Accessibility/ Egress width?

[steveray]

New high rack paper record storage facility in existing warehouse...proposed 30 inch wide "AISLES" for employees to go in and put away boxes...."aisles" are about 100' long...assuming CPOT and travel distance are not an issue, if accessibility is exempt as "employee work areas" 1104.3.1 2003 IBC...(opinions please)....can they do 30" aisles? I thought there was a definitive minimum always, but can not find it in this case...Can a non-accessible aisle for one person be .2 inches wide?

 

[Kmoney]

Check out 1017.2 - 28" wide

 

[steveray]

Check out 1017.2 - 28" wide

Not in my code......but you may be referring to my 1013.4 which allows down to 28" in B and M......

 

[zigmark]

You may also consider the fire code requirements/allowances that come out of chapter 23 for rack and high-piled storage areas. I don't have the older code edition sitting here but current edition would be sections 2306.9.1, 2306.9.1.1 and 2306.9.1.2. There are many variables depending upon the specifics of the application.

ZIG

 

[gbhammer]

Is the area under three hundred square foot, is it an equipment area, is it exposed to the weather/outdoors, if none of these then it needs to be accessible 36" aisles.

 

[mark handler]

New high rack paper record storage facility in existing warehouse...proposed 30 inch wide "AISLES" for employees to go in and put away boxes...."aisles" are about 100' long...assuming CPOT and travel distance are not an issue, if accessibility is exempt as "employee work areas" 1104.3.1 2003 IBC...(opinions please)....can they do 30" aisles? I thought there was a definitive minimum always, but can not find it in this case...Can a non-accessible aisle for one person be .2 inches wide?

Steveray do not give any legal advice, It can be defined as a workspace and if so defined, the owner must make Work areas accessible for "approach, entry, and exit," by those that are disabled. And ifso 30 inch aisles are not okay.

 

[Big Mac]

Good questions raised by zigmark and gb hammer. Sounds pretty narrow to satisfy either requirement.

 

[steveray]

Thanks Zig!......but my state deleted and substituted everything after Chapter 10 I believe.......the FM does that stuff....I am looking strictly under IBC stuff.....

You may also consider the fire code requirements/allowances that come out of chapter 23 for rack and high-piled storage areas. I don't have the older code edition sitting here but current edition would be sections 2306.9.1, 2306.9.1.1 and 2306.9.1.2. There are many variables depending upon the specifics of the application.ZIG

 

[steveray]

I haven't gotten a good look at the plans yet, I am on the periphery of this right now, just brainstorming about potential problems....the whole "racking area" is 10's of thousands of feet....indoors, and it depends on wether or not the racking is considered eqipment....

Is the area under three hundred square foot, is it an equipment area, is it exposed to the weather/outdoors, if none of these then it needs to be accessible 36" aisles.

 

[steveray]

Thanks Mark....I don't define anything, thats what their DP is for, I will ask the question and they can answer....I personally don't see it as any different than the racks at a HD or anywhere else where they do not make the pallets capable of being retrieved by other than non-accessible means...I know it is pretty gray, and I may kick them up to the State for an interpretation...The entrace to and through the racking area will be accessible, but the racks and their associated elevated walkways will not be...The main aisles in the elevated portion will be 36"+ but the 100'+ side aisles are propsed at 30"....They "have built these all over the northeast" and this is the first time it has come up, which I sadly believe....

Steveray do not give any legal advice, It can be defined as a workspace and if so defined, the owner must make Work areas accessible for "approach, entry, and exit," by those that are disabled. And ifso 30 inch aisles are not okay.

 

[Big Mac]

I apparently missed the fact that the original poster was talking about elevated walking surfaces intended only for the placing and retrieval of stored goods. That being the case, it appears that Section 1103.2.8 might apply. if so, I'm not sure the 30" width is too much of an issue for relative short distances.

 

[steveray]

Thanks Big!.....the 30" aisles are about 100' long........I can see it under 1103.2.8 or maybe 1104.3.1 Exception 2,.....but I want the DP to tell me that.....

