than 4 feet from center to center, covered by not less than two layers of 2-inch plank. When additional stories are added to an existing building and where such building is located near the street line, said street shall be barricaded unless there shall be built over the sidewalk, at the point where the new stories commence, a scaffold not less than 6 feet wide, which shall form a covering over the sidewalk, composed of a strong framework of stringers and supports, covered with not less than two layers of 2-inch planks. Such framework and covering shall be of such construction and design as to safely sustain any load that may be placed or fall thereon, and shall be satisfactory to the local or State Building Commissioner. Such roof shall be maintained as long as material is being used or handled on such street front above the level of the sidewalk. The railings, approaches and roofs over temporary sidewalks shall be made with regard to ease of approach, strength and safety, to the satisfaction of the local or State Building Commissioner.

404. SIGNALS.] Where elevating machines of hoisting apparatus, operated by other than hand power, are used in the construction, alteration or removal of any building or other structure, a system of communication by means of signals shall be provided and maintained by the owner or contractor, while said apparatus is in use, in order to establish prompt and effective communication between the operator of such engine or motive power, and the employees or persons engaged thereon or between persons engaged in using or operating the same.

405. INSPECTION.] (a) Whenever it shall come to the notice of the local or State Building Commissioner that the slings, hangers, blacks, pulleys, stays, braces, ladders, irons or ropes of any swinging or stationary scaffold, platform or other similar device used in the construction, alteration, repair, removal, cleaning or painting of buildings, bridges or viaducts are unsafe, or are liable to prove dangerous to the life or limb of any person, the local or State Building Commissioner shall immediately cause an inspection to be made of such scaffold or platform and the appurtenances thereto. If such scaffold, platform or any parts thereof are found to be unsafe, the local or State Building Commissioner shall at once serve notice upon the person responsible for its erection or maintenance, and shall prohibit the use thereof until the same is made safe. Such notice shall be served upon the person responsible for its erection or maintenance if found on or near the premises, otherwise by conspicuously affixing the notice to the scaffold, platform or other such device, or to the part thereof declared to be unsafe.

(b) Whenever it shall come to the knowledge of the local or State Building Commissioner that any provision of this article is violated, he shall have an inspection of the same; and if any such violation is found, he shall notify in the manner provided in the preceding paragraph, the party or parties responsible for such violation to comply with the provisions of this Act.

406. REPEALING CLAUSE.] An Act of the Legislature providing for the protection and safety of persons in and about the construction, repair, alteration, or removal of buildings, bridges, viaducts and other structures, and to provide for the enforcement thereof, approved June 3, 1907, in force July 1, 1907, is hereby repealed.

ARTICLE XIV.

STAIRWAYS.

410. NUMBER REQUIRED.] (a) Every story below the street grade shall have not less than two stairways to the first story; and where a basement or cellar is used for sale of goods, the stairways from such basement or cellar shall in number and in aggregate width comply with the requirements of this section concerning stairways up from the first story.

(b) The number of stairs for the various types of construction shall be as indicated in the following table:

(c) All stairways required for any building shall extend from the first to the topmost story.

411. WIDTH REQUIRED.] (a) No stairway shall be less than 3 feet wide except as provided in section 75. The width of stairs shall be measured between the wall and the hand rail for single stairs; and between the hand rails, where two or more hand rails are required by this Act.

(b) The width of stairs required for any building shall be construed as the total width of all stairways required for that building. The total width of stairs required for any building shall be determined by the area of the second floor exclusive of walls, columns, stairs, elevator shafts, well holes, and chimneys; and in buildings of Class V and VI, exclusive also of the area of corridors.

(c) The width of stairs shall be 72 inches for the first 3,000 square feet of floor area; and the width shall be increased at the fallowing rate for each additional 1,000 square feet of floor area, measured as in the preceding paragraph, for the respective types of construction:

(d) The width of the different stairways in a building need not be alike.

(e) The 'stairways in each four stories above the first four may be six inches less in width than the stairways in the four stories next below, except that no stairway shall be less than 3 feet wide.

412. LOCATION.] Stairways shall be located as far from each other as practicable. The bottom of each stairway shall be in the immediate vicinity of the top of the stairs leading to the next lower story; and the line of travel from any stairway to the next one shall be direct, and each stairway shall be easily accessible from the next one.

(b) No change in the position of any stairway shall be made unless the permission of the local or State Building Commission shall first have been obtained.

