2012 IEBC Section 805 Means of Egress

[Tim Mailloux]

The way I read section 805 means of Egress in the 2012 IEBC is that the section only applies if the floor has multiple tenants. If the entire floor is a single tenant you are to ignore section 805 and go to Section 704. Is that everyone’s understanding?


2012 IEBC Section 805 Means of Egress:

805.1 Scope. The requirements of this section shall be limited to work areas that include exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant within the work area in which Level 2 alterations are being performed, and where specified they shall apply throughout the floor on which the work areas are located or otherwise beyond the work area.


Commentary: This section is entirely devoted to the means-of-egress requirements in existing buildings that are undergoing Level 2 or 3 alterations. The requirements of this section apply to the work area only, unless there are specific sections addressing supplemental requirements; in which case, the requirements will apply throughout the floor under consideration or beyond. The provisions of this section are applicable only when the alteration work area includes exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant. As such, in multiple-tenant buildings where the reconfiguration of space takes place within one of the tenant spaces and does not include corridors or exits that affect others, the tenant space undergoing alterations need only comply with the means-of-egress requirements of Section 704. In essence, if there are any egress conditions that are considered unsafe, the conditions must be remedied. It is not necessary to confirm that the level of egress safety has not been reduced compared to the current conditions.

 

[steveray]

Kind of....

limited to work areas that include exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant within the work area in which Level 2 alterations are being performed,

One could argue that a vertical exit enclosure that pases through the work area and serves other tenants on other floors would be an "exit in the work area" that serves more than one tenant....

 

[JBI]

One could argue that a vertical exit enclosure that pases through the work area and serves other tenants on other floors would be an "exit in the work area" that serves more than one tenant....

Unless the vertical exit enclosure is outside of the work area...

 

[Paul Sweet]

The exit enclosure is not part of the "work area" unless it is being reconfigured.

 

[steveray]

Correct....Then comes the vagueness of what is the "work area"....

 

[Francis Vineyard]

"The provisions of this section are applicable only when the alteration work area includes exits or corridors shared by more than one tenant. See bottom two examples."

"As such, in multiple-tenant buildings where the reconfiguration of space takes place within one of the tenant spaces and does not include corridors or exits that affect others, the tenant space undergoing alterations need only comply with the means-of-egress requirements of Section 704." See top two examples.

This is also intent of the prescriptive method. "Alterations shall be such that the existing building or structure is no less conforming to the provisions of the IBC than the existing building or structure was prior to the alteration." So unless the alteration include any portion of the exit or exit access . . .

 

[steveray]

But the question is (or may be) whether or not you get to parse out the stairs when you are configuring the entire floor around it.....