Section 504 — ACCESS TO BUILDING OPENINGS AND ROOFS

Exterior doors and openings required by this code or the California Building Code shall be maintained with ready access for emergency access by the fire department. An approved access walkway leading from fire apparatus access roads to exterior openings shall be provided where required by the fire code official.

[California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, §3.05(b)] Fire Department Access and Egress. (Roofs)

(b) Roofs. No person shall install or maintain any security barrier such as barbed wire fencing, razor wire fencing, chain link fencing or any other fencing material, cable, aerial, antenna or other obstruction on the roof of any commercial establishment in such a manner as to obstruct or render egress or access hazardous in the event of fire or other emergency.

Exception: Guy wire, rods and aerial antenna masts may be attached to a roof structure having a slope of less than 30 degrees provided there is full clearance of seven feet or more between the roof and said obstruction. Guy wire or rods required to support aerial or antenna masts may be attached to a roof structure a lateral distance from the mast not in excess of one-sixth the height of the mast.

Exterior doors and their function shall not be eliminated without prior approval. Exterior doors that have been rendered nonfunctional and that retain a functional door exterior appearance shall have a sign affixed to the exterior side of the door with the words “THIS DOOR BLOCKED.” The sign shall consist of letters having a principal stroke of not less than [3] / 4 inch (19.1 mm) wide and not less than 6 inches (152 mm) high on a contrasting background. Required fire department access doors shall not be obstructed or eliminated. Exit and exit access doors shall comply with Chapter 10. Access doors for high-piled combustible storage shall comply with Section 3206.7.

New buildings four or more stories above grade plane, except those with a roof slope greater than 4 units vertical in 12 units horizontal (33.3-percent slope), shall be provided with a stairway to the roof. Stairway access to the roof shall be in accordance with Section 1011.12. Such stairway shall be marked at street and floor levels with a sign indicating that the stairway continues to the roof. Where the roof is a vegetative roof, includes a landscaped roof area, or is used or for other purposes, stairways shall be provided as required for such occupancy classification.

No person shall install or maintain any security barrier such as barbed wire fencing, razor wire fencing, chain link fencing or any other fencing material, cable, aerial, antenna or other obstruction on the roof of any commercial establishment in such a manner as to obstruct or render egress or access hazardous in the event of fire or other emergency.

Exception: Guy wire, rods and aerial antenna masts may be attached to a roof structure having a slope of less than 30 degrees provided there is full clearance of 7 feet or more between the roof and said obstruction. Guy wire or rods required to support aerial or antenna masts may be attached to a roof structure a lateral distance from the mast not in excess of one-sixth the height of the mast.