413. STAIRWAYS IN COMMON.] (a) Where two areas of the same building adjoin and are separated by fireproof dividing walls, they may have a stairway in common: Provided, such stairway is not less than 5 feet wide: And provided, further, that in non-fireproof buildings such stairway is enclosed by fireproof walls, and in fireproof buildings by incombustible partitions. Where the said stairways and landings are built as required for fireproof buildings, and where the doors are swinging doors built and equipped with fusible links as described in section 381 of this Act, and where there are windows or sashes only in the exterior walls built and equipped as described in section 382 of this Act, then such stairway may be considered as equivalent to one open stairway from each such area. Where such stairway provides exit from only one floor of such areas, such stairways may be considered as equivalent to two open stairways; but in no case shall there be less than two stairways in any such building, except as otherwise provided in this Act.

(b) Where existing buildings adjoin or are on opposite sides of an alley or other open space, and are of the same class, and are used by the same person, firm or corporation, and are connected on each floor by fireproof doors built and equipped as described in section 381, or by a fireproof bridge or passageways with such fireproof doors at each end; and where such fireproof doors or bridge or passageways are located as far as practicable from the stairways in both of said buildings, and where all windows in such bridge are constructed and equipped as described in section 382 of this Act, then said fireproof doors or bridge or passageway may be considered equivalent to a stairway for each of the two areas.

414. HAND RAILS.] (a) Stairways which are less than 3 feet 3 inches wide shall have not less than one hand rail; and stairways which are more than 3 feet 3 inches wide shall have not less than two hand rails. Stairways which are over 8 feet wide shall have double intermediate hand rails.

(b) All open stairs shall be provided with a suitable hand rail on each side.

(c) Hand rails of stairways in fireproof buildings may be of wood. 415. WINDING STAIRS.] No treads of winding stairs to be used by the public or by more than ten persons during the same hours of employment, shall be less than five and one half inches at the narrow end, and not less than ten inches at a point 18 inches from the narrow end, inclusive of the nosing in both cases.

416. DIMENSIONS.] (a) The length and width of landing shall not be less than the width of the stairs. No run of stairs shall consist of less than six risers between platforms.

(b) No stairs shall have risers more than 8 inches high, nor treads less than 10 inches wide, inclusive of nosings, except as herein provided.

417. CHANGES IN CONSTRUCTION.] No change in the position or construction of any stairway shall be made unless the permission of the local or State Building Commissioner shall first have been obtained.

418. CELLAR STAIRS.] In buildings having one or more cellars, all stairways from the lowest cellar floor to the first-story floor shall be enclosed in fireproof walls, and all openings therein shall be protected by automaticclosing doors built and equipped as described in section 381 of the Act, opening outward.

419. MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION.] (a) In all buildings required by this Act to be built of slow burning construction, all stairs shall be of incombustible material except as hereinafter provided. If said building is equipped with an approved automatic-sprinkler system, said stairs may be of ordinary construction as defined by this Act.

(b) In all buildings required by this Act to be of mill construction, all stairs shall be of incombustible material, except as herein provided. If the building is equipped with an automatic-sprinkler system, and if the stairs are enclosed by fireproof walls, said stairs may have wood treads, risers, and strings not less than 2 inches thick.

420. OBSTRUCTING STAIRS.] It shall be unlawful under any circumstance to close up or obstruct any stairway of any buildings or the approaches thereto.

ARTICLE XV.

FIRE ESCAPES.

424. NUMBER REQUIRED.] (a) Every building four or more stories in height, except such as is used exclusively for a residence for one family, shall have one or more incombustible sliding or stairway fire escapes, unless otherwise herein provided.

(c) The number of fire escapes for the various types of construction and floor areas shall not be less than the number indicated in the table below:

(d) Where a building is divided into separate areas, each area shall be considered as a separate building, and shall be equipped with fire escapes as required by this Act.

425. CONSTRUCTION.] (a) Fire escapes shall be made of iron, steel, or other incombustible material.

(b) Stairway fire escapes shall not have a steeper inclination than 45 degrees with the horizontal.

426. WIDTHS.] (a) Stairway fire-escapes shall not be less than 24 inches wide, and for hospitals shall not be less than 36 inches wide.

(b) Stairway fire-escapes shall be 6 inches wider than the opening leading thereunto.

(c) Treads and platforms shall be constructed of 11⁄2-inch square steel bars not to exceed 15% inches center to center, set with corners upwards, except that on hospital fire-escapes the platform and treads may be of solid incombustible material.

(d) The stairs, platforms, supporting members, and anchorage shall be designed and constructed to support in addition to their own weight a live load not less than 100 pounds per square foot for each and every square foot of tread and platform.

(ė) Stairway fire-escapes shall extend from the ground to the top floor of a building, except that they may have a counter-balance section extending from the lowest platform to the ground.

(f) All stairway fire-escapes shall have a three-bar railing, the top rails of which shall be not less than 1 inch in diameter and the two lower rails of which shall not be less than 4 inch in diameter. When such stairway fireescapes are more than 3 inches from the building, there shall be a hand rail on the wall side of such fire escape.

