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Egress from open plan office cubicle "door" opening

design2good

design2good

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Jan 24, 2021
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3
Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan
In a commercial building with business occupancy, in a large open room multiple cubicles are made by mechanically attaching 80" tall shelf units and 66" tall cubicle panels. Each cubicle forms a workstation for one occupant (one chair and one desk). These cubicle are movable if disassembled. The attachment shows drawings and details.

Each cubicle has a "door opening" with two versions: Condition A is just an opening with no door that is 30" wide. Condition B is the same opening but includes a lightweight, partial height "door", which when opened the max 90 degrees into the cubicle leaves an opening 28" wide (from door face to the opposite side of the opening).

If these cubicles are in a part of the office that is NOT required to be accessible, is Condition A (30" opening) compliant to the IBC?
Is Condition B (28" opening) compliant?

Does the answer change if the cubicles (shelf units and panels) are anchored to the floor?

Per 1010.1.1 Size of Doors in the 2015 IBC is the "door opening" into the cubicle formed by furniture an "exit access doorway"?
 

Attachments

  • Open Plan Office Cubicle Door example.jpg
    Open Plan Office Cubicle Door example.jpg
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Cannot speak to ADA requirements,

But I would say these do not have to meet door widths.

Would treat them like a dressing room swinging .......???

Interesting concept. At least each person feels like they have their on office.



SEE what others think
 
These doors that are not door seems to fit the definition of an exit access door to me:

EXIT ACCESS DOORWAY. A door or access point along
the path of egress travel from an occupied room, area or space
where the path of egress enters an intervening room, corridor,
exit access stairway or ramp.
 
Does not have to swing.

If you consider it a "means of egress" than appears has to meet that width.
 
Given the workstations are intended for one person and assuming they are not part of the building where accessibility is required, is it reasonable to believe that some local code officials would interpret these office cubicle "door openings" as not having to comply with the minimum 32" clear opening width?
 
design2good said:
Given the workstations are intended for one person and assuming they are not part of the building where accessibility is required, is it reasonable to believe that some local code officials would interpret these office cubicle "door openings" as not having to comply with the minimum 32" clear opening width?
Click to expand...


Not near a code book yet

Do you have a code section for that???
 
Im going to contradict myself here, but you are allowed to have a door smaller than 32" on a non accessible toilet stall. Could the same logic not be applied here?

The thing I have the bigger philosophical issue with is saying those cubicles do not need to be accessible.
 
Tim Mailloux said:
Im going to contradict myself here, but you are allowed to have a door smaller than 32" on a non accessible toilet stall. Could the same logic not be applied here?

The thing I have the bigger philosophical issue with is saying those cubicles do not need to be accessible.
Click to expand...


I knew there was a toilet involved.

I was getting ready to measure a few.

I would say yes, like my dressing room part door example, Not sure how wide those are??

If they either can make accommodations, or have a cube of these that have accessible width door, seems like should be good to go.
 
Tim Mailloux said:
Im going to contradict myself here, but you are allowed to have a door smaller than 32" on a non accessible toilet stall. Could the same logic not be applied here?

The thing I have the bigger philosophical issue with is saying those cubicles do not need to be accessible.
Click to expand...
HA!....You said logic!.... :p And while I sort of agree, I couldn't really get past the door section. While some of us may stay in the stall longer than others, that is more of a short term stay so I think that is where it gets the "egress gimmie"....
 
1010.1.1 Size of doors. The required capacity of each
door opening shall be sufficient for the occupant load
thereof and shall provide a minimum clear width of 32
inches (813 mm). Clear openings of doorways with swinging
doors shall be measured between the face of the door
and the stop, with the door open 90 degrees (1.57 rad).
Where this section requires a minimum clear width of 32
inches (813 mm) and a door opening includes two door
leaves without a mullion, one leaf shall provide a clear
opening width of 32 inches (813 mm). The maximum
width of a swinging door leaf shall be 48 inches (1219
mm) nominal. Means of egress doors in a Group I-2 occupancy
used for the movement of beds shall provide a clear
width not less than 411/2 inches (1054 mm). The height of
door openings shall be not less than 80 inches (2032 mm).

Lots of exceptions for R, I and small closets but none for B.
 
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