2015 IBC - Care Suite Doors

[LGreene]

I'm updating an article that I wrote a few years ago to include the 2015 IBC requirements for smoke doors. One of the new sections is on Group I-2 care suites. 407.4.4.2 says: Care suites shall be separated from other portions of the building, including other care suites, by a smoke partition complying with Section 710.

For this article, I'm discussing whether each smoke door location requires a fire door label, positive-latching, self-closing/automatic-closing device, and gasketing. Looking at section 710 with regard to smoke partitions for care suites, I don't think they would require labels, closers, or gasketing, but they might require positive latching because of section 407.3.1.

Anybody have an opinion?

 

[cda]

CARE SUITE. In Group I-2 occupancies, a group of treatment rooms, care recipient sleeping rooms and the support rooms or spaces and circulation space within the suite where staff are in attendance for supervision of all care recipients within the suite, and the suite is in compliance with the requirements of Section 407.4.4.

Like like care suite started in 2012 Ibc

 

[cda]

Depends on where the door is at????

407.3.1 Corridor doors.

Corridor doors, other than those in a wall required to be rated by Section 509.4 or for the enclosure of a vertical opening or an exit, shall not have a required fire protection rating and shall not be required to be equipped with self-closing or automatic-closing devices, but shall provide an effective barrier to limit the transfer of smoke and shall be equipped with positive latching. Roller latches are not permitted. Other doors shall conform to Section 716.5.

 

[cda]

When lookin at 407.4.4.2.

It appears to apply to 407.4.4 only

407.4.4 Group I-2 care suites.

Care suites in Group I-2 shall comply with Sections 407.4.4.1 through 407.4.4.4 and either Section 407.4.4.5 or 407.4.4.6.

407.4.4.1 Exit access through care suites.

Exit access from all other portions of a building not classified as a care suite shall not pass through a care suite. In a care suite required to have more than one exit, one exit access is permitted to pass through an adjacent care suite provided all of the other requirements of Sections 407.4 and 1016.2 are satisfied.

407.4.4.2 Separation.

Care suites shall be separated from other portions of the building, including other care suites, by a smoke partition complying with Section 710.

407.4.4.3 Access to corridor.

Movement from habitable rooms shall not require passage through more than three doors and 100 feet (30 480 mm) distance of travel within the suite.

Exception: The distance of travel shall be permitted to be increased to 125 feet (38 100 mm) where an automatic smoke detection system is provided throughout the care suite and installed in accordance with NFPA 72.

407.4.4.4 Doors within care suites.

Doors in care suites serving habitable rooms shall be permitted to comply with one of the following:

1. Manually operated horizontal sliding doors permitted in accordance with Exception 9 to Section 1010.1.2.

2. Power-operated doors permitted in accordance with Exception 7 to Section 1010.1.2.

3. Means of egress doors complying with Section 1010.

Which if you look at 407.4.4.4, some of those doors would not require positive latching