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Boiler room?

E

earshavewalls

Bronze Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
77
Location
Southern California
We have a project where two boilers with a combined BTU of over 1,000,000 will be installed outside of the main building within an open-top enclosure with a canopy over the boilers. This area is enclosed on all four sides with CMU and wrought iron gates. The architect is arguing that this is not a "room" as designated in the California Building Code, 1015.3 and as such does not require two means of egress or exit signage or egress hardware (due to security reasons).

What say ye????? Is this area subject to the requirements of a "boiler room", or not?
 
Re: Boiler room?

What is the size of this "room"

With limited information, and NO knowledge of the California codes, I would say not a room per se.

More like an enclosure. Does the enclosed area have more than 50% opening? I'm thinking of sprinkler coverage etc.

mj
 
Re: Boiler room?

It is a one room building and if it is over 500 sq ft it must comply with the 2 exit requirement of 1015.3

BUILDING. Any structure used or intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
 
Re: Boiler room?

would require the doors not sure if you really need exit signs

now as far as hardware, that is a good question, if one is a gate and one is a normal type door , might require it on the door if the normal in and out is the gate, which if they are going in will be open, and thaen you have the other door that you can normally get out if there is a problem with trying to get back through the gate.
 
Re: Boiler room?

The area is over 500 sq.ft., but the issue is not the floor area, it is the means of egress out of the area. The fact that there is not a roof over the entire area does not exempt this area from egress requirements. An outdoor stadium is open to the air, but there are specific egress requirements that must still be met. Egress is required from a roof and there are specific requirements in Chapter 10 concerning roof access and equipment.

This is not an area that is open to the general public, in fact, only qualified persons will be allowed access to the area, but it still requires egress.

CBC 1004.8 states that, "Yards, patios, courts and similar outdoor areas accessible to and usable by the building occupants shall be provided with means of egress as required by this chapter."

An electrical room with gear that exceeds 1200amps, specific egress requirements kick in because of the potential hazards and the need for maintenance personnel to be able to get out of the room as quickly as possible. This applies to boiler rooms (these are steam boilers) when the BTUs of the appliances exceed 400Kbtu and the area is over 500 sq.ft. regardless of whether the area has a ceiling or not........the area requires egress in accordance with the code. In this case, in accordance with 1015.3.

If you couldn't tell, we resolved this issue moments ago and the applicant understands the need for the exits, and we are OK.

Thanks for the comments, though........keep questioning codes!!!
 
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