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is a walkin cooler occupiable space?

B

BSSTG

Gold Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
729
Location
Seadrift, Tx.
Greetings all,

Plans submitted for a new convenience store. No travel distance is more than 60' unless you figure to the back of the walkin cooler. Than travel distance is over 75' requiring 2 exits from the store. Occupant load is about 40 so that does not come into play. The architect drew the plans with only 1 exit.

Thoughts? 06 IBC

thanks much,

BS
 
What is the travel distance from the farthest part of the cooler to the cooler door???
 
I would say it isn't according to the definition of occupiable space, specifically the phrase in bold below:

"A room or enclosed space designed for human occupancy in which individuals congregate for amusement, educational or similar purposes or in which occupants are engaged in labor, and which is equipped with means of egress and light and ventilation facilities meeting the requirements of this code."
 
% % % %

Byron,

IMO, I would say "No! Not an occupiable space."

From the 2006 IBC:, Ch. 2 - DEFINITIONS: "OCCUPIABLE SPACE. A room or enclosed

space designed for human occupancy in which individuals congregate for amusement,

educational or similar purposes or in which occupants are engaged at labor, and

which is equipped with means of egress and light and ventilation facilities meeting

the requirements of this code."....Doesn't provide the ventilation requirements!

& & & &
 
Doesn't provide the ventilation requirements

so a 20,000 sq ft cooler is not an occupiable space?????
 
No! Non-occupiable space. It is a STORAGE room.

A 20,000 sq ft cold storage facility is not a walkin cooler in a convenience store.
 
same idea on a bigger concept

so a storage room cannot be an occupiable space??
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yea my thoughts are it is not an occupiable space looking at the definition. That said, I used to work in an ice cream plant with freezer vault at about 40,000 sq ft. That would not fit the definition either but was surely an occupiable space.

BS
 
Bsstg

What is the travel distance from the farthest part of the cooler to the cooler door???
 
2009 IBC

"1016.1 Travel distance limitations. Exits shall be so located on each story such that the maximum length of exit access travel, measured from the most remote point within a story along the natural and unobstructed path of egress travel to an exterior exit door at the level of exit discharge, an entrance to a vertical exit enclosure, an exit passageway, a horizontal exit, an exterior exit stairway or an exterior exit ramp, shall not exceed the distances given in Table 1016.1."

I do not see occupiable space as a factor. It states from the most remote point. That includes storage areas and walk-in coolers.
 
2003

does number 3 apply???

1018.2 Buildings with one exit. Only one exit shall be required

in buildings as de scribed be low:

1. Build ings de scribed in Table 1018.2, pro vided that the

building has not more than one level be low the first story

above grade plane.

2. Buildings of Group R-3 oc cupancy.

3. Single-level buildings with the occupied space at the

level of exit discharge provided that the story or space

complies with Section 1014.1 as a space with one means

of egress.
 
from the back of the cooler to the cooler door is 36'. the corner of the building which the architect figured his travel distance from is right in front of the cooler door which is

60'. thus, the total travel distance from the back of the cooler to the exit is 86' when we include the travel distance within the cooler.

BS
 
2003

does number 3 apply???

1018.2 Buildings with one exit. Only one exit shall be required

in buildings as de scribed be low:

1. Build ings de scribed in Table 1018.2, pro vided that the

building has not more than one level be low the first story

above grade plane.

2. Buildings of Group R-3 oc cupancy.

3. Single-level buildings with the occupied space at the

level of exit discharge provided that the story or space

complies with Section 1014.1 as a space with one means

of egress.
 
CDA

#3 will not work as 1014.1 requires compliance with 1014 thru 1017. So there you go with 1014.3 requiring compliance with the 75' limited length of the common path of egress travel distance in most occupancies (excepting H).

It looks like they should have to have another exit or, after looking at the dwgs., they could get away with another door out of the cooler at the opposite end thereby cutting down on the travel distance to not more than 75' from any point within the cooler.

I'm with Mr. Perez too. Occupiable space does not come into play here. It would be the most remote location in the building per 1016.1.

Byron
 
Ron we usually agree but "or in which occupants are engaged in labor" is applicable

To the rediculious side of the argument two years ago I permitted a MASSIVE Walk In Cooler,

Drive in with fork lifts, High Rack Storage, 2B Building Cooled with Amonia Chillers on roof.

Take palletrs of frozen fish from Boat, Place on Racks, Remove from Racks to Trucks to fill orders.

tremp -20 deg F with in rack fire supression. (Sure Snow will put out a fire)

BIG WALK IN COOLER Lots of exits so yes I would say its a "space in which occupants are engaged in labor"

A COOLER OR Refrigerator that you reach into is not an occupiable space.

Walk on in Its' Occupied
 
""""#3 will not work as 1014.1 requires compliance with 1014 thru 1017"""

missed that

will need to recheck
 
Architect1281: It has to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. I seriously doubt that a walk-in cooler in a convenience store would qualify as a space where occupants are "engaged in labor." But, I agree with your point that there are spaces designed as refrigerated spaces in which people are continuously or regularly "engaged in labor."

jhperez has nailed the specific issue: occupiable space is not the issue, and if the travel distance from the most remote point exceeds 75 feet, then it cannot qualify as a building with one exit.
 
""""#3 will not work as 1014.1 requires compliance with 1014 thru 1017"""

2003 ibc

Missing where 1014.1 says you have to comply with 1014 thru 1017?????
 
cda, well now I'm confused. I got the sect # wrong myself. however, 06 bldg with one exit is 1019.2-#3 requires compliance with 1015.1 #2 of that section requires compliance with 1014.3 which is the section on (coomon path of egress travel) requiring the limit of 75'. sections numbering changed from 03 to 06 I guess. I know one of my plan review buddies who is a MCP as well gripes about the sequence not making much sense. Not having a history of studying this code I don't know. But it does look messed up to me too.

gotta go to a seminar

later

Byron
 
It seems like the international is real bad, in that it does not lump similar requirements into one section
 
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