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Non-Required Shaft Protection

Francis Vineyard

Francis Vineyard

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Jan 1, 2010
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Charlottesville, VA
What are your thoughts for fire-resistance rating and opening protections or anything else I might be overlooking?

2006 IBC, new fire station, 2B construction; non-separated; S-2 basement, B, A-3 & R-2.

Have an attached exterior 4 story enclosed stair well for training purposes only; has access to all floors including the garage to the roof area adjacent to the sleeping quarters. Not familiar with this type of training however the plans show a 200 cfm exhaust fan on the ground level, a 400 and a 2,000 cfm fans at the roof level.

My thoughts are since this is not a required means of egress and not a required shaft but the non-rated enclosure has unprotected openings at the garage into the shaft to other levels.

As always thanks in advance for the excellent feedback.

Francis
 
Requires 2 hour rating with 1-1/2 hr opening protectives to prevent floor to floor fire spread 2009 IBC 708.4 or 1022.1 or 1026.6

This is based on the building being a 4 story building with openings into more than 2 floors of the building.
 
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A diagram or floor layout would be very helpful... However, this is a trainging prop for the FD to learn about stairwell ventilation, stand pipe operations, rescue operations, etc. If the stairway is separated from the interior (normally occupied) areas fo the building, then it shouldn't matter that the stairway has openings that are unprotected or is attached to the garage.......

If the opening protectives are really a big issue, have the exterior wall where the stairway abur constructed as a firewall ---- then the stairway is not a normally occupied building and could be a U type occupancy for traingin purposes.
 
My thoughts are since this is not a required means of egress and not a required shaft but the non-rated enclosure has unprotected openings at the garage into the shaft to other levels.
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It is a stairway connecting more than 2 levels it needs to be rated and openings protected.
 
I'm envisioning a tower connected to a one-story building with a basement. If that is the case, the shaft can only connect 2 stories at the most (basement and main floor). Is this incorrect?

I wouldn't call it a "4-story" tower for code purposes. Individual landings in a stairwell are not "stories" by definition. Not that it makes a difference, but this could be nothing but a drying rack for hoses, too.
 
Maybe I'm missing something. How do you know the roof is a story? An occupiable roof without a ceiling or rafters above is not a story. An attic could be a story.

STORY. That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or roof next above (also see "Mezzanine" and Section 502.1). It is measured as the vertical distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story, from the top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or, where there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.
 
Is the whole building 4 stories or just the shaft......it may not have to be rated as an egress component, but probably would be as a shaft.......

An attic could be a story........now about those attic stairs.......
 
The shaft is not a shaft if it is not protected. The unprotected four story B use (stair/training area) portion of the building is in violation of the code because it has an open stair connecting more than two open stories. (IBC 1022.1)
 
Once again, how do you know that based on the information provided? If the only stories being connected are the basement and first floor, then it is only connecting two stories.

If you measure the tower in terms of stories, it is one story tall regardless of how many flights are present within.
 
The "tower" is a much better name because it is not a shaft because it has:

1.) Landings = floors

2.) Floors = stories

3.) It should have a labeled use group and its own occupant load because it is used to train fire fighters it is not used as a means of egress.

So in conclusion it is a small but all be it four story building by Francis's own admission.
 
SHAFT. An enclosed space extending through one or more stories of a building, connecting vertical openings in successive floors, or floors and roof.
 
Successive stair landings do not compromise stories. A 25-story building with intermediate level landings between each floor in the stairwell does not suddenly become a 50-story building. If every space between two stair landings was considered a story, we'd have to install fire resistive assemblies and doors on every other landing in a tall building to comply with the code.

A training tower is a tall, one-story building with several flights of stairs (not stories) connected by landings included within.

Francis was applying the term "story" as is often done in general conversation. I do not believe he intended to apply the term "story" as defined in the code to the training tower.
 
4 story enclosed stair well for training purposes only; has access to all floors including the garage to the roof area adjacent to the sleeping quarters.

How many "stories" have doors to the other uses?
 
Again you can define it as a shaft if you like, then all you have to do is design it as a shaft. IBC 708 Shaft Enclosures.... 708.4 Fire resistance rating 1 hr for less than two floors connected and 2 hours for 4 or more floors.

Just trying to say it has to be protected. Unless it can meet one of the exceptions in 1022.1

No excuse about its not required for egress so no rating.

If you call it a tower (where is tower defined in the code?) then the landings are floors, and since it is being used to train fire fighters then the space is a B use group.
 
permitguy said:
A training tower is a tall, one-story building with several flights of stairs (not stories) connected by landings included within.

Francis was applying the term "story" as is often done in general conversation. I do not believe he intended to apply the term "story" as defined in the code to the training tower.
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I would go along with the one story room idea if the "tower" was not connected to other floors.
 
For clarification, the OP is referencing the '06 IBC. Code references should be from the '06.

The reason for protecting a shaft is to keep fire from extending to multiple floors. The reason for protecting an exit enclosures is to keep fire from extending to multiple floors and to give the occupants a tenable environment for egress purposes. Neither is required to be rated when connecting only two stories when complying with '06 IBC 707.2, Exception 7.

No matter what you call it, the training structure described in the OP is not connecting more than two stories. The principal structure is only two stories total, and the training structure is one story. In this case, fire can travel from the basement into the training structure. At that point, the training structure is compromised just as any stairwell in a two story structure may be. From there, it can extend to the main level (a second story). It cannot affect any more than that, as nothing more exists.

Unless we are given more information (such as an opening into an attic that is also a story), I see no code-based reason to say that the training structure must be separated from the remainder of the facility by fire-resistive construction.
 
My bad, your right 2006 makes a huge difference. 1020.1 exceptions 8 and 9 should count (they should have a sprinkler system).

Unless we are given more information (such as an opening into an attic that is also a story), I see no code-based reason to say that the training structure must be separated from the remainder of the facility by fire-resistive construction.

I agree with you on this. More info could also kick in 509 special provisions.
 
I apologize everyone, as usual I don't seem to give enough information in my OP's. The stair connects 3 floors; the basement garage; the 1st floor main level, the 2nd floor and the roof at the third floor. Except for the roof or 3rd floor level; all the other doors open into the stairway like it would normally require. The plans show no fire-resistance of this training tower. We are having this same discussion in the office; would it be correct to only require the garage level to be rated? Though it is not a means of egress the shaft connects three floors.

The "Training Tower" is shown in the lower left corner.

Thanks again.

StairTop.jpg


StairElev.jpg
 
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Hmmmmmm . . . Seeing the drawing, I'm not sure if you can call it a shaft. Since it is outside the footprint of the main building, it doesn't seem to meet the definition. It does not connect vertical openings in successive floors since the floors appear to continue all the way to the wall.

It does not meet the definition of an exit enclosure, either.

I'm not sure there is justification to require a fire-resistive rating. Looks like a nice facility!
 
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