R310.1 Emergency escape and rescue opening required. Basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room shall have not less than one operable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, an emergency escape and rescue opening shall be required in each sleeping room. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court providing an unobstructed path with a width of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) that opens to a public way.
EXCEPTIONS: | 1. Storm shelters and basements used only to house mechanical equipment not exceeding a total floor area of 200 square feet (18.58 m). |
| 2. Where the dwelling unit or townhouse unit is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section P2904, sleeping rooms in basements shall not be required to have emergency escape and rescue openings provided that the basement has one of the following: |
| 2.1. One means of egress complying with Section R311 and one emergency escape and rescue opening. |
| 2.2. Two means of egress complying with Section R311. |
| 3. A yard shall not be required to open directly into a public way where the yard opens to an unobstructed path from the yard to the public way. Such path shall have a width of not less than 36 inches (914 mm). The following shall not be considered obstructions: |
| 3.1. Gates with operational constraints and opening control devices without the use of keys, tools, or special knowledge. |
| 3.2. Window wells equipped with a removable cover complying with Section R310.4.4. |
R310.2.4 Emergency escape and rescue openings under decks, porches, and cantilevers. Emergency escape and rescue openings installed under decks, porches, and cantilevers shall be fully openable and provided with an unobstructed pathway of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) in height, 36 inches (914 mm) in width, and no greater than 60 inches (1524 mm) in length that opens to a yard or court. The pathway shall be measured from the exterior face of the glazed opening, or if the glazed opening is in a window well, at the window well wall furthest from the exterior face of the glazed opening.
R310.5 Replacement windows for emergency escape and rescue openings. This section is not adopted.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
19.27.031 and
19.27.074. WSR 23-02-058, 23-12-104, and 23-20-024, § 51-51-03100, filed 1/3/23, 6/7/23, and 9/25/23, effective 3/15/24; WSR 20-21-041, § 51-51-03100, filed 10/13/20, effective 11/13/20; WSR 20-03-023, § 51-51-03100, filed 1/6/20, effective 7/1/20.]