bathing room

[Mech]

2009 IBC / ANSI A117.1

I have a 2nd story, exempt from being accessible (less than 3,000 sf). The entire story will be the owner's office. He wants a bathing room - toilet, lav, and a 30"x30" shower. There is an accessible unisex restroom on the first floor for the public / office workers. I am assuming this bathing room must be accessible.

IBC 1109.2 Each toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible. Where a floor level is not required to be connected by an accessible route, the only toilet rooms or bathing rooms provided within the facility shall not be located on the inaccessible floor. At least one of each type of fixture, element, control or dispenser in each accessible toilet room and bathing room shall be accessible.

Is there a provision anywhere stating that features and facilities on inaccessible levels are not required to be accessible?

 

[Gene Boecker]

Re: bathing room

Keep reading. You were so close:

Exceptions:1. In toilet rooms or bathing facilities accessed only through a private office, not for common or public use and intended for use by a single occupant, any of the following alternatives are allowed:

1.1. Doors are permitted to swing into the clear floor space, provided the door swing can be reversed to meet the requirements in ICC A117.1;

1.2. The height requirements for the water closet in ICC A117.1 are not applicable;

1.3. Grab bars are not required to be installed in a toilet room, provided that reinforcement has been installed in the walls and located so as to permit the installation of such grab bars; and

1.4. The requirement for height, knee and toe clearance shall not apply to a lavatory.

These precautions, and the rest of the bathroom need not meet any standard except the plumbing code. :geek:

Otherwise, no. If you build a public toilet room on a level that is not required to be accessible, you still have to make it an accessible toilet room with the idea that when and if access is provided to that level, it'll be available for use without having to tear out walls and reconstruct the whole thing.

 

[brudgers]

Re: bathing room

You are not required to provide vertical accessibility to the level.

The level must still be accessible.

 

[Big Mac]

Re: bathing room

There are times when the level maynot need to be accessible to wheelchair bound persons. Section 1104.4. Hoever the toilet rooms on that level still need to be designed to meet accessible standards. If the toilet room is accessed only through a private office and is intended for the sole use of the person housed in that office, the four exemptions listed in 1109.1, item #1 can be incorproated into the design. For any feature such as clear floor space requirements, door size, etc that is not specifically listed as an exception to design, must meet the basic desing requirements for all accessible toilet rooms.

 

[Mech]

Re: bathing room

Gene: I did see the exceptions, but none said what I was looking for, and I didn't feel like pasting the exceptions into the post. (Where's the "lazy" smilie? :lol

The "it must comply with all other requirements in case the story is accessible in the future" explanation makes sense and that's what I was looking for in the IBC.

Thanks everyone!

 

[peach]

Re: bathing room

Still a private office.. albeit, a large private office.