Fire Exit access and egress

[Bweb]

I have an older/existing commercial building that we are leasing out 3500 sq ft to a new tenant for an arcade/pub. Assembly without fixed seating, less than 200 capacity. Its an open floor plan with a double front entrance door. The back of the building is below grade and the rear exit door is upstairs and to come out at grade level. The stairs go up to another open area space (500 sqft) used as an office, no doors on the stair entrance or office space. The back door has always been considered a fire exit, is marked as an exit, has pull station next to it, is marked as egress with exit signs from the main downstairs area. The new inspector for occupancy says we need to fire exits and the back door cannot be a fire exit? If the back of the building is below grade shouldn't it be allowed to be up stairs? The city goes by 2018 IFC. The way I read it, I interpret the code as a means of egress CAN be up stairs. The door on the side in the drawing goes into another part of the building that's used as a retail store and the #'s dimensions are not the real dimensions, this was just a quick drawing. Can anyone advise.

 

[bill1952]

They seem very close together. Are you sure the separation of the two is the objection?

 

[Bweb]

Thanks for the reply. This was previously approved for the prior tenants and has been this way since building was built in late 40's. They didnt say too close (your correct the entrance to the steps is close to the front doors, maybe 18 feet) the only reason they gave was the 2nd exit cannot be up stairs. They want us to use the side door that enters into another business and put a push bar on the front door of that space...thus making access to the other business wide open and potential for theft (high end sporting goods store). Building is all block and concrete and again backside below grade, making it difficult to just add another door. Inspector seems to want to be difficult and wont give a straight answer to tell me exactly what to do other than going through the other business, been going on over a month and he comes up with something different each time he has been out.

They seem very close together. Are you sure the separation of the two is the objection?

 

[bill1952]

Were you planning to enclose stair in rated construction? Would seem no different than a basement pub.

Area of rescue assistance for second accessible m.o.e.?

Can't just put a second way out the front at opposite end of room?

 

[Bweb]

Were you planning to enclose stair in rated construction? Would seem no different than a basement pub.

Area of rescue assistance for second accessible m.o.e.?

Can't just put a second way out the front at opposite end of room?

We were told cant put 2nd exit on same wall. Yes back exit is accessible.

 

[bill1952]

We were told cant put 2nd exit on same wall.

That's wierd. Would love to see the code citation for this.

 

[JPohling]

I cannot get past the lack of separation of the exits for an assembly occupancy. That would appear to be your primary issue.

 

[ICE]

We were told cant put 2nd exit on same wall.

1007.1.1 Two exits or exit access doorways. Where two exits, exit access doorways, exit access stairways or ramps, or any combination thereof, are required from any portion of the exit access, they shall be placed a distance apart equal to not less than one-half of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the building or area to be served measured in a straight line between them. Interlocking or scissor stairways shall be counted as one exit stairway.

Exceptions:
1. Where interior exit stairways or ramps are interconnected by a 1-hour fire-resistance-rated corridor conforming to the requirements of Section 1020, the required exit separation shall be measured along the shortest direct line of travel within the corridor.

2. Where a building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, the separation distance shall be not less than one-third of the length of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the area served.

I haven’t found a code that prevents the two required exits from being located in the same wall.

 

[north star]

@ ~ @

Bweb, if this has been going on for over a month and he comes
up with something different each time he comes out, then, IMO,
...it is time to call the Fire Code Official and \ or the Building Code
Official and schedule a meeting.

For clarity, gather up all of the written inspection reports and go
discuss the matter with the FCO and \ or the BCO.........As a
representative of the AHJ, the AHJ owes you some guidance &
clarity.

@ ~ @

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

A stair can be used as exit access. IBC 1019.

I agree that the two egress doors out of the space aren't nearly far enough apart to comply with the remoteness criterion.