Which NFPA standard addresses life safety code for occupancies?

• A. NFPA 101
• B. NFPA 72
• C. NFPA 13
• D. NFPA 25

Answer: (A)

Life safety requirements for occupants in buildings are addressed by NFPA 101, the Life Safety Code. This standard sets the minimum protections needed to keep people safe as they occupy, move through, and evacuate a building during emergencies. It covers how many exits are required and how wide they must be, the travel distances to exits, how spaces are classified by use, how many people may be in a space (occupant load), and the fire-resistance and other features that help people survive a fire or safe evacuation. It’s broad on purpose so it applies to many types of buildings—from theaters and offices to hospitals and high-rise structures—and is commonly adopted by jurisdictions as the baseline for life safety. The other standards serve different purposes: fire alarm systems (NFPA 72), automatic sprinkler design (NFPA 13), and inspection/maintenance of water-based fire protection systems (NFPA 25). So for life safety code guidance specific to occupancies, NFPA 101 is the right reference.