Where do our building codes come from and do they apply to our project?

Building codes have slowly evolved over the years as hind-sight rules that prevent the replication of disastrous events that have taken lives. They are typically common-sense rules that have proven to prevent death and injuries that have taken place as a result of poor building design. For example, why do exit doors swing outward instead of inward? Because in a panic situation, people have died when they pile up against an exit door that swung inward instead of outward. The simple rule to make exit doors swing in the direction of egress has saved countless lives.