2 story open stairs

[Sifu]

I have a building, non-suppressed, type VB, 2-story, occ. load >150 , with 2 required stairs (1 at each end). Is there a provision that would allow BOTH stairs to be open? My assumption has always been no. Using 2012 IBC, 1009.2.1 says an interior exit stairway shall be used for 1 or more of the required exits. By definition, the interior exit stair is enclosed. But the term "as necessary" in that sections has always bothered me so I am challenging my assumptions. I believe one can be an open exit access stair, but the other must be enclosed, as an interior exit stair. Looking at the newer codes, even taking in the relocation of these sections, I can't find similar language to the 2012 1009.2.1, which makes me wonder.

1009.2.1 Where required. Interior exit stairways shall
be included, as necessary, to meet one or more means of
egress design requirements, such as required number of
exits or exit access travel distance.

 

[RLGA]

See Section 1009.3, Exception 1.

 

[Sifu]

No sprinklers.

 

[RLGA]

No sprinklers.

Sprinklers not necessary to use Exception 1 of Section 1009.3.

 

[Sifu]

Sorry, read the wrong exception. I see the two floor exemption, but that section seems to apply onto to an exit access stair, however 1009.2.1 requires an interior exit stair, which is enclosed. So I see that one of the stairs can be open, but the other one must be an enclosed interior exit stairway.

 

[RLGA]

There are two type of stairs: exit stairs and exit access stairs. Exit stairs are required when exit access stairs are not permitted.

 

[Sifu]

How do you arrive at that?

Interior exit stairways shall be included, as necessary, to meet one or more means of
egress design requirements, such as required number of
exits or exit access travel distance.

 

[RLGA]

How do you arrive at that?

Interior exit stairways shall be included, as necessary, to meet one or more means of
egress design requirements, such as required number of
exits or exit access travel distance.

Words like "as necessary" and "such as" do not imply mandatory installation of an exit stair regardless of any other means of egress requirements.

If an unenclosed exit access stairway is permitted and it leads to an exit on another story, then there is no requirement "to meet one or more" MOE requirements for an exit stair on that story.

However, if the travel distance from one story to an exit on another story exceeds the travel distance, then an exit stair (or other exit component, such as a horizontal exit) can be introduced to that story to reduce the travel distance.

 

[Sifu]

So section 1009.2.1, as poorly written as it is, does not over-ride 1021.1.

"Each story above the second
story of a building shall have a minimum of one interior or
exterior exit stairway,"

I think I get to deliver some good news!

 

[RLGA]

So section 1009.2.1, as poorly written as it is, does not over-ride 1021.1.

"Each story above the second
story of a building shall have a minimum of one interior or
exterior exit stairway,"

I think I get to deliver some good news!

As I said previously, exit stairs are required when exit access stairs are not permitted. In the case of Section 1021.1 quoted above, then an exit access stair is not permitted for one of the stairs.