Center core EXITS?

[Examiner]

Given:

Code: 2006 IBC

Two story office building with Exit Stairs at the end walls of the building. The center area of the building will have the restrooms, storage, janitor and an open stair. The center area is for the general public, employees use and the center area goes for front to back of the building. A corridor will loop around the restrooms etc. Construction Type II-B with sprinkler system. Each side of the center area will be rentable office spaces. The required minimum exits from the upper floor are two. There are ample Exits on the Ground floor.

My concern is the center area. Without going through Tenant spaces or an Exit Access Corridor; the center area has only one open Exit stair from the second floor. Common path of Travel will be exceeded from a remote location on the center area down the stairs to a choice for two means of egress at the lower floor.

I do not see how the center area cannot be required to have two Exits from its immediate area on the second floor. Does anyone else see something different?

 

[cda]

Nope must have access to two exits

 

[mtlogcabin]

Agree Exit access corridor would be required to both exit stairs. An open stair is not permitted as a means of egress if it serves more than 10 occupants. 1022 Exception 1

 

[cda]

Elevator????

 

[mtlogcabin]

Elevator????

What are you asking?

 

[AegisFPE]

An alternative approach may be to consider San Francisco Secure Lobby Exit provisions, which allow for egress through a tenant space. In your case, the pull stations would be mounted near the entrance to each of the tenant spaces.

 

[cda]

What are you asking?

just wa wondering if there was an elevator in the building, and is it part of this area

 

[mtlogcabin]

An alternative approach may be to consider San Francisco Secure Lobby Exit provisions, which allow for egress through a tenant space. In your case, the pull stations would be mounted near the entrance to each of the tenant spaces.

The tenant spaces could never be locked

 

[kilitact]

Agree Exit access corridor would be required to both exit stairs. An open stair is not permitted as a means of egress if it serves more than 10 occupants. 1022 Exception 1

Mtlogcabin exceptions #8 & 9 of the 2006 IBC would allow an open stairway in this case. With the number of stairways installed I don't see an issue.

 

[cda]

Looks like they are still required access to a second exit

8. **In other than Group H and I occupancies, a maximum of 50 percent of egress stairways serving one adjacent floor are not required to be enclosed, provided at least two means of egress are provided from both floors served by the unenclosed stairways. Any two such interconnected floors shall not be open to other floors. Unenclosed exit stairways shall be remotely located as required in Section 1015.2.

9. **In other than Group H and I occupancies, interior egress stairways serving only the first and second stories of a building equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 are not required to be enclosed, provided at least two means of egress are provided from both floors served by the unenclosed stairways. Such interconnected stories shall not be open to other stories. Unenclosed exit stairways shall be remotely located as required in Section 1015.2.

1015.2 Exit or exit access doorway arrangement.

Required exits shall be located in a manner that makes their availability obvious. Exits shall be unobstructed at all times. Exit and exit access doorways shall be arranged in accordance with Sections 1015.2.1 and 1015.2.2.

 

[kilitact]

Looks like they are still required access to a second exit

They have three stairways.

 

[cda]

They have three stairways.

Meant to say they still need access to two exits if you are in the center core area

One is the open one and to me you still need access to one of the others

 

[kilitact]

Meant to say they still need access to two exits if you are in the center core area One is the open one and to me you still need access to one of the others

they have stairways at each end and 0ne the central core. Are the end stairways only advailable to one tenant? Most multi-story commercial buildings have a central core area with restrooms, janitor closets, electrical closets etc.

 

[mtlogcabin]

they have stairways at each end and 0ne the central core.

That would be okay but that is not the way I envision the layout

with Exit Stairs at the end walls of the building

Are the end stairways only advailable to one tenant?

That is what my responses have been based on

 

[cda]

Sounds like if you are in the core, the only exit available is the one unenclosed stair

 

[Examiner]

Back from Vacation and caught up on work:

CDA, yes the core has only one exit for now.

If you are in the core; to use a second exit you would have to egress through the adjacent tenant space. Not allowed by Code.

Travel distance from a remote location in the core is also exceeded, so a second means of egress would be required regardless of an occupant load.

Each Tenant has access to their one exit in their space and the core's exit. So the Tenants have two means of egress to two exits.

Most multi-story buildings have a corridor system on the upper floors. If a floor is not completely leased out by only one tenant then an egress corridor would be required to each exit which would be connected to the core. The Developer does not want the egress corridor to the stairs through tenant space since there maybe two tenants taking the entire floor each side of the core.

That is why the core would be required to have two of its own EXITS.

Hope this makes sense without a drawing.