Public building owners and operators of all new construction, additions and changes in use begun after July 9, 2004 shall provide and permanently maintain a code footprint at the site and make them available to fire authorities.
Submittal Requirements
Copies of code footprints shall be made available to local fire and building departments upon request.
The OSFM reviews facilities for the very young, very old, the sick, those incarcerated, large assemblies and large multi-family residential facilities because these are vulnerable occupancies.
A code footprint is:
- a document which shows a structure owner's compliance with state law to protect occupants from the dangers of fire and explosion
- an architect's or engineer's written and graphic description of the intended life safety features in a public building
State law establishes minimum life safety and has uniform force and effect throughout Kansas. Kansas Statutes Annotated 31-133 and 2003 Supp. 31-134 require that all occupied structures conform to the basic life safety requirements:
- Existing occupied buildings cannot have hazardous conditions which slow speedy exits
- Alterations of existing buildings cannot make existing conditions worse or block exits
- New construction and changes in use are subject to greater life safety requirements
The code footprint regulation, K.A.R. 22-1-7, defines minimum features of a code footprint for an objective evaluation by uniform application of state law using minimum resources. It also makes the code footprint available to assist local fire and building officials view new construction and changes in use. The regulation also provides a building owner with life safety choices to best suit their circumstances at the outset of construction or renovation. It is a simple record of the designer's life safety features, and it is a fixed code target for the life of their building.
The regulation also simplifies review efforts by the OSFM because reduces enforcement intervention after new construction and assists field inspectors with verifying completion of life safety features promised on paper, keeps building owners on the same life safety document throughout the life of the building, and allows the inspector to see an overview of the entire life safety of a building at the beginning of an inspection.
New Buildings, Additions, and Remodels
If your facility (other than a one- or two-family dwelling) is planning to build a new building or a remodel of your existing building please take special note. The OSFM will require written notice from your licensed architect or engineer 30 days prior to the date on which 100% of the construction will be completed.
If you have questions please call 785-296-3401 and as to speak to one of our Fire Protection Specialists.
Further, the code footprint shows compliance with state law by verifying the architect or engineer's seal, their signature and date, the location of building and owner information as a single source contact, the codes of record for a specific building, fire alarm requirements, automatic fire sprinkler requirements, and occupancy types which determine exit requirements and maximum occupant codes.