Exit Through Intervening Space

[Phil B]

Opinions please on whether the arrangement below is compliant. This is the back of house plan of a food service establishment that uses real firewood for some cooking. The wood is stored in stacks in the Utility area. The door circled in orange out of the Kitchen is not a required exit but I would like to treat it as an exit. The Utility area is under roof but open to the atmosphere at the left end as it is closed off with a chain link fence with gate.

My question is: are the exit paths in green compliant with exiting through intervening spaces by virtue of all rooms are support areas and of similar use, or does placing the wood in the Utility area trigger a Storage occupancy classification therefore not allowing exiting through a Storage area?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Exit from the kitchen only, or exit from the dining area(s) through the kitchen?

Hardware on the chain link gate?

 

[Phil B]

Exit from the back end of the Kitchen only. The main part of the Kitchen has 2 other exits. Hardware on the gate always operable from the inside.

 

[blugosi]

I see no issues with exiting through the utility area, as long as the common path of travel is within the occupancy limits and the gate hardware satisfies the Code requirements for an exit.
The corridor would not classify as an H use just because wood logs are stored there.

 

[walker.t]

The door circled in orange

Have you checked the door maneuvering clearance on the kitchen side of the door? Your green arrow indicates a front approach to the door (versus a hinge-side approach,) I’ve worked on a few food service establishments and the health department required closers on doors opening to the exterior. Clearance on the push side of a door with a closer and latch requires 12” on the hinge side of the door per A117.1 Figure 404.2.3.2.

Hardware on the chain link gate?

Good question, I was wondering the same thing.

The corridor would not classify as an H use just because wood logs are stored there.

Wouldn’t the storage of wood (lumber) make it Moderate Hazard Storage S-1 (IBC 311.2)?

 

[steveray]

Wouldn’t the storage of wood (lumber) make it Moderate Hazard Storage S-1 (IBC 311.2)?

The S1 is irrelevant if it is accessory...

 

[Penguin87]

No. It is less than 10% the floor area of the building then you can treat it as accessory.

 

[walker.t]

No. It is less than 10% the floor area of the building then you can treat it as accessory.

It’s 10% of the story, not the building (per IBC 508.2.3) but your point is correct, the utility area is so small it’s accessory to the main occupancy.