Building owners urged to comply with emergency exit requirements

Owners of buildings and structures in the city were urged to provide adequate emergency exits as required by national laws.

Mayor Benjamin Magalong said this is a must to allow building occupants safe passage in the event of a fire or emergency evacuation.

The National Building Code of the Philippines and the Fire Code buildings mandate buildings to have enough emergency exits based on the number of occupants.

Generally, buildings must have a minimum of two exits per floor and basement depending on the “occupant load.”

The specific requirements for exit arrangement, distance, and width were also spelled out in the codes.

It was stressed that these egress points “must be strategically placed and maintained, ensuring clear and unobstructed paths for evacuation.”

An accommodation establishment was recently called out by the City Buildings and Architecture Office and the City Fire Station for padlocking emergency exits in violation of the codes.

Other violations were found by the inspectors such as the lack of panic hardware installed on the exit doors, defective directional signages, insufficient evacuation plan posted and obstructions along hallways.

A notice of violation was issued against the establishment which was ordered to remove the padlocks immediately and maintain the emergency exits open 24 hours and to institute all corrective measures immediately. – Aileen P. Refuerzo