Question

According to Life Safety (LS) requirements, the number of smoke compartments may vary, depending on existing or new construction, in which of the following ways?

A. In new buildings, at least two smoke compartments are provided for every story with patient sleeping or treatment rooms, for nonsleeping stories that have an occupant capacity of 50 or more people, and on usable but unoccupied stories

B. In existing buildings, at least two smoke compartments are provided for every story that has more than 50 patients in sleeping rooms

C. In new buildings, at least two smoke compartments are provided for every story with more than 30 patients in sleeping or treatment rooms and for nonsleeping stories that have an occupant capacity of 50 or more people

Answer 1

LS requirements dictate that new buildings must have a minimum of two smoke compartments per story for patient areas and occupant capacities of 50 or more, whereas existing buildings require the same only if they house more than 50 patients in sleeping rooms.

Step-by-step explanation:

Life Safety (LS) requirements are vital for ensuring the safety of building inhabitants, particularly in healthcare facilities where patients may have limited mobility. Smoke compartments are designed to contain and limit the spread of smoke during a fire, providing protected spaces that can be more easily managed and evacuated if necessary. According to these guidelines:

• In new buildings, at least two smoke compartments must be provided for every story that accommodates patient sleeping or treatment rooms, for nonsleeping stories with an occupant capacity of 50 or more people, and on usable but unoccupied stories.
• For existing buildings, at least two smoke compartments are required on every story that houses more than 50 patients in sleeping rooms.

These regulations apply to patient areas, indicating that different standards may be in effect for new construction as opposed to existing buildings.