Exit Discharge on Deck

[ihavefaith]

We have a commercial building on a pier and beam foundation which is about 2 feet high off the ground. We will have to put a concrete deck wrapping around building for exits that will be covered with a cover of some sort.

If we have a required exit door, that goes on to this raised covered concrete deck, which then has stairs going down to grade (parking lot area) is the concrete deck considered the exit discharge? Or does it start at the parking lot?

Would door swing encroachment apply to this raised deck area? Such as exit doors swinging into this raised deck? Will have multiple exit doors on this deck. Any thoughts much appreciated.

 

[classicT]

This almost sounds like an egress balcony. Check out IBC Section 1021.

2021 IBC Section 1021 Egress Balconies

1021.1 General​

Balconies used for egress purposes shall conform to the same requirements as corridors for minimum width, required capacity, headroom, dead ends and projections.​

1021.2 Wall Separation​

Exterior egress balconies shall be separated from the interior of the building by walls and opening protectives as required for corridors.​

Exception: Separation is not required where the exterior egress balcony is served by not less than two stairways and a dead-end travel condition does not require travel past an unprotected opening to reach a stairway.​

1021.3 Openness​

The long side of an egress balcony shall be not less than 50 percent open, and the open area above the guards shall be so distributed as to minimize the accumulation of smoke or toxic gases.​

1021.4 Location​

Exterior egress balconies shall have a minimum fire separation distance of 10 feet (3048 mm) measured at right angles from the exterior edge of the egress balcony to the following:​

1. Adjacent lot lines.
2. Other portions of the building.
3. Other buildings on the same lot unless the adjacent building exterior walls and openings are protected in accordance with Section 705 based on fire separation distance.

For the purposes of this section, other portions of the building shall be treated as separate buildings.​

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Once you are out of the exit door it's an Exit Discharge

[BE] EXIT DISCHARGE. That portion of a means of
egress system between the termination of an exit and a public
way

 

[classicT]

Once you are out of the exit door it's an Exit Discharge

[BE] EXIT DISCHARGE. That portion of a means of
egress system between the termination of an exit and a public
way

I generally agree.

That said, if the exit door discharges to a concrete "deck" supported by the same pier and beam foundation that the building is on, then I'd suggest that you have not left the building and reached a public way. Without knowing the width of this concrete deck, I'd have concerns about using this deck as a portion of the means of egress. Those concerns are best addressed via Section 1021.

Now, getting back to the OP's question - which I think you answered more directly that I did Rick...

If we have a required exit door, that goes on to this raised covered concrete deck, which then has stairs going down to grade (parking lot area) is the concrete deck considered the exit discharge? Or does it start at the parking lot?

The concrete deck surrounding the building is the exit discharge. The exit discharge terminates at either the public way or a safe dispersal area. Thus, the concrete deck is a portion of the means of egress route.

Would door swing encroachment apply to this raised deck area? Such as exit doors swinging into this raised deck?

Yes - as a portion of the means of egress route, door swings are limited from encroachment into the egress route.

[BE] MEANS OF EGRESS. A continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any occupied portion of a building or structure to a public way. A means of egress consists of three separate and distinct parts: the exit access, the exit and the exit discharge.​

 

[bill1952]

That said, if the exit door discharges to a concrete "deck" supported by the same pier and beam foundation that the building is on, then I'd suggest that you have not left the building and reached a public way.

If the building and deck were slab on ground instead of a slab supported by piers and beams, is that really different? On either it seems you "have left the building" and on neither have you reached the public way.

The "covering" could possibly be an issue, but same deck or s.o.g.

 

[classicT]

If the building and deck were slab on ground instead of a slab supported by piers and beams, is that really different? On either it seems you "have left the building" and on neither have you reached the public way.

The "covering" could possibly be an issue, but same deck or s.o.g.

It is a matter of being able to get away from the building. If the building is on fire, flames coming out of a window, and those egressing have no choice but to stay next to the building and go past the window, you have a problem.

In most circumstances where you have a sidewalk around a building, there is landscaping, parking lot, drive aisles, or some type of buffer area where people can get away from the building if required during egress. However, if the persons are on a balcony or raised pier as discussed herein, they have a limited ability to get away from the building.

This is very similar to Section 1029 covering Egress Courts. Where the exit discharge runs along the side of a building, certain protections need to be in place for the protection of that egress path. These protections being very similar to those provided in Section 1021.

 

[bill1952]

Fair point. I envisioned a path of some sort leading away from building at each exit, and was not certain the structured deck was all that high, like just a step from grade. A lot of details that could spin it.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

I missed that the deck will be covered. That means the deck is part of the building. So the Exit Discharge starts after you leave the roof covered deck.

 

[classicT]

I missed that the deck will be covered. That means the deck is part of the building. So the Exit Discharge starts after you leave the roof covered deck.

I see where you are going, but I think I'd disagree...

By definition (follows), the exit discharge is that portion of the MoE from the exit (the door leaving the building) and the public way.

[BE] EXIT DISCHARGE. That portion of a means of egress system between the termination of an exit and a public way.​

​

[BE] EXIT. That portion of a means of egress system between the exit access and the exit discharge or public way. Exit components include exterior exit doors at the level of exit discharge, interior exit stairways and ramps, exit passageways, exterior exit stairways and ramps and horizontal exits.​

I'd suggest that the exit discharge starts at the exterior door - thus, the exterior door is the exit. The exit discharge being the continuance of the MoE path to the public way.

Rick, are you suggesting the following?
I suppose it could be argued that the exit discharge starts at the bottom of the stairs between the deck and the parking area. Thus, the set of stairs between the pier and the parking area are an exterior exit stairway. This would mean that the doorway in the exterior wall is no longer the end of the exit. It would thereby be critical to consider how that may affect the exit access travel distance if you measured to the final set of stairs off the pier, likely extending the travel distance significantly.

required exit door, that goes on to this raised covered concrete deck, which then has stairs going down to grade (parking lot area)