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Exit separation

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Plumb-bob

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I am reviewing a 2 storey addition to a hotel, the addition has a pool and gym on the ground floor and conference rooms on the second floor.

2 exits are provided from the second floor. One exit I have no concerns over. The second exit stair is open to a corridor that is open at the other end to a lounge area.

Am I correct in thinking that this exit stair should be separated from the lounge area?

Help appreciated, Pt3 is not my strong point.
 
Plumb-bob said:
I am reviewing a 2 storey addition to a hotel, the addition has a pool and gym on the ground floor and conference rooms on the second floor.

2 exits are provided from the second floor. One exit I have no concerns over. The second exit stair is open to a corridor that is open at the other end to a lounge area.

Am I correct in thinking that this exit stair should be separated from the lounge area?

Help appreciated, Pt3 is not my strong point.
Click to expand...
Would have to see the plan to be sure, but if a stair is open to a corridor, then you have an interconnected floor space - which may be a no-no. Check 3.2.8.2.
Is the building sprinklered? If not, then the area limits under 3.2.2 are halved. ([3.2.8.2[6])
Is the corridor a public corridor, or just a corridor used by the public?

In any event, if the stairs are not an exit shaft (ie: fully protected, which being open to the corridor), so the second storey would have to meet certain requirements, not the least of which being that it can be serviced by one exit (3.4.2.1-A, or 3.4.2.1-B). I'm gonna guess that's not the case.
 
In a lot of the buildings I worked on - auditoriums with a balcony that was a story, not a mezzanine, 50% of required egress could be open stairs. Typical was grand staircase in lobby and an exit stair or two to the sides. These were almost always fully sprinklered buildings.
 
You probably are looking at an exit through a lobby (3.4.4.2.), from the sounds of the description.

Can they do it? Yes.

Do they want to? Probably not.
 
There is actually a corridor between the lounge and the exit stair, so I am looking at 3.4.4.1.

I have sent it to the architect for comment so see what he comes back with.
 
Inspector Gadget said:
Would have to see the plan to be sure, but if a stair is open to a corridor, then you have an interconnected floor space - which may be a no-no. Check 3.2.8.2.
Is the building sprinklered? If not, then the area limits under 3.2.2 are halved. ([3.2.8.2[6])
Is the corridor a public corridor, or just a corridor used by the public?

In any event, if the stairs are not an exit shaft (ie: fully protected, which being open to the corridor), so the second storey would have to meet certain requirements, not the least of which being that it can be serviced by one exit (3.4.2.1-A, or 3.4.2.1-B). I'm gonna guess that's not the case.
Click to expand...
Good info thanks
 
I brought up my concern with the architect and he offered to put a fire door in the corridor to separate the exit.

Note that he did not admit to being wrong, just offered to put in the door.
 
Hopefully this sweet drawing clarifies things. The stair to the left exits to the outside, the exit to the right leads through a fire door to an enclosed stairway.
 

Attachments

  • exit.jpg
    exit.jpg
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Plumb-bob said:
Hopefully this sweet drawing clarifies things. The stair to the left exits to the outside, the exit to the right leads through a fire door to an enclosed stairway.
Click to expand...
As long as the exit is protected on the ground floor, there's progress. I'd also want to make sure the stairs down are suitably protected from the rest of the building. Otherwise, as long as your distances check out, it might be ok?
Again, I'd want to see the whole plan before saying something definitive.
 
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