unlocked from the stairwell enclosure 
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side at all times.
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    (c) Building owners that select the option under paragraph 
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(2) of subsection (a) must comply with the following 
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requirements during the time necessary to install a lock 
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release system and the two-way communication system:
 


 






SB2147 Engrossed
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LRB093 14560 RXD 42123 b




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        (1) Re-entry into the building interior shall be 
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possible at all times on the highest story or second 
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highest story, whichever allows access to another exit 
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stair;
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        (2) There shall not be more than 4 stories intervening 
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between stairwell enclosure doors that provided access to 
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another exit stair;
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        (3) Doors allowing re-entry shall be identified as such 
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on the stair side of the door;
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        (4) Doors not allowing re-entry shall be provided with 
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a sign on the stair side indicating the location of the 
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nearest exit, in each direction of travel that allows 
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re-entry; and
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        (5) The information required to be posted on the door 
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under paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection, shall be 
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posted at eye level and at the bottom of the door.
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    (d) A home rule unit may not regulate stairwell door access 
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in a manner less restrictive than the regulation by the State 
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of stairwell door access under this Act. This subsection (d) is 
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a limitation under subsection (i) of Section 6 of Article VII 
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of the Illinois Constitution on the concurrent exercise by home 
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rule units of powers and functions exercised by the State.