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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 1911-045County of Hawaii, Territory of Hawaii Ordinance No. 45 Ail ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF FIRE ESCAPES, FIRE BALCONIES, FIRE EXITS, ETC., ON BUILD- INGS OF MORE THAN TWO STORIES IN HEIGHT USED AS LODGING HOUSES OR HOTELS OH P.S PLACES OF AMUSEMENT IN THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, TERRITORY OF HAWAII. Section 1. Every building in the County of Hawaii, Territory of Hawaii, used entirely or in part as a hotel, rlance hall, lodging house or dormitory, three stories or mare in height, shall be provided and equipped with metallic fire escapes (combined with suitable metallic platforms and railings) of such number as hereinafter prescrib- ed. Said fire escapes, platforms and railings shall b° strongly made and firmly secured to the outer walls and erected and arranged in such a way a.rd in such proximity to balconies, verandas. alcoves, winde•a~s or to ends of interior hallways as may be neces- sary to make and render said fire es- capes readily accessible, safe and ad- equate for the escape of the inmates in case of fire. Section 2. When placed on the front or sides of a building facing a etreet, the fire escape shall end in a metallic balcony, the floor of which shall not be higher than the level of the second Poor. Such balcony shall be firmly secured to the outer walls Liy means of bolts passing enti_~ily through studs, girts or floor joists of the regular building construction, or through special members provided for this purpose, none of which shall be less than fifteen square feet, and it shall at all times to be kept olear and unobstructed. At each floor in the run of the fire escape a balcony similar in construc- tion to the one above described shall be provided. When placed on the rear or sides of building not adjoining a street, such fire escapes shall extend below the second floor balcony to within sis feet of the ground. Section 3. Fire escapes in wooden buildings shall be provided for at the rate of not less than one fire escape to every fifteen rooms above the second floor of said building intended for the accommodation of guests, lodgers or other occupants. Section 4. Fire esoapes in stone, brick or reinforced concrete buildings shall be provided for at the rate of not less than one fire escape to every forty-five rooms located above the second floor intended for the accommo- dation of guests, lodgers or other oc- cupants. Section 5. Wherever balconies, verandas or exterior alcoves exist which are readily accessible from all sleeping apartments of the same floor, fire escapes shall be erected in such proximity to same as to give direct access from buildings to fire escape. Where no balconies, verandas or ex- terior alcoves exist, the fire escape, or fire escapes, shall he placed in close proximity to an outer window or outer opening giving direct access to an interior hallway. Where interior hallways less than fifty feet in length do not extend to an outer wall, or where same in the opinion of the county engineer are inadequate for the purpose, the fire escapes shall be placed in such proximity to as many windows of each story above the first as may be deemed necessary to ren- der same safe and adzquate. An in- terior hallway of fifty feet or more in length, located on a floor on which exterior hallways, verandas or bal- conies are not accessible from all sleeping rooms of said floor and where said interior hallway is the principal means of egress shall be provided with at least cue fire escape and fire exit. In case such hallway does not extend to an outside wall, or in case it is not practicable to erect a fire escape in close proximity to Lhe place where it extends to such outside wall, a special fire exit shall be provided extending from such hall- way to an outside wall, and the fire escape ]ooa~ted near said fire exit. Section 6. The location of fire er,- capes aad fire exits shall in all cases be indicated by means of a transpar- ency of suitable construction with rid 61ass front bearing the words "FIRE ESCAPE". Such transparency shall be kept illuminated at all times of the night, and it shall be located in a conspicuous place in the hallway with an arrow pointing in the direc- tion of the fire exit thus: Fire Escape The letters on suoh transparency shall be not less than two and one- half inches high, and Sn case it ap- pears that a majority of the guests usually occupying such building can- not read English, then the equivalent of the words "Fire Fscape," in the language usually employed by such guests. shall in addition be embodied in the legend on the transparency. 6ection 7. In case of dining rooms, banquet halls, roofgardens, dance halls or any other similar place of amusement located above the second floor in any building whioh may or may not be used as a whole or in part as a. lodging house or hotel, additlon- a] fire escapes over and above the fire escapes which may already have been provided for the coat of the building according to the provisions herein- before set forth, shalt be installed at a rate of not less than one fire escape to each two thousand square feet of floor area in wooden buildings or five thousand square feet of floor area in stone, reinforced concrete or brick buildings, provided, however, that 1f not more than five sleeping rooms in- tended for the accommodation of guests, lodgers or other occupants are located on the same floor, no addi- tional fire escapes over and above those already specified for dining rooms need be installed. Section 8. Fire escapes shall in all cases extend over the parapet, cornice or overhang to the roof, Fire ]adders, balconies and railings shall be con- structed of fire proof material and shall at all times be kept in good order and repair and free from al] obstruc- tions. Section 9. Before installing fire escapes, plans shall 6e submitted to the county engineer for his approval as to location and method of con- struction. His decision as to the num- ber of fire escapes, their location and method of construction shall in all cases be final. Section 10. Any person who shall oonduot, maintain or operate a hotel, dance hall, lodging house or dormi- tory in any building of three stories or more in height, or who shall con- duct, maintain or operate dining rooms, banquet halls, roof gardens, dance halls or any other similar place of amusement located above the sec- ond floor in any building which may or may not be used as a whole or in part as a lodging house or hotel with- out providing fire escapes therefor in the manner prescribed in the preceed- ing sections, shall be guilty of a mis- demeanor and on conviction thereof be fined not more than flue hundred dollars. Section 11. This Ordinance shall take effect from and after the first day of January, 1912. Approved this 6th day of October, 1911. JAMES D. LEWIS, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. TERRITORY OF HAWAII ) ss COUNTY OF HAWAII ) I hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was regularly considered at a meeting of the Board of Sup- ervisors of the County of Hawaii held at the County Seat upon the 6th day of October, A. D. 1911, and upon being put to vote said Ordinance was adopted by a majority of the Sup- ervisors at said meeting. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Hawaii upon this 6th day of October, A. D. 1911. JOHN K. KAI, Clerk oY the County of Hawaii. CSEAL]