Diagonal Distance for Exiting

[Phil B]

Opinion please: would a small (less than 100 sf) Storage Room need to be included in the 'area served' when determining the space's diagonal distance to be used in how far the exits need to be spaced apart?

 

[Tim Mailloux]

Opinion please: would a small (less than 100 sf) Storage Room need to be included in the 'area served' when determining the space's diagonal distance to be used in how far the exits need to be spaced apart?

I would say yes. I always use the largest diagonal distance across the space and use 1/2 or 1/3rd of the distance depending on if there are sprinklers or not.

 

[classicT]

Is the storage room intended to be occupied?

IF (note that this is a big if), it can be shown that the storage room is not intended to be occupied (i.e. it is used for chair and table storage for that space), I may be inclined to take the measurement without considering it.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

Im assuming this diagonal dimension including this small storage room is just putting you over the required exit separation? to what points are your measure the separation of exits, center of openings? Th code does not dictate where you have to measure to, and IIRC the code commentary allows you to measure to the most remote points of the exit openings. That could buy you an additional several feet of separation distance.

 

[Phil B]

Im assuming this diagonal dimension including this small storage room is just putting you over the required exit separation? to what points are your measure the separation of exits, center of openings? Th code does not dictate where you have to measure to, and IIRC the code commentary allows you to measure to the most remote points of the exit openings. That could buy you an additional several feet of separation distance.

Thank you all! Very helpful. In my case, the Storage Room is not occupied and is just for the tables and chairs scenario mentioned above, but that argument is falling on deaf ears (so far)

 

[RLGA]

If the storage room's doors open into the space being served, then yes, it should be included in the overall diagonal. If the doors open to the exterior or another area not served by the exits, then no, it's not included.

As Tim stated, the distance between exit or exit access doorways can be measured anywhere across the width of the doorways, so you can use the doorway edges that are the farthest apart.

 

[steveray]

I'm with Ron's clarification.

 

[ADAguy]

If the storage room's doors open into the space being served, then yes, it should be included in the overall diagonal. If the doors open to the exterior or another area not served by the exits, then no, it's not included.

As Tim stated, the distance between exit or exit access doorways can be measured anywhere across the width of the doorways, so you can use the doorway edges that are the farthest apart.

You refer to the doorway edges but what of the inclusion of the depth of the room it serves?

 

[RLGA]

You refer to the doorway edges but what of the inclusion of the depth of the room it serves?

Exit or exit access door separation is measured "as the crow flies" as they say...it doesn't matter what shape the room is--it's a direct measurement from door to door.

 

[ADAguy]

And what if the room within the room is 50' deep? You don't include its depth?

 

[RLGA]

And what if the room within the room is 50' deep? You don't include its depth?

I'm not sure what you're asking. If there is a group of rooms that share the same means of egress, then the overall diagonal is measured between the two most remote corners of the group of rooms. The depth and width of the spaces will affect the overall diagonal. The shared egress doors must be separated by a distance that is at least 1/2 of the overall diagonal (1/3 if sprinklered). However, if a common path of egress travel (CPET) exceeds the maximum allowed, then another egress door will be required or one of the doors provided must be moved to shorten the CPET.