SPS 379.02 Exits; number and location.
SPS 379.03 Type of exits.
SPS 379.06 Basement stairway enclosure.
SPS 379.08 Exit lights and signs.
SPS 379.09 Size of rooms.
SPS 379.11 Basement rooms.
SPS 379.13 Maintenance and housekeeping.
SPS 379.16 Fire extinguishers.
SPS 379.17 Automatic sprinklers.
SPS 379.19 Directions for escape.
SPS 379.20 Isolation of fire hazards.
Ch. SPS 379 Note
Note: Chapter Ind 164 was renumbered chapter ILHR 79 under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 1., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474; chapter ILHR 79 was renumbered chapter Comm 79 under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 1., Stats., and corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, May, 1998, No. 509.
Chapter Comm 79 was renumbered chapter SPS 379 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. Ch. SPS 379 Note
Note: For rooms which accommodate more than 100 persons, see ch.
SPS 377, theaters and assembly halls.
SPS 379.001
SPS 379.001
Scope; apartment houses. Under this classification is included every building or part of a building occupied as the residence of 3 or more families living independently, or occupied by 2 such families and also used for business purposes.
SPS 379.001 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.01
SPS 379.01
Hotels and places of detention. Under this classification are included all hotels, lodging and boarding houses, club houses, dormitories, convents, monasteries, hospitals, homes for the aged and infirm, nursing homes, convalescent homes, convalescent hospitals, asylums, jails and other places of detention, including every building or part of a building used for sleeping or lodging purposes by 3 or more persons not members of a family.
SPS 379.01 Note
Note: Where the following requirements refer to “families" or “apartments," the requirements apply to apartment houses; where they refer to“persons" or “rooms," the requirements apply to hotels and other places as listed in s.
SPS 379.01.
SPS 379.01 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74;
correction made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.02(1)
(1) In every apartment house there shall be at least 2 exits accessible from each apartment without passing through another apartment.
SPS 379.02(2)
(2) In every hotel, place of detention or other occupancy listed in
s. SPS 379.01, there shall be at least 2 exits from each floor. The number and location of such exits shall be such that in case if any exit or passageway is blocked at any point, some other exit will still be accessible through public passageways from every room, except that in fire-resistive buildings a total area of not more than 1200 square feet may be placed between an exit and the end of the building.
SPS 379.02 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; correction made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474;
correction in (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.03
SPS 379.03
Type of exits. The exits herein required shall be either stairways, or fire escapes, or horizontal exits as described in
s. SPS 375.12.
SPS 379.03 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74;
correction made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.04(1)(1) Fire escapes hereafter constructed shall be stairway fire escapes as described in
ss. SPS 375.15 to
375.25. Existing stairway fire escapes will be accepted if strongly and properly built and in good condition. Fire escapes constructed on hospitals and sanitariums, and on hotels or rooming houses over 2 stories in height, shall be “B" type fire escapes. Access to such fire escapes shall be by standard exit doors.
SPS 379.04(2)
(2) Every fire escape shall be placed against a blank wall if possible.
SPS 379.04 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; correction made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474;
correction in (1) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.05(1)(1) Inside stairways at a steeper angle than 45º with the horizontal are not accepted as exits. Every new stairway shall comply with the requirements of
s. Ind 51.16, 1956.
SPS 379.05(2)
(2) Every stairway which serves as an exit shall lead to a separate exit door.
SPS 379.05(3)
(3) Outside stairways heretofore constructed on 2-story buildings will be accepted if in good condition.
SPS 379.05(4)
(4) All stairways and shaftways within buildings in the classification described in
ss. SPS 379.001 and
379.01 which are 3 or more stories in height shall be enclosed with partitions, including doors, of not less than one-hour fire-resistive construction.
SPS 379.05(5)
(5) Except that one stairway may be unenclosed in the first story provided it does not lead to the basement.
SPS 379.05(6)
(6) All stairways and steps of more than 3 risers shall have at least one handrail. Stairways and steps which are 5 feet or more in width, or which are open on both sides, shall have a handrail on each side. Rails shall be not less than 2 feet 6 inches vertically above nose of treads or 3 feet 6 inches above platform.
SPS 379.05 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 4. and 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474;
correction in (4) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.06
SPS 379.06
Basement stairway enclosure. In every building as listed in
s. SPS 379.01 more than 2 stories high, every stairway which extends from the basement to the second floor or above, shall be enclosed in the basement with not less than one-hour fire-resistive partitions and doors.
SPS 379.06 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; correction made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474;
correction made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.07
SPS 379.07
Exit doors. All exit doors shall be as required in
s. SPS 375.24 except that a door which accommodates not more than 4 families or 20 persons will not be required to swing outward.
SPS 379.07 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; correction made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474;
correction made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.08(1)
(1) In every building which accommodates more than 4 families or 20 persons, and in every building which accommodates transients, the public passageways, stairways, and exit doors shall be illuminated from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise. This illumination shall include lights at all intersections of passageways, at all exits, and at the head and foot of every stairway.
