Medical Office Building Waiting Areas. Assembly Occupant Load?

[QuestionThat]

For a medical office building do I need to classify accessory use patient waiting and reception areas as Assembly Unconsecrated at 15 net or can these areas be included in the 100 gross combined area?

 

[steveray]

I only worry about it if the room is >50OL at 15 net........We do have a lengthy discussion about it here somewhere.....Try the search.

 

[classicT]

Remember that use and occupancy of structures and rooms from Chapter 3 may and will typically coincide, but it is the actual use of the individual area that dictates occupant load via Table 1004.1.2.

 

[RLGA]

I generally use the nonconcentrated assembly load factor for waiting rooms. Depending on the type of medical office, the waiting areas can be very crowded and 100 sf/occupant (150 sf/occupant with the 2018 IBC) will probably not reflect that type of loading.

 

[QuestionThat]

I only worry about it if the room is >50OL at 15 net........We do have a lengthy discussion about it here somewhere.....Try the search.

Figured this had been discussed before.... will look up as well. Any kind of keyword to search for?

 

[QuestionThat]

I generally use the nonconcentrated assembly load factor for waiting rooms. Depending on the type of medical office, the waiting areas can be very crowded and 100 sf/occupant (150 sf/occupant with the 2018 IBC) will probably not reflect that type of loading.

This particular floor plan is very open with a lot of circulation through the waiting/ seating areas. Thinking I'll just kind of subdivide the areas with thoroughfare access not included in the sf for the areas.... Does this make sense..... anywhere that no seating or tables can be don't include that area?

 

[QuestionThat]

Remember that use and occupancy of structures and rooms from Chapter 3 may and will typically coincide, but it is the actual use of the individual area that dictates occupant load via Table 1004.1.2.

Yes. I understand this concept but thanks.

 

[RLGA]

This particular floor plan is very open with a lot of circulation through the waiting/ seating areas. Thinking I'll just kind of subdivide the areas with thoroughfare access not included in the sf for the areas.... Does this make sense..... anywhere that no seating or tables can be don't include that area?

That would be reasonable. I've used a similar concept in libraries where reading areas are not well defined by physical construction (although the IBC calls them reading rooms). So I outline the limits of the reading areas from the stack areas but applying the circulation space around the outside perimeter of the stacks to the stack area, which has a lower load factor. I've had no pushback from building departments when I do this.

 

[QuestionThat]

Thanks for your insight!