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Reference source for measuring common path of egress travel...

okitect

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Apr 7, 2021
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4
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California
Anyone know where the source information is located for measuring common path of egress travel distance? Some say the distance is from furthest point in room along walls, others say around fixed furniture (what's the definition of 'fixed'); others say around all furniture, etc.
 
COMMON PATH OF EGRESS TRAVEL. That portion of
the exit access travel distance measured from the most remote
point within a story to that point where the occupants have
separate and distinct access to two exits or exit access doorways.

From the most remote point measured at right angles or the "natural path of travel" and you will never be wrong.....
 
COMMON PATH OF EGRESS TRAVEL. That portion of
the exit access travel distance measured from the most remote
point within a story to that point where the occupants have
separate and distinct access to two exits or exit access doorways.

From the most remote point measured at right angles or the "natural path of travel" and you will never be wrong.....

I would take "natural path" to include furniture, especially fixed systems furniture (cubicles).
 
Agreed...I don't know any AHJs that will accept a common path measurement going through a piece of fixed furniture...
 
I know where the section is in the code but there are no diagrams. "Natural" path is vague. I would go OVER the furniture if I saw a fire in my space :)

Appreciate the link to the RLGA document and site. That specific document is 12 years old though. Wondering if there's any updates. If anyone knows of any classes being taught on egress please let me know. Thanks so much!
 
I know where the section is in the code but there are no diagrams. "Natural" path is vague. I would go OVER the furniture if I saw a fire in my space :)

Appreciate the link to the RLGA document and site. That specific document is 12 years old though. Wondering if there's any updates. If anyone knows of any classes being taught on egress please let me know. Thanks so much!

Unless RLGA says otherwise

the 12 year old info has not



So yes there are always classes

Just a question to better direct you

what do you do for a living??

read thru some of these threads


 
I know where the section is in the code but there are no diagrams. "Natural" path is vague. I would go OVER the furniture if I saw a fire in my space :)
Would someone in a wheel chair go over the furniture" What about senior citizen who doesn't have that level of mobility?

I show furniture layouts on all my code plans and take the furniture into account when looking at any sort of travel distance.
 
from the code commentary:

This table reflects the maximum distance a person is allowed to travel from any point in a building floor area to the nearest exit along a natural and unobstructed path.......
 
I know where the section is in the code but there are no diagrams. "Natural" path is vague. I would go OVER the furniture if I saw a fire in my space :)

Appreciate the link to the RLGA document and site. That specific document is 12 years old though. Wondering if there's any updates. If anyone knows of any classes being taught on egress please let me know. Thanks so much!


This book is based on 2015 IBC and talks about CPET along with how to build a building

Great book


 
I know where the section is in the code but there are no diagrams. "Natural" path is vague. I would go OVER the furniture if I saw a fire in my space :)

Appreciate the link to the RLGA document and site. That specific document is 12 years old though. Wondering if there's any updates. If anyone knows of any classes being taught on egress please let me know. Thanks so much!
Think accessible as in unable to be vaulted in a WC. Fixed as in "attached" to the floor surface.
 
This book is based on 2015 IBC and talks about CPET along with how to build a building

Great book


Thank you. I will likely wait for the 2018 IBC version.
 
Just applying reality to a space, honestly, while you still can... Rooms get stuff, fixed or not, and not usually on an angle to the room. No one argues this, until they have to add an exit. Then they don't believe reality anymore... for the moment. Then code proposals get submitted to try to spell out reality in the next code, and then the book gets bigger and more defined, and then people get more lost in it, and then professional building officials get more bound to definitive words attempting to spell reality, but missed the mark. Then designers get angry the code is too black and white for their design, and they want the authority to consider reality... Kind of like they wanted the designer to when measuring human travel.

A space where people will move diagonally, measure diagonally while you can.

A space were people will move at right angles, measure at right angles before to code makes you do it every single time.

Accept the reality of all the variety, before the code defines reality by the most restrictive of the variety. That is not directed to anyone, just a general rant I've offered up...
 
Just applying reality to a space, honestly, while you still can... Rooms get stuff, fixed or not, and not usually on an angle to the room. No one argues this, until they have to add an exit. Then they don't believe reality anymore... for the moment. Then code proposals get submitted to try to spell out reality in the next code, and then the book gets bigger and more defined, and then people get more lost in it, and then professional building officials get more bound to definitive words attempting to spell reality, but missed the mark. Then designers get angry the code is too black and white for their design, and they want the authority to consider reality... Kind of like they wanted the designer to when measuring human travel.

A space where people will move diagonally, measure diagonally while you can.

A space were people will move at right angles, measure at right angles before to code makes you do it every single time.

Accept the reality of all the variety, before the code defines reality by the most restrictive of the variety. That is not directed to anyone, just a general rant I've offered up...
Glenn
I sat in on a couple of online seminars you did for the anual NEBOA conference last fall and I really enjoyed your seminars and presentation style.
 
Glenn
I sat in on a couple of online seminars you did for the anual NEBOA conference last fall and I really enjoyed your seminars and presentation style.
Thanks Tim. I hope to get to teach for them more in the future. Pretty good group of folks up in the NE.
 
The only time I have been allowed to use travel paths that aren't parallel to the walls was in a parking garage. I had to measure travel distance along the lines between parking spaces, but could go diagonally across driving lanes.
 
Hopefully someone can clarify this common path measurement issue to me. Think of a fire sprinkled multi tenant high rise building floor plate with a 1 hour rated common corridor that connects the two rated stairs. The suite is large enough to require two exits. My confusion/concern has to do with the termination of the measurement for "Common Path". We have typically measured this to the suite exit doors that enter the 1 hour rated corridor. A Fire Marshal has just given us a correction that the common path measurement needs to continue to the stairwell door. We have a 100' max common path per code. We cannot both paths to the exit stair door within 100'.

Is that the correct way to measure common path, and do both paths to the exits need to fully
 
Hopefully someone can clarify this common path measurement issue to me. Think of a fire sprinkled multi tenant high rise building floor plate with a 1 hour rated common corridor that connects the two rated stairs. The suite is large enough to require two exits. My confusion/concern has to do with the termination of the measurement for "Common Path". We have typically measured this to the suite exit doors that enter the 1 hour rated corridor. A Fire Marshal has just given us a correction that the common path measurement needs to continue to the stairwell door. We have a 100' max common path per code. We cannot both paths to the exit stair door within 100'.

Is that the correct way to measure common path, and do both paths to the exits need to fully

I think a floor plan is needed to answer this question.
 
Hopefully someone can clarify this common path measurement issue to me. Think of a fire sprinkled multi tenant high rise building floor plate with a 1 hour rated common corridor that connects the two rated stairs. The suite is large enough to require two exits. My confusion/concern has to do with the termination of the measurement for "Common Path". We have typically measured this to the suite exit doors that enter the 1 hour rated corridor. A Fire Marshal has just given us a correction that the common path measurement needs to continue to the stairwell door. We have a 100' max common path per code. We cannot both paths to the exit stair door within 100'.

Is that the correct way to measure common path, and do both paths to the exits need to fully
Sounds incorrect. I imagine at the suite entry/exit access door the occupant could go right to a stair, or left to a stair. That is where it stops. Without knowing more, it sounds like CPET and EATD are being confused by the FM. The exit access travel distance would be measured to the stair (exit).
 
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