 

[steveray]

Not entirely on topic, but didn't quite want to start a new thread....this is a high rack record storage facility that "they have built all over the country"

Bringing this back up as now they do not have handrail extensions at the tops of their stairs in the racks....anyone know of any exemptions here:

1009.11.5 Handrail extensions.

Handrails shall return to a wall, guard or the walking surface or shall be continuous to the handrail of an adjacent stair flight. Where handrails are not continuous between flights, the handrails shall extend horizontally at least 12 inches (305mm) beyond the top riser and continue to slope for the depth of one tread beyond the bottom riser.

Exceptions:

1. Handrails within a dwelling unit that is not required to be accessible need extend only from the top riser to the bottom riser.

2. Aisle handrails in Group A occupancies in accordance with Section 1024.13.

This is the junk they sent me:

Ray asked for some information pertaining to "not requiring" handrail extensions for the racking supported stairways. Below is a section from the 2008 Rack Manufactures Institute Specification, which the 2009 IBC follows. Please see bold underlined sections below... Also attached is our Certificate of Insurance for the facility which includes Workman's Comp. Figured you would want to have this showing that we have coverage prior to issuing a partial C of O

8.4 PICK MODULES AND RACK SUPPORTED PLATFORMS

Pick modules and rack supported platforms that are used by authorized or trained personnel

and not open to the general public shall be designed in accordance with this section.

8.4.3 Rack supported platform and Pick Module Walkway

Guardrails - Members that are installed on an elevated rack supported platform or pick

module walkway whose purpose is to provide fall protection for the occupants of the

structure. Guardrails consist of a top rail, an intermediate rail and posts.

Kick-plate – Kick-plates are vertical plates that extend upward at the edge of a floor

surface to prevent loose items from sliding off the edge of the floor.

8.4.3.1 Guardrail Requirements

The horizontal top rail of the guardrail shall be 42” (407cm) above the walking surface.

Guardrails shall have a top rail and intermediate members such that a 21” (53 cm)

sphere cannot pass through below the top rail level. The ends of the rails shall not

extend beyond the post except where extending the rails will not create a hazard.

Where there is a discontinuity of the guardrail that exceeds 6” (15 cm) such as between

vertical members or between stairs and a vertical member, filler guardrail is required to

provide fall protection for this space.

8.4.4 Stairways

Fixed stairways shall be provided for access to elevated rack supported platforms or pick

modules by authorized or trained personnel. Fixed stairways shall have a minimum tread

width of 30” (76 cm). A vertical clearance of seven feet shall be maintained between the

stairway and any overhead obstruction measured from the leading edge of the tread.

Stairways shall be installed at angles to the horizontal of between 30 and 50 degrees.

The sum of the rise and the run of a single step should be approximately 17.5 inches (45 cm)

with the minimum rise of 6.5 in (16.5 cm) and a maximum rise of 9.5 in (24 cm).

Rise height and tread length shall be uniform throughout any flight of stairs including any

foundation structure used as one or more of the treads of the stairs. Open risers are

allowed. Stairway landings shall be no less than the width of the stairway and a minimum of 30”

(76cm) in length measured in the direction of travel. Intermediate landings are required if

vertical rise exceeds 12 ft (3.66m). Handrails shall be provided on both sides of all stairways.

If the total rise of the stairway is less than 44” (112 cm) stair handrails are not required.

Stair Handrail – Smooth, continuous railing that runs up a stair rise assembly to provide

added balance and safety for the occupants as they walk up or down the stair rise

assembly. Stair handrail shall be 30” to 34” (76 cm to 86cm) in height when measured from the top

of each tread at the face of the tread. Stair handrail brackets or posts supports shall be

spaced at no more than 8 ft. centers (2.44 m) and the rail shall be mounted so a

clearance of at least 3” (7.6 cm) exists horizontally between the rail and any obstruction.

Stair handrails shall be designed for the same forces as guardrails. Stair handrail extensions

are not required in pick module or rack supported platform stair assemblies.