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Dead End Corridor

T

Tom_Fallon

Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2010
Messages
14
Location
Portland, OR, US
We need to extend a corridor back into a space in order to provide a second means of egress. A building official told a colleague that we had a dead-end condition. I believe this is only applying to the restroom (29' dead end) but that space in my belief is exempt as it only requires one exit. Per our code (2010 OSSC) "Where more than one exit or exit access doorway is required, the exit access shall be arranged such that there are no dead ends in corridors more than 20' in length." We do not qualify for any of the exemptions. Note: I don't want to get hung up on the restroom part - that could be re-arranged or moved to a tenant space if necessary.My interpretation (per only measurement guide I could find which was NFPA 101 A7.5.1.5) is that the dead end is measured from the point of entry from the exiting spaces to the dead end spot. Since the two spaces exit at the dead end this would not be a dead end for those spaces.1. Would this qualify as a dead-end for the main spaces being served by the corridor? All of the examples in the commentary and NFPA 101 (the two I have handy) do not address this specific scenario that I can see.2. If you feel this would be a dead-end condition - could we set it up so that the doors must remain unlocked during business hours therefore people could come back through those doors and exit through the main entrance?Thank you for your input!

View attachment 1728

dead-end corridor.pdf

dead-end corridor.pdf
 
What code and edition is adopted by the ahj??

To me without seeing the complete building plan hard to make a call

But just by what is shown it appears the corridor exits to the outside

So do not see a problem????

Is the building sprinkled??

Is the area shown the entire business??

Any other exit out of area 108??
 
Code = 2010 OSSC = Oregon Structural Specialty Code which is based on the 2009 IBC w/ Oregon adopted amendments. I quoted the code section I am seeking an interpretation on although is someone knows of something else in the model or OSSC that might pertain I wouldn't mind hearing about it.

You can see the property line on two sides and the doors go straight outside on the bottom. The space to the right has its own exit and is not connected so shouldn't apply. I don't know that we have a plan for the entire building.

Building is not sprinklered. There are two businesses sharing the single corridor. Space 108 is existing and there is no other exit.

Thanks!
 
Travel distance is 200 feet

2. Where a tenant space in Group B, S and U occupancies has an occupant load of not more than 30, the length of a common path of egress travel shall not be more than 100 feet

Not sure if it meets single exit requirements
 
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This is the second exit. We have two for each business - one comes in straight from outside. The other through the corridor straight outside. Our common path of egress within the tenant spaces in the worse case is less than 50' (except the mezzanine which we are not touching). Our limit for common path is 75' here not 100.
 
steveray said:
Doesn't look like a dead end to me....but do you have exit seperation distance?
Click to expand...
Greetings,

Not a dead end but surely non compliant with 1015.2.1 (09). I would look real close at the length of the common path of egress too.

BS
 
spector51,

Welcome to the Building Codes Forum!

The plans indicate that the corridor will be 1 hr. rated.

FWIW, I do not think it is a dead end.

.
 
I am calculating the separation distance between the direct exit from the space to exterior to the entrance to the corridor from the space as this is a 1-hour rated corridor. Therefore we have 1/2 diagonal travel distance.

If we need to we can go to horizontal exit but that may require 2-hour rating and swing a second door swinging back into the art gallery due to the load of people using the corridor as an exit.

We are very good on common path within the tenant spaces. I don't believe that would be needed for an exit corridor? Building official had reviewed and was the one to call it a dead end but it was a colleague that met with him so I don't know exactly how the discussion went.

Thank you all for the input.
 
Sounds like the consensus is there is no problem

Unless there is more to the floor plan that we are not seeing

Sounds like meeting time again and have no point out what they are seeing to include code sections
 
Dead End Corridor replyEach tenant has two means of egress. One is to the exterior and one is to the corridor. Does each tenant require two means of egress from their space?In the 2006 IBC an occupant load of under 30 allows a single exit for some occupancy types. It appears that the Artist Gallery has an occupant load of over 30 if it is a Mercantile. If it is considered a business the occupant load would be under 30. I vote it is Mercantile because it will have paintings for sale in the Gallery area. If it is for exhibition then it would be Assembly.The common path of travel from each tenant space exceeds the 75-ft limit for a non-sprinklered building. The Storage occupancy (Warehouse) is allowed 100-ft for the common path of travel.Required EXITS from the Building would be two. Current plan does not have the Building Exits ½ the diagonal distance from the other EXIT.When you enter an exit access corridor you should have two means of egress choices. The exception would be if you are still within you common path of travel’s length once you enter the corridor or the building conforms to allowing a single exit.You cannot take the corridor rating around the restrooms. The SBC did allow this but not the IBC. Your restrooms will require a rated separation from the rated corridor. Restrooms appear to have a slight door swing encroachment of the required floor space for the lavatory. That is an ADA no no. Floor space for the lav is 30” wide x 48” long with the 48” starting under the lav toward the wet wall about 8” from the lav’s apron. Not knowing the size of the lav may affect the placement of the required lav fixture floor area and affect the door’s location to avoid the ADA issue.Someone had mentioned making the Corridor an EXIT PASSAGEWAY. Restrooms and other similar unoccupied spaces cannot open into an EXIT or EXIT PASSAGEWAY.The side with the Stair may be an issue with upper floor exiting. There is nothing known about what is happening up stairs.Occupant load;Mercantile 60-sf/p2341 / 60 = 39-pWarehouses 500-sf/p1575 / 500 = 3-pAccessory Storage 300-sf/p1575 / 300 = 5-pTotal building occupant load that could be in the Corridor system would be between 42 or 45. Just under 50-people but enough to require a rated corridor.Is it a Dead End? In my opinion yes for any Restroom user. However, they can reach the EXIT within the common path of travel as long as they do not turn the wrong way. Once they turn the wrong way and have to double back they may have then exceeded the total length of common path of travel. The Code’s Commentary examples never show the common path of travel but in a continuous path from a remote location to the point of EXIT or choice of two directions to egress. Since one tenant is required two means out of his space and must egress using the Corridor, then the corridor’s exterior exit door is located too close to the other EXIT door. And in my opinion the Corridor is required to have two means of egress.The attached PDF has additional graphics and comments.

View attachment 611

Dead End Ques.pdf

Dead End Ques.pdf
 
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