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Is there anyway to deem a space non-occupiable, or restricted access except by trained personell?

M

MindBodySOLL

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Feb 15, 2021
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5
Location
montana
I work in the commercial indoor gardening industry, and am building out a facility. We are classified as F-1 Occupancy.

Our plants sit on tables that roll side to side, to create aisle width for when people need to access the plants. Our plan was to use benches that roll wall to wall, which would allow up to a 4' walkway, but I found that specific design does not work in the lengths we were needing them, because the wheels will lock up. The other style of benches that will work only allow up to a 24" clearance between tables. I understand this is not up to ADA standards, let alone fire code.

My main question is if there is anyway we can deem that space 'non-occupiable' or something, as it's only used once every couple months, and losing that bench space to make wide aisles is an extremely costly sacrifice. Or perhaps restricted access, or something of the sort.

Also, should I be focusing on IBC or IFC? Both? Any help is appreciated, thank you!
 
MindBodySOLL said:
I work in the commercial indoor gardening industry, and am building out a facility. We are classified as F-1 Occupancy.

Our plants sit on tables that roll side to side, to create aisle width for when people need to access the plants. Our plan was to use benches that roll wall to wall, which would allow up to a 4' walkway, but I found that specific design does not work in the lengths we were needing them, because the wheels will lock up. The other style of benches that will work only allow up to a 24" clearance between tables. I understand this is not up to ADA standards, let alone fire code.

My main question is if there is anyway we can deem that space 'non-occupiable' or something, as it's only used once every couple months, and losing that bench space to make wide aisles is an extremely costly sacrifice. Or perhaps restricted access, or something of the sort.

Also, should I be focusing on IBC or IFC? Both? Any help is appreciated, thank you!
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What you have is grow room, similar to Maraujana growers, I you place them on tracks similar to what they do with moveable bookshelves in libraries you could do it but you will also need motors or gears to move them. minimum aisles and additional space.
 
IBC

So how many square feet room are you talking about??

No in your case, cannot be labeled non occupiable.

You might hire a Code Consultant to advise you, if it gets to where you cannot find a solution on your own.
 
cda said:
IBC

So how many square feet room are you talking about??

No in your case, cannot be labeled non occupiable.

You might hire a Code Consultant to advise you, if it gets to where you cannot find a solution on your own.
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That's a good idea with the code consultant.

It's about a 1200 sf grow room, approximately 1120 on the tables.
 
ADAguy said:
What you have is grow room, similar to Maraujana growers, I you place them on tracks similar to what they do with moveable bookshelves in libraries you could do it but you will also need motors or gears to move them. minimum aisles and additional space.
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Are you saying it would be required to have motors/gears? Or probably just necessary to move the weight?
 
See the responses to this question::

Minimum distance between equipment in kitchen.

I have a situation. There is a large piece of kitchen equipment (roughly 8'-0" in length) that sits opposite of fixed casework that contains food prep equipment integral to the casework. (think buffet) This distance between the long piece of equipment and the casework is only 32" and this...
www.thebuildingcodeforum.com
 
Talk to the AHJ regarding these sections and see if they will agree to your design and operations plan. Are you under the states jurisdiction or a local AHJ?

2018 IBC

[BE] AISLE. An unenclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel.

1018.1 General.
Aisles and aisle accessways serving as a portion of the exit access in the means of egress system shall comply with the requirements of this section. Aisles or aisle accessways shall be provided from all occupied portions of the exit access that contain seats, tables, furnishings, displays and similar fixtures or equipment. The minimum width or required capacity of aisles shall be unobstructed.

1018.5 Aisles in other than assembly spaces and Groups B and M.
In other than rooms or spaces used for assembly purposes and Group B and M occupancies, the minimum clear aisle capacity shall be determined by Section 1005.1 for the occupant load served, but the width shall be not less than that required for corridors by Section 1020.2.

Exception: Nonpublic aisles serving less than 50 people and not required to be accessible by Chapter 11 need not exceed 28 inches (711 mm) in width.
 
This is for accessibility (not ADA) in a employee work space.

