For well over half a century the National Fire Protection Association has been the publisher of the Life Safety Code. Formerly known as the Building Exits Code, the Code is prepared by the NFPA Committee on Safety to Life, one of the more than 175 technical committees operating within the framework of the NFPA's standards-making activities. The Safety to Life Committee is made up of a group of highly qualified individuals who have demonstrated knowledge and competence in the design and construction of buildings and structures, in the manufacturing and testing of building components and accessories, and in the enforcement of regulations pertaining to life safety from fire and other perils encountered in buildings and structures. The Life Safety Code is a unique document; its contents address themselves specifically to requirements that have a direct influence on safety to life in both new and existing structures and not just in new construction alone. Then, too, although the Code's paramount concern is life safety and not protection of property, per se, there is in observance of Code requirements ancillary benefit to property protection. What impact application of the Code may have on saving lives is a difficult thing to measure; however, it is reasonable to assume that its influence is very significant. The NFPA recognizes that a code suitable for enforcement purposes must, by the nature of its purpose, be concise and without explanatory text. And, too, a code cannot be written to cover every situation that will be encountered; thus it must be applied with judgment, and used with good sense and with an awareness of the rationale for the requirements that must be enforced. A little help and counsel along the way would make the job a lot easier, hence the reason for this Life Safety Code Handbook.
