Electrical Room fire rating?

[JPohling]

Location is California, 2 story Type V-B commercial office building was constructed in the 1960's. It looks like over time the electrical room inside the building became too small and an additional electrical room was created for the main switch gear and meter sections. This room was built on the outside of the building with just a single common wall between them. The other three walls are exterior walls with one of them having the access door. The common wall between the electrical room and office building is masonry. The other three exterior walls are wood framed and never had an interior finish material. All of these walls have exposed floor framing on the interior.

A remodel to the office building is underway and an inspection violation was just given regarding the lack of the electrical room being fire rated. I am not able to find the 1 hour rated requirement in the CBC. My initial thought would be that only the common wall between the office building and electrical room may/would need to be fire rated, but the three exterior walls would not need to be rated.

What do you gentlemen think?

 

[JPohling]

I do not see where a rating would be required. The building code for incidental uses has a table
This reference to the elec code has only ratings required for "vaults". If a electrical room could be considered an S-2 occupancy then a 2 HR rating is required between the B. But the floors are only 5,000 SF and the allowable area for a B and an S2 are both 9,000 SF so no rating required due to separated occupancies.

Am I missing something?

 

[steveray]

Old "holdover" or wives tale kind of code......If a legal violation was given, there should be a code section.....

 

[ICE]

A remodel to the office building is underway and an inspection violation was just given

Apparently the offending electrical room was built at some time in the past. Was there building or electrical permits? If yes, were they signed for a final inspection. If not, uh oh.

Most jurisdictions would also require a Planning Dept. review/approval. The POCO usually refuses to energize without the AHJ signing off ...but that doesn't stop some electricians.

How far away from other structures or property lines is the electrical room?

When you say: "All of these walls have exposed floor framing on the interior." What exactly does that mean? Are you seeing floor joist? Sheathing, as in plywood? Is there code compliant working space?

 

[JPohling]

Ice, We have not been able to find any plans/permits for the room. It is a room that was constructed below the roofline of the original structure. The original structure and this room are built to the property line. This is the front property line and is adjacent to the public sidewalk and street. I meant to say "wood framing" There is no interior finish on the interior of the three wood framed exterior walls. All working spaces are to code.