Egress travel distance for two exits

[Mech]

IBC 2006 / 9

From the most remote point, one must travel a distance less than the common path of egress travel before choosing which route to take to exit a building. Must both exits, measured from the most remote point, be within the maximum travel distance? I am thinking the answer is yes.

 

[Examiner]

The travel distance is to ONE EXIT. If the travel is say 200-ft to an (mono) EXIT then the EXITS can be 400-ft apart as the crow flies. I go from the remote point in a room to the exit by using a L-shape out of the first room then the rest of the way can be a route that is as straight as possible if there are no items in the way to go around to the exit. Then from the adjacent room that the first was checked you go the other way to the second exit. You do not have to have both rooms to reach the same exit. I hope this makes sense, I can draw it better than describe it.

 

[Builder Bob]

Basically yes............ As always, this is a ROT and your specific application may vary from other AHJ interpretations.

 

[Mech]

I know the travel distance is to one exit. Must the second exit also have a travel distance less than the maximum allowed?

Suppose the maximum allowable travel distance is 200 ft. If I exit a room and turn right, assume the first exit is 198 ft from the most remote point in that room. 198 < 200 - exit is good. If I exit that same room and turn left, assume the only other exit is 250 ft from the most remote point in that room. 250 > 200. Does this qualify as a second exit for this room since the travel distance exceeds the maximum allowed?

BTW Examiner, one more post and I bet you'll achieve "silver" member status!!!

 

[texasbo]

1016.1 : "The maximum length of exit access travel...to AN... exit". Just make sure every portion that needs two exits is within the required travel distance to at least one of the exits.

 

[Coug Dad]

deleted. a duplicate appeared

 

[Coug Dad]

As others stated, ONE exit is required within the allowable travel distance. The travel distance to the second, third, or fourth exit(s) is not regulated.

 

[peach]

and if the fire blocks the exit within the allowable travel distance?

 

[texasbo]

Then you die in a building that meets code.

Or you move calmly but briskly a little further to get to the second exit.

 

[Examiner]

If you are in one room and from that room's the exit travel is max you are ok. Even if you have another EXIT farther away. If that one room meets the max travel distance and the adjacent room does not then the adjacent room must have AN exit within the required EXIT TRAVEL DISTANCE.

There are only a few instances where you can have one exit and that is limited to travel distane less than the normal EXIT Travel, story height and occupant load. You will most always have two eixts and each room in a building with two EXITS must reach AN (ONE) (Mono) EXIT within the required travel distance.

 

[Mech]

and if the fire blocks the exit within the allowable travel distance?

Let's assume that the max allowable travel distance is 200 ft, and someone traveled the normal 75 ft common path of egress and continued another 100 ft toward the first exit before they learned that they were walking toward the fire. They have now traveled 175 ft. In order to reach the second exit, they need to back track the 100 ft to where the common path of egress ended, and then travel 125 ft in the opposite direction to reach the second exit. Both exits are within the max travel distance of 200 ft, but the actual total distance traveled is 75 + 100 + 100 back track + 125 for a total of 400 ft.

So I guess even if both exits were within the max allowable travel distance, someone may still need to travel in excess of the allowable distance to reach an exit.

 

[Builder Bob]

Mech - Valid concerns, however, the codes are a minimum... what you are posing or suggesting were certainly be desired but cannot be required by the minimums of the code.