Can exit access stairway be considered as an exit?

[lynn2000]

1006.2.1 Egress based on occupant load and common path
of egress travel distance. Two exits or exit access doorways
from any space shall be provided where the design occupant
load or the common path of egress travel distance exceeds the
values listed in Table 1006.2.1.

The project is an open parking garage, total 6 parking tiers including roof parking, occupancy type S-2. It has two exit stairways. However, roof area is only half of the floor plan which makes one exit stairway is not accessible, and roof parking occupancy load is 42 people and based on Table 1006.2.1, two exits are needed - so an exit access stairway is added for the roof level which bring people from roof level to the 5th level. I just want to verify if this exit access stairway can be counted as an exit, so the project is code compliant in this regard. Thanks!

 

[RLGA]

"1006.3.3 Egress based on occupant load. Each story and occupied roof shall have the minimum number of separate and distinct exits, or access to exits, as specified in Table 1006.3.3."

If the exit access stair leads to an exit on an adjacent story, then it is permissible.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

... - so an exit access stairway is added for the roof level which bring people from roof level to the 5th level. I just want to verify if this exit access stairway can be counted as an exit, so the project is code compliant in this regard. Thanks!

The stairway down from the fifth level is the second exit from the sixth level. The open exit access stairway is exactly what the name implies -- it is part of the exit access path of travel. The exit access travel distance to the "exit" runs down that exit access stair and across the fifth level, ending at the entrance to the stairway on the fifth level. So, technically, the exit access stairway does not count as an "exit" because it isn't an "exit."

 

[lynn2000]

"1006.3.3 Egress based on occupant load. Each story and occupied roof shall have the minimum number of separate and distinct exits, or access to exits, as specified in Table 1006.3.3."

If the exit access stair leads to an exit on an adjacent story, then it is

 

[lynn2000]

This exit access stair will lead to one story below (5th floor in the project) and go through an uncovered parking lot with a distance about 110 ft and arrive at an exit stairs which will lead to ground floor out of the building. Does this situation comply with the code that requires two exits or access exit?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

110 feet looks good:

 

[bill1952]

It seems to me the question should be "Can exit access stairway be considered a part of the means of egress?" By definition, it can never be an "exit". It took me a couple years to fully grasp means of egress and it's three parts: exit access, exit, and exit discharge; but it now seems obvious and clear.
The second question:

This exit access stair will lead to one story below (5th floor in the project) and go through an uncovered parking lot with a distance about 110 ft and arrive at an exit stairs which will lead to ground floor out of the building. Does this situation comply with the code that requires two exits or access exit?

is simply determining if every occupiable spot is within the maximum travel distance permitted of one exit. If everyplace was within max travel distance of the exit stair door, and over it to the other exit stair door on level below, still ok.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

This exit access stair will lead to one story below (5th floor in the project) and go through an uncovered parking lot with a distance about 110 ft and arrive at an exit stairs which will lead to ground floor out of the building. Does this situation comply with the code that requires two exits or access exit?

Be certain you are measuring the travel distance correctly. Remember that in a parking garage you have to assume there will be cars parked in the parking spaces, so the exit access route will have to be rectilinearly drawn and measured so that it doesn't pass through any parking spaces. At the exit access stair, the distance is measured along the line of the stair nosings, so take the plan dimension from the first to the last riser and multiple by roughly 1.4.

 

[lynn2000]

Here is the diagram , does the roof level meet the code requirements ?

 

[classicT]

Here is the diagram , does the roof level meet the code requirements ?

Looks like you should be able to use the central stair as an exit access stairway to go from the 6th to the 5th.

What you will need to check is the exit access travel distance. In the proposed, you would measure from the mid-point between the exit and exit access on the 6th, to the exit access stairway, along the nosing of the exit access stairway, and to the other exit on the 5th.

2021 IBC​

1017.3 Measurement​

Exit access travel distance shall be measured from the most remote point of each room, area or space along the natural and unobstructed path of horizontal and vertical egress travel to the entrance to an exit. Where more than one exit is required, exit access travel distance shall be measured to the nearest exit.
Exceptions:

1. In open parking garages, exit access travel distance is permitted to be measured to the closest riser of an exit access stairway or the closest slope of an exit access ramp.
2. In smoke protected seating and open air assembly seating, exit access travel distance shall be measured in accordance with Section 1030.7.

