Egress beneath Suspended Conveyor

[Mech]

2015 IBC

A conveyor system with trolley suspends product to within a foot of the floor level and transports product into an oven and through another workstation room. Conveyor speed is 8 ft/min or 1.6 inches / sec.

Can one of the paths of egress pass beneath the conveyor system provided the egress width is wide enough that the product on the conveyor can never block the minimum required egress width? For example - Minimum egress width is 36 in. I provide 10 ft. The product only blocks 4 ft of egress at any one time, meaning there is always 3 ft clear width available. Travel distance is at least 50 ft less than the maximum allowable.

Would it be acceptable if emergency stops are provided for the conveyor system, whether they are the large red mushroom emergency stop buttons or maybe a laser beam (like at elevator doors?)

Thanks

 

[cda]

I vote no

 

[sergoodo]

Conveyor transporting product to the oven will be abused by a villain.

 

[steveray]

I could see approving that....No different than if they park their forklifts in an aisle or drop pallets..., but I would have to see the details....

 

[cda]

I could see approving that....No different than if they park their forklifts in an aisle or drop pallets..., but I would have to see the details....

I take it the conveyor can be moving at anytime,,

And you have to ninga thru it or get hit??

 

[steveray]

Yep....just like forklifts...

 

[Mech]

cda - that is my assumption. The conveyor is probably moving at this speed . . .

I did follow up and ask if there is an area where the conveyor will be empty - separate load / unload points - for egress travel.

 

[cda]

I still vote NO

 

[sergoodo]

I keep envisioning egress thru the last hole at putt putt golf.