Nov. 27.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 3641

LEVEL OF EXITS.

26. The sill or lower part of the exit shall be horizontal, and shall be not more than 6 in. above the footway of the fire-escape and shall, if the nominal capacity of the part of the building served by the exit exceeds one hundred units, be flush with the floor of the story, and shall in other cases be not more than 30 in. above the floor of the story, and if more than 12 in. above such floor, then it shall be provided with an interior step having a riser of half the distance from the floor to the exit and a tread of at least 7 in.:

Provided that in case of an exit serving only for one room having not more than five hundred square feet of floor-space no step shall be required, and the sill of the exit may be not more than 24 in. above the floor of the room.

DOORS OF EXITS.

27. An exit shall not be closed otherwise than by a door or doors or glass window pane or panes or other material complying with all the following requirements:—
    (a) They shall be arranged so as to open either by swinging outwards on vertical hinges or by sliding laterally:
    (b) If opening outwards, they shall be of such a size as not to extend at any stage of opening over more than half the width of the footway of the fire-escape, and be capable of folding back flat against the exterior wall of the building:
    (c) They shall at all times be kept capable of being easily opened without the aid of a key or other detachable contrivance:
    (d) They shall bear on the interior thereof if of opaque material or in a conspicuous position adjacent thereto if of transparent material the words “FIRE ESCAPE” permanently marked in conspicuous lettering at least 6 in. high:
    (e) They shall not have any curtain, blind, screen, or other obstruction on or near to the interior side thereof:

Provided always that the requirements set out in paragraph (e) hereof shall not apply to an exit that serves only one room having a floor-space not exceeding five hundred square feet, and that the requirements set out in paragraphs (a), (d), and (e) hereof shall not apply to an exit serving only a part of a building, which part is occupied solely as a private dwelling or solely as an office, warehouse, or counting-house in which not more than ten persons are regularly engaged.

28. If in the case of an exit from a part of a building which part is occupied solely as a private dwelling or solely as an office, warehouse, or counting-house in which not more than ten persons are regularly engaged, such exit is closed by a hung window, then both sashes of such window shall be of equal size, and the window shall be capable of opening to the full extent of the space occupied by the lower sash when closed.

PART V.—CONSTRUCTION AND DESIGN OF FIRE-ESCAPES.

STRENGTH.

29. Every part of a fire-escape shall be substantially built so as to be capable, in the opinion of the Superintendent, of supporting a number of persons equal to the units of the nominal capacity for which it is required, and so as to be capable of supporting on every part of the footway a live load of 150 lb. per square foot.

UPPER TERMINATION.

30. The top of every fire-escape shall end at a landing giving convenient access to the roof of the building which it serves, or of some adjacent building, except in cases where, in the opinion of the Superintendent, such access would result in danger.

LOWER TERMINATION.

31. The foot of every fire-escape shall end outside the building in either—
    (a) A public or private road or street; or
    (b) An unimpeded space open to the sky of at least five hundred square feet and measuring at least 8 ft. across in any distance, and having access to a public or private road or street; or
    (c) An unimpeded space open to the sky of at least sixty-four square feet and measuring at least 8 ft. across in any direction, and contiguous to and having direct communication through at least one gate or door with a public or private road or street.

HEIGHT OF TERMINAL ABOVE GROUND.

32. The lower landing of every fire-escape shall be not more than 15 ft. above the ground-level.

LADDER TO GROUND.

33. Where the lower end of any fire-escape is more than 6 ft. above the ground it shall be connected with the ground by means of a telescopic sliding ladder, cantilever ladder, counter-balance stairs*, expanding pole-ladder released from the upper end, or other efficient contrivance other than a hinged drop-ladder or a folding ladder, and such ladder or stairs shall, as regards width and general construction, comply with all the requirements of this by-law relating to fire-escapes so far as applicable.

PART VI—FOOTWAY OF FIRE-ESCAPES.

LANDINGS AT EXITS.

34. The footway of the fire-escape in front of every part of any exit shall be in the form of a horizontal landing or platform, or have a pitch of not more than one in ten.

FOOTWAYS NOT TO CROSS WINDOWS.

35. The footway of any fire-escape shall not pass across the front of any window or other opening in the exterior wall of the building which it serves, nor be less than 2 ft. 6 in. below the lowest point or 1 ft. above the highest point of any such window or other opening:

Provided that this stipulation shall not relate to any window or other opening which is intended to be an exit to such fire-escape, or which is normally kept closed by means of iron shutters, wire-glass set in metal frames, or other approved fire-resisting material:

Provided also that the requirements of this clause shall not apply to a fire-escape the footway of which is connected with lower terminations at each side of the window or other opening or series of windows or other openings across the front of which it passes.

CONSTRUCTION OF FOOTWAY.

36. The footway of every fire-escape shall be constructed as a stairway or a runway or a combination of both.

MATERIAL OF FOOTWAY.

37. The footway of every fire-escape shall be of good iron or other substantial material and shall be continuous, save that if made of wooden strips a space of not more than three-quarters of an inch may be allowed between strips, and if made of bars of iron set transversely a space of not more than three-quarters of an inch may be left between bars.

WIDTH OF FOOTWAY.

38. The footway of any fire-escape shall—
    (a) Not be less than 30 in. wide;
    (b) Not be diminished in width between any exit and the end of the fire-escape nearest the ground;
    (c) Not be wider at any exit than at any other part thereof between such exit and either end of the fire-escape.

DESIGN OF STAIRWAY.

39. (a) No stairway shall have a pitch of more than one in three-quarters or less than one in one-and-three-quarters.
    (b) The tread of any step of a stairway shall be not less than 9 in., measured as provided by clause 5 of this by-law.
    (c) The riser of any step of a stairway shall be not more than 9 in. and not less than 7 in.
    (d) In any fire-escape the tread and the height of the riser shall respectively be the same for every step thereof.

PITCH OF FIRE-ESCAPE.

40. No part of a fire-escape shall have a pitch of between one in two-and-a-half and one in one-and-three-quarters.

SLOPING FOOTWAYS.

41. No footway shall have a pitch of more than one in two-and-a-half.

42. All footways with a pitch of more than one in twelve shall have the footway covered with either—
    (a) Transverse battens of wood or similar material of rectangular section stretching the full width of the footway each of a breadth of not less than 1 in. nor more than 3 in. with spaces between of not less than 4 in. nor more than 7 in., and extending above the footway a height of not less than ½ in. nor more than 1½ in.; or
    (b) An approved non-slipping tread in an approved manner.

LANDINGS TO BE PROVIDED.

43. Every portion of a fire-escape, whether built as a runway or stairway, having a pitch of more than one in

*Expanding pole-ladder released from the upper end.