Balconies and Mezzanines with a load greater than 100 must have how many Means of Egress?

• A. No less than 2
• B. Exactly 1
• C. At least 3
• D. At least 4

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is redundancy in egress for elevated spaces. When a balcony or mezzanine could hold more than 100 people, the code requires at least two independent means of escape. This redundancy is essential because with a larger occupant load, the chance of congestion, blockage, or a single exit becoming unusable during a fire increases. Having two separate paths to safety ensures that occupants on the balcony or mezzanine can evacuate even if one route is compromised, reducing the risk of trap-sites and speeding overall evacuation.

In practice, that means you need two exits from the balcony or mezzanine that lead to a safe area or the exterior, and these exits should not rely on a single shared path. If the space’s occupant load exceeds 100, a single exit won’t meet the requirement because it doesn’t provide the necessary alternative route for safe egress. If the load is lower, depending on other factors like travel distance and building design, a single exit might be allowed, but once you pass that threshold, two means of egress become mandatory.