With many people living in a shared building, such as a condo, those in charge should always prioritize safety. In Illinois, condo associations are responsible for ensuring the building’s compliance with life and fire safety codes. Knowing what these standards include is an important first step.
What is the Life Safety Code?
The National Fire Protection Association outlined a set of safety standards that buildings should follow. These standards are called NFPA 101, or the Life Safety Code. Basically, it covers how buildings must be designed and maintained to improve safety during emergencies. It also outlines how these buildings should operate to ensure residents can safely exit during dangerous scenarios.
Through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, Illinois adopted the NFRA 101 as part of the state’s minimum fire safety compliance standards. Particularly, the state has been following the code’s 2015 version since 2020.
Life Safety Compliance for Condo Associations in Illinois
Complying with the life safety code can save lives in emergencies. Here’s what these standards entail for Illinois condos.
Safety Codes
In Illinois, NFPA 101 has been adopted as the statewide minimum standard. This is only the baseline. Cities and local fire departments may have additional standards and stipulations that people within their jurisdictions must follow.
As a best practice, if you’re developing a compliance plan for your condo, you need to know which codes you must follow.
Means of Exit
According to NFPA 101, buildings must maintain clear, usable exit paths. They should also be easy to spot. This rule applies to any hallway, stairway, corridor, exit doors, and discharge areas in your condominium. To ensure this, the association should prohibit residents from keeping their personal items, such as discarded furniture and storage boxes, from blocking these areas.
Doors and Locks
Having the right doors and locks installed is another code requirement that condos must follow. Buildings must have exit doors that allow residents to pass through easily without special tools or a designated key. Meanwhile, fire doors should be able to close and latch properly to contain any smoke and flame.
Aside from emergencies, condo associations should not allow these doors and exits to be pried open or altered without proper review and permission.
Responding to Inspection Findings
Regular inspections to ensure compliance with life and fire safety standards should be standard practice. It helps identify issues that should be corrected to ensure everyone’s safety.
After learning of these findings, condo boards should address the violations as soon as possible. They should also keep records and follow-up notices as references in the future.
Illinois Fire Safety Compliance
Fires are devastating, especially in shared spaces like condominiums. However, they are also preventable and easy to control when addressed before they spread.
To ensure fire safety compliance, condominium associations should keep these in mind:
- Smoke Alarm: Condominiums need to install approved smoke alarms. These need to be found in both private units and common areas.
- 10-Year Sealed Battery Rules: Buildings in Illinois with newly installed smoke alarms should have 10-year sealed batteries. The only exception to this is if the alarms are hardwired.
- Carbon Monoxide Alarm: The state requires all buildings to have carbon monoxide alarms installed within 15 feet of bedrooms or any rooms used for sleeping. These are especially important for condos that allow fuel-burning appliances or that have attached garages.
- Fire Protection Systems: As a safety precaution, all buildings should have readily available fire protection equipment. These include fire extinguishers, sprinklers, standpipes, fire pumps, and alarm systems that are both functional and easily accessible.
Fire Prevention Tips for Condo Units
Apart from life and fire safety compliance, condo boards can be proactive in helping prevent fires and other safety risks in the building.
Here are some best practices that you can follow to do so:
Having Fire Safety Education
Once you’ve secured your building and have all precautions in place, a crucial step is to educate your residents. It’s one of the easiest yet most effective ways to prevent fire in your community.
For this, you can conduct workshops and seminars to orient your homeowners to fire hazards and how to avoid them. Pamphlets and newsletters sent to residents that feature fire safety precautions also work well. You may also remind them about the compliance requirements they should stay on top of, such as the alarms and fire prevention equipment in their personal units.
Knowing Your Fire Department
To ensure safety in your building, you also need to get to know your local fire department. They’re the experts when it comes to fire prevention and emergencies.
Apart from making it easy to contact them in emergencies, they also help with code inspections. You can also contact them to request support for fire safety education in your community.
Maintaining Community Landscapes
Living in a shared condominium building doesn’t mean your COA will not have landscaping maintenance to worry about.
As part of your COA responsibilities, you will need to stay on top of landscaping upkeep. Neglected landscaping can result in a bunch of dry vegetation, which is one of the best fuels for fires.
Apart from upkeep, you should also be mindful about picking and placing the plants. In general, trees and shrubs should be around 5 to 10 feet away from the building to avoid fire from spreading. It may also be wise to choose plants that have high moisture and low oil content, which are less likely to burn badly.
Conducting Fire Drills
Your condo association should organize and conduct fire drills at least once every year. Having these would help residents stay prepared if such an emergency were to occur. You can also work with your local fire department in conducting these, so that homeowners are informed of the fire safety compliance protocol.
Regulating Fire Hazards
As long as it’s in line with state law and your governing documents, the COA board has the authority to regulate the use of fire hazards in a condo. Some examples include banning the use of grills on balconies or limiting the use of portable fireplaces in private units.
Usually, your governing documents already include provisions regarding this. If it doesn’t, you should consider submitting an amendment to ensure compliance.
Keeping Consistent Compliance
Life and fire safety compliance is an ongoing responsibility for Illinois condo associations. When boards understand the code, maintain building systems, communicate with residents, and respond quickly to safety issues, they help protect the entire community.
The Forth Group provides HOA management services to communities in Chicago and the surrounding areas. Call us today at (312) 379-0400 or contact us online to get started!
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