1103.2.2 Employee work areas. Spaces and elements
within employee work areas shall only be required to comply
with Sections 907.5.2.3.2, 1007 and 1104.3.1 and shall
be designed and constructed so that individuals with disabilities
can approach, enter and exit the work area. Work
areas, or portions of work areas, other than raised courtroom
stations in accordance with Section 1108.4.1.4, that
are less than 300 square feet (30 m2) in area and located 7
inches (178 mm) or more above or below the ground or
finished floor where the change in elevation is essential to
the function of the space shall be exempt from all requirements.
 
MindBodySOLL said:
We are classified as F-1 Occupancy.
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Why do you think you are an F-1 and not a "U" occupancy

306.1 Factory Industrial Group F.
Factory Industrial Group F occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, for assembling, disassembling, fabricating, finishing, manufacturing, packaging, repair or processing operations that are not classified as a Group H hazardous or Group S storage occupancy.

Is there a processing operation that goes along with the "plants" you are growing? If so is the processing or packaging in a different room or building?

312.1 General.
Buildings and structures of an accessory character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy shall be constructed, equipped and maintained to conform to the requirements of this code commensurate with the fire and life hazard incidental to their occupancy. Group U shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Agricultural buildings

312.1.1 Greenhouses.
Greenhouses not classified as another occupancy shall be classified as Use Group U.
 
mtlogcabin said:
Why do you think you are an F-1 and not a "U" occupancy

306.1 Factory Industrial Group F.
Factory Industrial Group F occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, for assembling, disassembling, fabricating, finishing, manufacturing, packaging, repair or processing operations that are not classified as a Group H hazardous or Group S storage occupancy.

Is there a processing operation that goes along with the "plants" you are growing? If so is the processing or packaging in a different room or building?

312.1 General.
Buildings and structures of an accessory character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy shall be constructed, equipped and maintained to conform to the requirements of this code commensurate with the fire and life hazard incidental to their occupancy. Group U shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

Agricultural buildings

312.1.1 Greenhouses.
Greenhouses not classified as another occupancy shall be classified as Use Group U.
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That was according to our AHJ. I'm unsure if it's because we're in medical cannabis, or what, but that was what he told my draftsman.

I see you're also in Big Sky Country.... Hello from a fellow Montanan, and I appreciate your help! :D
 
If this is a stand alone building/structure I do not see why it could not fall under the "U" occupancy classification for a "green house". If it is an addition or part of a larger building where other operations such as a drying room are being conducted then the AHJ may be correct in classifying the building as an "F-1"

312.1 General.
Buildings and structures of an accessory character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy shall be constructed, equipped and maintained to conform to the requirements of this code commensurate with the fire and life hazard incidental to their occupancy. Group U shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
 
mtlogcabin said:
If this is a stand alone building/structure I do not see why it could not fall under the "U" occupancy classification for a "green house". If it is an addition or part of a larger building where other operations such as a drying room are being conducted then the AHJ may be correct in classifying the building as an "F-1"

312.1 General.
Buildings and structures of an accessory character and miscellaneous structures not classified in any specific occupancy shall be constructed, equipped and maintained to conform to the requirements of this code commensurate with the fire and life hazard incidental to their occupancy. Group U shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
Click to expand...
Correct, it will be a room in the same facility where drying is taking place. We will not be processing any material here however, just cultivating/drying.
 
You might want to check out this class it is taught by the same company that CDA recommended you contact


Indoor Cannabis Cultivation Facilities SESSION 57 CEU: 0.8 Instructor: Jeff Hutcher Class Format: Virtual This full day seminar covers plumbing, mechanical, building, fire, energy, state regulations, and limited electrical codes. The class also covers the growing process, from propagation to flowering and will help cultivators, regulators, architects, designers and engineers make sense of the myriad of regulations and special processes used in cultivation. We’ll also cover new technologies for cultivation. Many mistakes are made from design deficiencies that may be code compliant but make cultivation difficult. We’ll cover how to avoid the mistakes that currently plague the industry
 
Ahhh, roller beds, I remember them well from my time in the greenhouse industry. The ones I had seen had no space between the beds as watering was integrated into the beds by a trough system. There was a central walkway with removable rails for the beds to slide from one side of the building to the other. To get access to a bed, you literally had to roll it into the central walkway. Almost everyone in that building had either utility knives, scissors, or both and we jokingly said that no one would ever die in a fire because anyone would simply cut through the greenhouse plastic to get out.

As a building official I would want to look at the actual system you are using to better understand the impact on egress, but I would be certainly amenable to an alternative solution to the code.
 
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