Protected stairs are stair with code required, fire rated, enclosed construction; intended to protect occupants as they make their way through stair enclosure. Which option best defines this feature?

• A. External stairs
• B. A stair with code required, fire rated, enclosed construction
• C. A stair with open risers
• D. A spiral stair

Answer: (B)

Protected stairs are designed to provide a safe, continuous exit path during a fire by being enclosed in fire-resistance–rated construction. This enclosure protects occupants from heat and smoke as they move through the stairwell, helping to ensure the path remains usable until evacuation. The option that best defines this feature is a stair with code-required, fire-rated, enclosed construction, because it explicitly describes the fire-resistance and enclosure that make a stair “protected.” External stairs lack such enclosure, open risers don’t provide an enclosed, fire-rated path, and spiral stairs typically don’t meet protected-stair requirements for egress due to width, occupancy, and safety standards.