Normally Occupied space definition?

[Tim Mailloux]

The code uses the terms 'Normally Occupied spaces" in multiple code sections but does not provide a definition. So what is the general consensus for normally occupied space?

To put this into context NFPA 15.2.1.2 has a requirement that spaces normally occupied by pre-school, kindergartners & first graders be located on the level of exit discharge. What if the school music room is in the basement and each of those (3) grade levels uses that space once per week. There are (3) classroom per grade level, so each week for 9 hours the music room is occupied by one of these (3) grade level. Would that qualify as normally occupied?

 

[steveray]

I know it when I see it....lol....In your example I would say the emphasis is on "occupied by (young kids)" more so than normally occupied....In the case of openings into an exit enclosure, I would put more emphasis on normal as someone goes in and out everyday....

 

[TheCommish]

Based on the below and would say a music room is normally occupied, where a janitor closer or boiler room in not normally occupied

Occupied spaces are further classified as regularly occupied or nonregularly occupied, based on the duration of the occupancy. Regularly occupied spaces are areas where people normally spend more than one hour of continuous occupancy per person per day, on average in space. For spaces that are not used daily, the classification should be based on the time a typical occupant spends in the space when it is in use. Occupied spaces that do not meet the definition of regularly occupied are nonregularly occupied; these are areas that people pass through or areas used an average of less than one hour per person per day.

From https://help.covetool.com/en/articles/6310369-occupied-vs-unoccupied-rooms-and-leed-report

normally occupied space means a protected space in which it is necessary for persons to be present most or all of the time in order for the equipment or facility to function effectively. For military applications, the occupancy status of the protected space would be that applicable during a combat situation;

From https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/normally-occupied-space

 

[Yikes]

I would extrapolate from the IBC 202 definition of "Occupiable Space" where the intent is to "congregate for amusement, educational or similar purposes, or in which occupants are engaged in labor, and which is equipped with a means of egress and light and ventilation facilities.

I would say under this definition that if your music room was only used once a week for 1 hour, it would still be "normally occupied". In this case, "normal" does not mean "on average". It means that congregation of students is considered an intentional, acceptable use, and is not abnormal or a cause for concern.
If it was a "band equipment storage room" where students went in to retrieve instruments for 20 hours a week, it would not be "normally occupied". The presence of people retrieving instruments is incidental to the primary purpose of storing the instruments. They are not "congregating", they are getting in and out.
On the other hand if that same room had a staff person behind a counter who stayed inside there for those 20 hours to check instruments in and out, then they would be "engaged in labor" and it would be a "normally occupiable space". "Engaged" means their tasks are keeping them focused inside the room - - they are not schlepping instruments in and out of the room, where their focus is regularly on the process of exiting the room.

Note that this interpretation is just my opinion, based on a reading of the 202 definition.