Do I have to call it an "exit" when it goes outside?

[Yikes]

When you leave a building, do you have to call the exterior path “The Exit”, or can it still qualify as “exit access” if the distance is still short?I am attaching a 3D exit diagram image of a proposed 18 unit apartment building. At the 2nd floor, the occupants would exit into an open-air double-loaded corridor (with roof), then outdoors onto a balcony that leads to a 2nd floor patio. The exit path then goes back inside the building into a lobby that serves the patio. The it goes outdoors again, down an exterior stair. From there it goes past a parking lot and re-enters into a open-air corridor (or, worst-case, exit passageway) to the front yard / public R-O-W.So, I leave and re-enter roofed building areas twice: I leave at B, re-enter at D, leave at E, re-enter at G, and leave to the street.If “B” is considered the “exit”, I have a code problem with re-entering twice, correct?On the other hand, if travel distance is so short that B,C, and D could still qualify as “exit access”, then I’ve got no problem.

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[Coug Dad]

When I have had egress paths that have to re-enter the building I have generally treated it as an exit passagway.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Unless you have some rated corridors or stairs I bellive it is still an exit access

EXIT ACCESS. That portion of a means of egress system that leads from any occupied portion of a building or structure to an exit .

EXIT. That portion of a means of egress system which is separated from other interior spaces of a building or structure by fire-resistance-rated construction and opening protectives as required to provide a protected path of egress travel between the exit access and the exit discharge . Exits include exterior exit doors at the level of exit discharge , vertical exit enclosures , exit passageways , exterior exit stairways , exterior exit ramps and horizontal exits .

 

[Yikes]

Unless you have some rated corridors or stairs I bellive it is still an exit accessEXIT ACCESS. That portion of a means of egress system that leads from any occupied portion of a building or structure to an exit .

EXIT. That portion of a means of egress system which is separated from other interior spaces of a building or structure by fire-resistance-rated construction and opening protectives as required to provide a protected path of egress travel between the exit access and the exit discharge . Exits include exterior exit doors at the level of exit discharge , vertical exit enclosures , exit passageways , exterior exit stairways , exterior exit ramps and horizontal exits .

So my "Exit" technically starts at "E", and after that I get one more chance to re-enter the building at "G" per CBC 1027.1 exception #1.

 

[BSSTG]

I think it might be helpful to look at the definitions of "exit" and "exit discharge". "B" will not be considered an exit unless it is protected. Therefore, B will be rrequired to added to the exit access travel distance seems to me.

Byron

 

[mtlogcabin]

Why do you want to re-enter the building? "E" and "J" are exterior stairs which lead to a parking lot which should qualify as a "safe dispersal area". Isn't the parking lot connected to a public R-O-W?

agree with Bryon "B" is not an exit. It is an apartment so is it a 13 or 13R sytem may make difference for rated protection.

 

[Yikes]

Why do you want to re-enter the building? "E" and "J" are exterior stairs which lead to a parking lot which should qualify as a "safe dispersal area". Isn't the parking lot connected to a public R-O-W?

It's hard to tell from the rendering, but the parking lot is REALLY SMALL, and the amount of area that is 50' away from the building will only support about half the occupant load as a safe dispersal area.

FYI, the complete route out of the parking lot (which you can't see in this rendering) is too steep to qualify for wheelchair accessibility, whcih is why I need to fidn another way to the street.

 

[texasbo]

Yikes, in my opinion, everyone has given you good advice. Unless you are leaving fire rated protected enclosure into a lesser or non-fire rated protection, then I think you are OK. I guess the big question would be: Is the initial double loaded corridor required to be rated? If so, then I think there is a problem.

Also, are you OK on travel distance?

Agree with MTLC; looks like parking lot could be refuge.

Also, this is a classic case where you should clearly outline exit scheme for building department. That should warm the heart of my good friend from Alabama.

Edit: nevermind my comment on parking lot; you posted while I was typing.