What occupancies require portable fire extinguishers according to the Life Safety Code?
The Life Safety Code does not make across-the-board requirements for portable fire extinguishers. Rather, each individual occupancy chapter of the Code addresses whether or not portable fire extinguishers are mandated in that particular occupancy classification. When extinguishers are required, they must be installed in numbers and spacing complying with NFPA Standard #10 Portable Fire Extinguishers. The following is a list of Life Safety Code occupancy classifications with an indication of whether portable fire extinguishers are required to be provided: • Ambulatory Health Care – required to be provided throughout the building. • Apartment Buildings – in hazardous areas only (exempted from providing portable extinguishers if the building is protected throughout by an automatic fire sprinkler system. • Business Occupancies – required to be provided throughout the building. • Detention Occupancies – required to be provided throughout the building (but access may be locked or in staff lo