1017.3.1 Exit Access Stairways and Ramps​

Travel distance on exit access stairways or ramps shall be included in the exit access travel distance measurement. The measurement along stairways shall be made on a plane parallel and tangent to the stair tread nosings in the center of the stair and landings. The measurement along ramps shall be made on the walking surface in the center of the ramp and landings.​

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Here is the diagram , does the roof level meet the code requirements ?

It depends on the total length of the exit access travel distance from the most remote point on the sixth level. See post #8.

The 110' distance on your diagram is from the bottom of the stair, and is measured on the diagonal, which is incorrect.

 

[Jay Smith]

I’m wondering why exit access travel distance would be a point of discussion when the entire top level would be within the maximum distance just by using the exit stair on that level.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

I’m wondering why exit access travel distance would be a point of discussion when the entire top level would be within the maximum distance just by using the exit stair on that level.

If the sixth level only has one means of egress, the maximum exit access travel distance is limited to 75 feet.

 

[Jay Smith]

If the sixth level only has one means of egress, the maximum exit access travel distance is limited to 75 feet.

The top deck has access to more than one exit, but the limit on exit access travel distance is satisfied by any exit within that limit. It doesn’t require measurement to more than one exit.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

The top deck has access to more than one exit, but the limit on exit access travel distance is satisfied by any exit within that limit. It doesn’t require measurement to more than one exit.

The issue isn't exit access travel distance. With a single means of egress, the issue is common path of travel distance. IBC 1006.2.1 and Table 1006.2.1.

 

[Jay Smith]

The issue isn't exit access travel distance. With a single means of egress, the issue is common path of travel distance. IBC 1006.2.1 and Table 1006.2.1.

View attachment 12811

The level in question has access to more than a single exit. How is the issue common path?

 

[steveray]

The level in question has access to more than a single exit. How is the issue common path?

CT limits exit access stairs to 10 people....But that is likely not your issue....ASSUMING your project is in TX....

 

[bill1952]

CT limits exit access stairs to 10 people....But that is likely not your issue....ASSUMING your project is in TX....

so no mezzanine with open stair over 10 occupants,?

 

[Paul Sweet]

A mezzanine is not a story.

 

[steveray]

so no mezzanine with open stair over 10 occupants,?

Read for yourself...CT Code... a bad change but hey:

1019.3 Occupancies Other Than Groups I-2 and I-3​

In other than Group I-2 and I-3 occupancies, floor openings containing exit access stairways or ramps that do not comply with one of the conditions listed in this section shall be enclosed with a shaft enclosure constructed in accordance with Section 713.

1. In buildings equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1 with other than Group H or I occupancies, exit access stairways and ramps serving an occupant load of less than 10 not more than one story above the level of exit discharge
2. In Group R-1, R-2 or R-3 occupancies, exit access stairways and ramps connecting four stories or less serving and contained within a single residential dwelling unit or sleeping unit or live/work unit.
3. Exit access stairways serving and contained within a Group R-3 congregate residence or a Group R-4 facility are not required to be enclosed.
4. Exit access stairways connecting the first and second floors of Group R-1 bed and breakfast establishments. Stairways connecting the second and third floors in such occupancies shall be enclosed with fire separation assemblies having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1 hour. Stairways connecting the basement and the first floor occupancies shall be enclosed with fire partitions having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 1/2 hour with 20-minute fire-resistance-rated door assemblies. Fire-resistance assemblies at stairways in Group R-1 bed and breakfast establishments shall not be required to be supported by fire-resistance-rated construction.
5. Exit access stairways and ramps within an atrium complying with the provisions of Section 404.
6. Exit access stairways and ramps in open parking garages that serve only the open parking garage.
7. Exit access stairways and ramps serving smoke-protected or open-air assembly seating complying with the exit access travel distance requirements of Section 1030.7.
8. Exit access stairways and ramps between the balcony, gallery or press box and the main assembly floor in occupancies such as theaters, places of religious worship, auditoriums and sport facilities.
9. Stairways serving outdoor facilities where all portions of the means of egress are essentially open to the outside.
10. Exit access stairways serving mezzanines complying with the provisions of Section 505.

 

[Paul Sweet]

It looks like they are still allowed. The unamended 2021 IBC says that floor openings containing exit access stairways shall be enclosed and then lists exceptions. The Connecticut amendments goes back to the 2018 IBC and says they shall be enclosed if they don't comply with one of these conditions.