Available technical literature pertaining to exit facility design and emergency escape provisions of the National Fire Protection Association's "Life Safety Code" (1976 Edition) are reviewed in order to determine the technical support for such provisions. The report focuses on the time-based capabilities of building occupants to effect rapid evacuations, in relation to evacuation time available during fires. A number of functional criteria are examined in relation to the code provisions influencing the design of means of egress and fire protection and protective signalling systems for places of assembly, residential occupancies, mercantile occupancies, and business occupancies. Provisions affecting fire-exit drill and building management practices are also considered. The technical literature bearing on applicable code provisions is reviewed, the validity and generalizability of findings presented in the literature are discussed, and the degree of technical support currently available for egress provisions of the code are evaluated. In addition, gaps in the technical literature are identified, and recommendations regarding future research are offered. Finally, preliminary conclusions about the supportability of code provisions are presented. (Author/TE)