SPS 379.08(2)
(2) The lights at all exit doors shall be red lights and shall be accompanied by a sign bearing the word EXIT or OUT, in plain letters not less than 5 inches in height. Exit lights shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of the Wisconsin state electrical code and
s. SPS 375.24.
SPS 379.08 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; correction made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474;
correction in (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672. SPS 379.09
SPS 379.09
Size of rooms. Every sleeping room shall be of sufficient size to afford at least 400 cubic feet of air space for each occupant over 12 years of age, and 200 cubic feet for each occupant under 12 years. No greater number of occupants than the number thus established shall be permitted in any such room.
SPS 379.09 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.10
SPS 379.10
Windows. No room shall be used as a sleeping or living room unless it has a window or windows opening upon a street, alley, or yard, or upon a court connecting therewith, or above the roof of an adjoining building, or upon an inner court not less than 25 square feet in area; or unless it has a vertically-sliding pulley-hung sash window, not less than 15 square feet in area, opening into another room in the same apartment, which other room opens on a street, alley, or yard, either directly or through similar windows. Every such sash window shall be placed as nearly as possible in line with outside windows, and both halves shall be made to open readily, and the glass in the lower half shall be translucent.
SPS 379.10 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.11(1)(1) No basement room shall be used as a sleeping or living room unless all the following conditions are complied with:
SPS 379.11(1)(a)
(a) The room shall be at least 8 feet high from floor to ceiling.
SPS 379.11(1)(b)
(b) The ceiling shall be at least 4 feet above the surface of the adjoining street or ground.
SPS 379.11(1)(c)
(c) The room shall have a window or windows opening upon a street, alley, or yard, or upon a court connecting therewith, or upon an inner court not less than 60 square feet in area; and the total window area shall be at least one-tenth of the floor area of the room, and the upper half of such window or windows shall be made to open the full width.
SPS 379.11(1)(e)
(e) The room shall have sufficient light and ventilation and shall be fit for human habitation.
SPS 379.11 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.12(1)(1) In every apartment building where a sewer system is available, at least one water-closet shall be provided for every 2 apartments. Every such water-closet shall be located within the building, in a separate room or compartment, on the same floor with the apartments which it serves, and shall be accessible from each such apartment without passing through another apartment. All water-closets and the pipes connecting therewith shall be properly protected against frost; if located in a public hall such hall shall be heated, if necessary, so as to prevent the closets and pipes from freezing.
SPS 379.12(2)
(2) In every building of this classification where a sewer system is available, except apartment houses, at least one water-closet shall be provided for every 15 persons or fraction.
SPS 379.12(3)
(3) Rooms with private water-closets shall not be considered in counting either the number of rooms or number of fixtures.
SPS 379.12(4)
(4) Toilet rooms and fixtures hereafter installed shall comply with
ss. Ind 52.50 to
52.64,
1956. For details of plumbing, see state plumbing code issued by the department.
SPS 379.12(5)
(5) Every existing toilet room shall be ventilated by an outside window; or, where this is not possible, by a ventilating pipe approved by the department or by the local health officer.
SPS 379.12(6)
(6) In buildings where a sewer system is not available and cannot be made available, an equal number of sanitary privies, or closets connected with a septic tank or cesspool, shall be provided in accordance with rules of the department.
SPS 379.12 History
History: 1-2-56; renum. and am.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74; corrections made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 6. and 7., Stats.,
Register, June, 1995, No. 474.
SPS 379.13
SPS 379.13
Maintenance and housekeeping. SPS 379.13(1)(1) Every building of this classification, and all parts thereof, shall be kept in good repair and the roof shall be kept so as not to leak, and all rain water shall be so drained and conveyed therefrom as not to cause dampness in the walls and ceilings.
SPS 379.13(2)
(2) All exit doors, corridors, passageways and stairways shall be kept clear and unobstructed at all times.
SPS 379.13 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.14
SPS 379.14
Water supply. Where city water supply is available or can be made available, every apartment house shall be provided with proper sinks with running water, and there shall be at least one such sink within each apartment.
SPS 379.14 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.15
SPS 379.15
Cleanliness. Every building shall be kept clean and shall also be kept free from any accumulation of dirt, filth, rubbish, garbage, or other matter in or on the same or in the yards, courts, passages, areas or alleys connected with or belonging to the same.
SPS 379.15 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.16
SPS 379.16
Fire extinguishers. In every building in this classification which accommodates more than 20 persons and is not equipped with a complete automatic sprinkler system or with interior standpipes, at least one approved fire extinguisher shall be provided on each floor. Such fire extinguishers shall be located at the head of each stairway or each elevator group.
SPS 379.16 History
History: 1-2-56; renum.,
Register, September, 1974, No. 225, eff. 10-1-74.
SPS 379.17(1)
(1) Where city water supply is available, an approved automatic sprinkler system as described in
s. SPS 375.28 shall be provided in the basement and sub-basements of all buildings of this classification, except
