Means of Egress

[Monggee]

Recently I have been seeing a lot of multi-family projects in Europe with units that have access to only one exit stair. This seems to be at odds with IBC--is this just a result of local codes or is there a provision that allows for this? See attached: One project has a scissor stair, but if I recall correctly, that cannot count as means of egress in IBC. These examples are both 6 stories or higher.

Thank you!

 

[north star]

% = = %

Monggee,

Welcome to the Building Codes Forum !

What are the applicable Codes in Europe that allow
this configuration of the MOE ?

= % % =

 

[Mr. Inspector]

IBC would not allow this

 

[steveray]

3 stories 4 units per, 125' CPET is doable....Beyond that it would be tricky, can't fully tell by the plans...

 

[Paul Sweet]

IBC 1007.1.1 says "Interlocking or scissor stairways shall be counted as one exit stairway."

 

[Monggee]

Ok thank you, I guess the officials are more lenient in some European localities. Thank you!

 

[Yikes]

Mongee, on a remotely related note, check out this technical paper on how the Las Vegas Stratosphere tower achieve all of its exit loads even though the stairs were closer together than normally allowed by code: https://www.nist.gov/system/files/documents/2017/04/28/Quiter_R9700197Application.pdf

 

[Genduct]

Recently I have been seeing a lot of multi-family projects in Europe with units that have access to only one exit stair. This seems to be at odds with IBC--is this just a result of local codes or is there a provision that allows for this? See attached: One project has a scissor stair, but if I recall correctly, that cannot count as means of egress in IBC. These examples are both 6 stories or higher.

Thank you!

Assuming they did Risk Assesment to allow this, what are there material choices orsprinkler requirements that would allow them tobe comfortable with a single means of egree.
Do they believe they should shelter in place and go out the window when help arrives.

Can't really understand until we know the facts

 

[manifold]

This is an interesting topic. See this link for how Seattle has modified their building code to allow single stair R-2 buildings:
https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/12/20/seattles-lead-on-single-stair-buildings/

And this link looks at how this configuration has been applied in other countries:
https://secondegress.ca/Manual-of-Illegal-Floor-Plans

It is my hope that we start to see this adopted in additional US jurisdictions.