My kids all participated in drama club at school and I was a behind-the-scenes helper, so I have witnessed firsthand the creativity of that crowd. This exit serves the backstage area in a high school theater, where the cast and crew have been allowed to leave their mark.
What do you think? OK, or NO WAY!?
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High school hummmm
1. They should know how to spell by then?
2. At least someone added Fire, above the exit sign. But it is for any exiting!
3. At least they did not paint the fire extinguisher!!!! Or maybe that is next and why it is on the floor???
4. I guess the important one…. Do the doors blend in??? Well that is up to your artist perspective!!
With both doors closed, the exit sign and doors just disappear into all the graffiti.
I mean the path is clear, with no encumbrances in the way, it is self closing, self latching, not specifically disguised to be something other than an exit (Painted with malicious intent to look like a window or fake library, etc), with an illuminated sign over the doors.
I would be most worried about the capacity of the area for people (as here anything more than an expected occupancy of 50 requires panic hardware), but being a not typically occupied area that may fall up to the AHJ discretion?
Personally I do not think a creative paint job would be grounds to fail an otherwise compliant exit?
Repaint active leaf to the original color, then in red supergraphic style, vertical letters, paint “FIRE EXIT”
Kris,
We may be making a number of assumptions here. After inspecting high school, university and private stages for more than 25 years, I can just about guarantee that it doesn’t always look like this. The exit egress paths are always blocked with something. Yes, I know all (or most) back stage areas are “tagged”, but I would make them repaint the doors to be more obvious as an exit. We also don’t know if the left door is self closing and/or self latching. The only way to know is to close the door…… and then find out why the door is open!! It may be wedged in a number of ways… the only legal way is on the fire alarm. With stage areas ALL things must be looked at. I’m kind of surprised that the exit sign isn’t covered with something as its “Too Bright” during the performances!! I once found a stage that needed a 12 volt doorbell. Instead of getting a 12 volt transformer to power it…they climbed up 15 feet up the wall, tapped into the emergency light from above (disabling the unit) for the battery connection!! Again, when it comes to back stage areas, ALL things must be looked at!!
WE seem to be in concensus that we are not sure if the paint conceals the doors causing an life safety issue.
I like th related posts – as same argumet could be made for the “Black Out” post, June 2020. Although in “Black Out”, I like how they left the outlets white as finding those were more important to locate than the exit.
I had the same question as Kris as I didn’t see panic hardware either.
I agree with Kris. I don’t really see it as camouflaged.
Everyone has some good points.
~The exit sign appears to have been installed after the ‘art’ was done. Hmmm
~I agree that the doors should be solid to identify the exit and the wall above around the exit sign.
~The closers are either not working or being held open by something behind it. Not unusual although not to code.
~Depending on the actual # of occupants in an A or E occupancy panic hardware may not be required.
~The fire extinguisher does get lost and should be hung with a sign above it.
Fun art though – Its nice to see the creativity….is the paint used flammable?
All great points – thanks Roberta!
– Lori
As the Building Official/Fire Official, for one of the largest school districts in Florida, I see this “kinda of” stuff often. Exit sign placement can be subjective. I try to enforce the “intent of the code”. I would like know: are the batteries charged in the exit sign or are the signs backed up with an emergency generator, why is the fire extinguisher on the ground/not properly mounted, does the space have emergency lighting that works, and etc.? I am betting that the school’s maintenance department nor the school administration (i.e. Principal) is concerned about maintaining these life safety items. When there is a fire in the evening, it’s dark, occupants cannot see the exit because back-up power is dead, no emergency lighting to see the door/exit, remaining passive fire protection is compromised (i.e. holes in smoke partitions/rated walls) children will die of smoke inhalation and the state or local government will cover that Principal’s butt – when he/she should be responsible for his/her house and held responsible for their death. jmho
Thanks for sharing your insight, Joe!
– Lori