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Assisted living facilities I-1 and Emergency Escape & Rescue Openings

JigglyPuff

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Joined
Mar 30, 2021
Messages
16
Location
Twin Cities
I have an assisted living facility that will be an I-1 that is going into an existing building (church). This church is a one story building with a basement. I'm trying to find out if the existing windows in the basement need to be egress. This project is in the state of Minnesota.

In the Minnesota Building Code under Section 1030 Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings" it says the following:

"In addition to the means of egress required by this chapter, emergency escape and rescue openings shall be provided in Group R occupancies as follows:"

Basements and sleeping rooms below the fourth story above grade plane shall have at least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening in accordance with this section. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency escape and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Such openings shall open directly into a public way or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

Exceptions:

  1. 1.Basements with a ceiling height of less than 80 inches (2032 mm) and not used for purposes other than mechanical equipment or storage shall not be required to have emergency escape and rescue openings.
  2. 2.Emergency escape and rescue openings are not required from basements or sleeping rooms that have an exit door or exit access door that opens directly into a public way or to a yard, court, or exteriorexit balcony that opens to a public way.
  3. 3.Basements without habitable spaces and having not more than 200 square feet (18.6 m2) in floor area shall not be required to have emergency escape and rescue openings.
  4. 4.Emergency escape and rescue openings shall not be required under the following conditions:
    1. 4.1.The building is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2; and
    2. 4.2.The means of egress system complies without utilizing the single exit provisions under Section 1006.3.3.
  5. 5.In other than Group R-3 occupancies, sleeping rooms provided with a door to a fire-resistance-rated corridor having access to two remote exits in opposite directions.
  6. 6.The emergency escape and rescue opening is permitted to open onto a balcony within an atrium in accordance with the requirements of Section 404, provided the balcony provides access to an exit and the dwelling unit or sleeping unit has a means of egress that is not open to the atrium.
  7. 7.High-rise buildings in accordance with Section 403.
  8. 8.Basements in Group R-3 occupancies used only to house mechanical equipment that do not exceed a total floor area of 200 square feet (18.58 m2).

There's no mention of any other occupancies outside of Group R, so I think I found the answer but just wanted some confirmation from others who have worked on I-1 buildings.
 
I-1 in a basement

What could go wrong??

Does the building have or will have a fire sprinkler system???
 
Have you checked with the Feds to see if they will approve this set up??
 
To clarify,,, are they putting clients/ sleeping in the basement?

Or what will the basement be used for???
 
So are you thinking only one eero is needed?

Or it seems like each sleeping room is required one
 
So are you thinking only one eero is needed?

Or it seems like each sleeping room is required one
well based on what I'm finding in the code, there is no EERO required for an I-1 occupancy, unless there's something in the code I'm missing.
 
well based on what I'm finding in the code, there is no EERO required for an I-1 occupancy, unless there's something in the code I'm missing.

I am thinking one is required per IBC


Once again you might check Fed requirements!!!
 
This requirement is specific to Group R, as you noted. If your occupancy is Group I then it is true the requirement for the openings in this section does not apply.

However, this is an amended part of the Minnesota code as compared to IBC. The amendment changes the code to apply to all Group R, which would include R-4. R-4 is very similar to I-1 in that it includes assisted living. It makes me wonder why include the requirement in R-4 but not I-4. I’d want a clarification from not just someone with experience in assisted living, but with assisted living in Minnesota.

Of course, two means of egress from the basement would eliminate the requirement per Exception 4.
 
This requirement is specific to Group R, as you noted. If your occupancy is Group I then it is true the requirement for the openings in this section does not apply.

However, this is an amended part of the Minnesota code as compared to IBC. The amendment changes the code to apply to all Group R, which would include R-4. R-4 is very similar to I-1 in that it includes assisted living. It makes me wonder why include the requirement in R-4 but not I-4. I’d want a clarification from not just someone with experience in assisted living, but with assisted living in Minnesota.

Of course, two means of egress from the basement would eliminate the requirement per Exception 4.

So just being a plain old basement,,,, Doesn’t require it to have at least one eero??????



Basements and sleeping rooms below the fourth story above grade plane shall have at least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening
 
I'm not sure why it would be any scarier than the 6th floor or similar.

No EEROs in I-1 in MN. Even in R occupancies they are very rare. 1030 really only covers single family built under IBC. I've never seen an apartment building with EEROs, it's hard to imagine a scenario they would be required considering the other R-2 requirements.
 
I'm not sure why it would be any scarier than the 6th floor or similar.

No EEROs in I-1 in MN. Even in R occupancies they are very rare. 1030 really only covers single family built under IBC. I've never seen an apartment building with EEROs, it's hard to imagine a scenario they would be required considering the other R-2 requirements.

Guess how you read it.
 
well based on what I'm finding in the code, there is no EERO required for an I-1 occupancy, unless there's something in the code I'm missing.

Ok sounds like you are correct, still would check Fed requirements, if they are getting fed money

So with that out of the way

Will there be one or two stairs to this basement???

Elevator ??
 
Ok sounds like you are correct, still would check Fed requirements, if they are getting fed money

So with that out of the way

Will there be one or two stairs to this basement???

Elevator ??
There's one existing stairway, an existing ramp that leads to an exterior door at the ground level, and then we will be adding in a new elevator. Currently there is no elevator.
 
There's one existing stairway, an existing ramp that leads to an exterior door at the ground level, and then we will be adding in a new elevator. Currently there is no elevator.


That sounds a little better
 
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