SPONSOR:	Rep. Mitchell & Sen. Ennis
	Reps. Bennett, Carson, Mulrooney, Plant, Viola; Sens. Hall-Long, McDowell

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

145th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 376

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 16 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO FIRE PREVENTION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend §6603, Title 16 of the Delaware Code by adding a new subsection “(d)” thereto as follows:

“(d) The State Fire Prevention Commission shall promulgate regulations consistent with the following language:

(1) Floor Proximity Emergency Lighting - The State Fire Marshall shall require that emergency lighting fixtures, wherever required by regulations promulgated pursuant to this Chapter, be arranged to provide the required illumination automatically, within five (5) seconds of interruption of normal lighting conditions due to any of the following: failure of a public utility or other outside electrical power supply; opening of a circuit breaker or fuse; manual acts including accidental opening of a switch controlling normal lighting facilities; or manual or automatic activation of a fire alarm system. Illumination shall be provided for not less than 90 minutes. Such emergency lighting fixtures shall be fully-recessed in the wall, within 36 inches of the finished floor, to provide a visible delineation of the path of travel. Such emergency lighting fixtures shall be UL924 listed and ADA compliant. The light source on such emergency lighting fixtures shall remain completely concealed until activated. Such emergency lights shall be battery-operated and use only reliable types of rechargeable batteries provided with suitable facilities for maintaining such batteries in charged condition.

(2) Floor Proximity Exit Signs - The State Fire Marshall shall require that, in addition to wherever exit signs are required by regulations promulgated pursuant to this Chapter, exit access doors and exit doors be marked by floor proximity exit signs. Such signs shall be located not less than 6 nor more than 18 inches from the finished floor. Such signs shall be internally illuminated or photoluminescent and shall illuminate automatically, within five (5) seconds of interruption of normal lighting conditions due to any of the following: failure of a public utility or other outside electrical power supply; opening of a circuit breaker or fuse; manual acts including accidental opening of a switch controlling normal lighting facilities; or manual or automatic activation of a fire alarm system. Where internally illuminated, signs shall be illuminated for a minimum of 60 minutes, shall read EXIT, shall be UL924 listed or, where signs are photoluminescent, shall be UL1994 or ASTM E 2072 compliant. For exit doors, the signs shall be mounted on the door or adjacent to the door, with the nearest edge of the signs located within 4 inches of the door frame.”.

SYNOPSIS

This Act updates Delaware’s Fire Prevention Regulations to require installation of floor proximity emergency lighting and floor proximity exit signs in all new buildings, occupancy conversions, mixed occupancy buildings and additions and repairs to existing buildings. Floor Proximity Exit Signs shall be installed in addition to exit signs currently required under Delaware’s Fire Prevention Regulations.