(g) Stairway fire-escapes shall have a steel ladder from the top landing to the roof.

427. PAINTING FIRE ESCAPES.] All fire-escapes shall be painted with two coats of mineral paint when erected, one at the shop and one upon completion at the building; and they shall be painted at least once every year thereafter.

428. OPENINGS LEADING TO FIRE ESCAPES.] (a) Openings leading to fire escapes shall not be less than 24 inches in width; and shall not be less than 72 inches in height. The sills of such openings shall not be more than 24 inches above the floor, unless a small stairway shall be built from the floor to the sill.

(b) The openings leading to fire escapes on hospitals shall be flush with the floor leading to fire-escape, which floor may be inclined not more than 21⁄2 inches vertical to 12 inches horizontal.

429. FIRE ESCAPE PASSING WINDOWS AND DOORS.] Whenever a stairway fireescape on buildings hereafter erected, passes a window or door, the window or door shall be of wired glass and shall have metal frames and sashes. Whenever such fire escape passes above a window, door or other opening not fitted with wired glass and metal frames, the said fire escape shall be protected on the under side by sheet metal of not less than No. 20 United States gage, and also for a distance of 3 feet on each side of such opening. The use of intermediate platforms shall be permitted on all buildings now built or hereafter constructed, whenever it is possible by their use to avoid the necessity of stairway fire-escapes passing windows.

430. BRIDGE EQUIVALENT TO FIRE-ESCAPE.] A fireproof bridge, not less than 4 feet wide inside nor less than 7 feet high inside, and connecting two floors of two neighboring buildings, may be considered the equivalent of a fire escape or of an interior stairway; but shall not be accepted as the equivalent of both.

431. FIRE-ESCAPE EQUIVALENT TO STAIRWAY.] Stairway fire-escapes not less than 3 feet wide complying with this Act in all other respects, may, at the discretion of the local or State Building Commissioner be accepted as equivalent to one interior stairway and one stairway fire-escape, if the width of such stairway fire-escapes with that of one or more stairways in the building equals the width of stairs required for the area, the type of construction, and the use of the building.

432. FIRE-ESCAPES IN COMMON.] A stairway fire-escape placed on an exterior wall adjacent to a dividing or party wall, shall be considered as a stairway fire-escape for each building area to which it is adjacent. In such cases there shall be at least one door or window from each building area leading to the fire-escape platform.

433. SIGNS INDICATING LOCATION.] (a) Every building required to be equipped with fire-escapes shall have displayed in conspicuous places on each floor of such building, notices in plainly legible type at least 6 inches in height, sufficient in number to plainly show the location of fire escapes and the easiest way to reach them.

(b) If such notices be not displayed within thirty days after such equipment is installed, and if they are not kept continuously displayed, the local or State Building Commissioner shall cause the building to be closed and be kept closed until the provisions of this section shall have been complied with.

434. OBSTRUCTING.] All fire-escapes shall be kept free from obstructions of every kind; and shall also be kept free from snow and ice.

435. CHANGE IN POSITION OR CONSTRUCTION.] No change in the position or construction of any fire-escape shall be made unless the permission of the local or State Building Commissioner shall first have been obtained.

436. IF IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPLY WITH THIS ACT.] Wherever it is impossible to erect stairway fire-escapes according to the previous provisions of this Act, plans shall be submitted to the local or State Building Commissioner showing the location, material and construction of such stairway fire-escapes as are proposed; and if it is found to be impracticable to locate and construct fire-escapes in accordance with the provisions of this Act, and if it is found that fire-escapes built according to the plan presented would afford safe and practical means of exit from the building on which they are to be placed, then the local or State Building Commissioner may, in his discretion, approve the same, and issue a permit for its construction.

437. UNLAWFUL TO USE BUILDING.] It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to use any building until the provisions of this Act shall have been complied with.

438. REPEALING CLAUSE.] An Act of the Legislature relating to fire-escapes, Chapter 55a, approved and in force April 21, 1899, and the amend-ments thereto, is hereby repealed.

ARTICLE XVI.
CHIMNEYS.

440. CONSTRUCTION.] (a) All chimneys hereafter erected shall be of brick, stone, concrete or other approved incombustible material.

(b) They shall project not less than 5 feet above the top of flat roofs; and not less than 3 feet above the highest points of peaked roofs or the highest points of parapet walls on flat roofs, or the highest points of penthouses or other structures, except water tanks on top of roofs, when adjacent thereto. This projection may be reduced at the rate of 1 inch for every foot said peaks, parapet walls, tanks, pent-houses or other structures are distant from the chimneys.

(c) The thickness of brick, stone or concrete walls, for chimneys of different cross section of flue opening shall not be less than the following: