Re-enter the Building for Egress?

[Mech]

2015 IBC
Group F-1 / S-1 / S-2
Fully sprinklered building

The 3rd floor is a refrigeration machinery room requiring two exits or exit access doorways.

The first exit is an interior enclosed stairs to grade.

For the second exit, will the code allow personnel to leave the refrigeration machinery room (3rd floor), travel across a grated walkway above the 2nd floor roof, past some cooling towers, and then enter a second interior enclosed stairs to grade? The grated walkway will be open to the atmosphere.

Accessibility is not required.

Thanks

 

[steveray]

I say yes.....

 

[my250r11]

I would say yes if it is the min. of 36'' wide.

 

[steveray]

As long as the second door can not be locked....Their security people might not like that....Look around here.....

1016.2 Egress through intervening spaces. Egress through
intervening spaces shall comply with this section.
1. Exit access through an enclosed elevator lobby is permitted.
Access to not less than one of the required exits
shall be provided without travel through the enclosed
elevator lobbies required by Section 3006. Where the
path of exit access travel passes through an enclosed
elevator lobby, the level of protection required for the
enclosed elevator lobby is not required to be extended
to the exit unless direct access to an exit is required by
other sections of this code.
2. Egress from a room or space shall not pass through
adjoining or intervening rooms or areas, except where
such adjoining rooms or areas and the area served are
accessory to one or the other, are not a Group H occupancy
and provide a discernible path of egress travel to
an exit.
Exception: Means of egress are not prohibited
through adjoining or intervening rooms or spaces in
a Group H, S or F occupancy where the adjoining or
intervening rooms or spaces are the same or a lesser
hazard occupancy group.
3. An exit access shall not pass through a room that can be
locked to prevent egress.

 

[Mech]

Thanks again.

I already placed notes on the preliminary drawings stating that the door cannot be locked. When it comes time for the door schedule, it will indicate that a lock is not allowed.

If the owner raises an issue, then maybe I can get the enclosed walkway I would rather have.

 

[ADAguy]

Still not best practice.

 

[Builder Bob]

Not a good design at all............ you know the second stairway is going to be locked.

Also, IMHO I don't think it would be code complaint as the refrigeration/machinery room is protected by a fire sprinkler. Intent of the code is once a level of protection is provided, The level of fire protection should be continuous to the exit. If you want to build an enclosed pedestrian walk way. with fire sprinkler protection, it may be possible to accept it.

Also as a side note, the required travel distance would be based on a non-sprinklered building once the path of egress leaves fire sprinkler protection.