• Welcome to the new and improved Building Code Forum. We appreciate you being here and hope that you are getting the information that you need concerning all codes of the building trades. This is a free forum to the public due to the generosity of the Sawhorses, Corporate Supporters and Supporters who have upgraded their accounts. If you would like to have improved access to the forum please upgrade to Sawhorse by first logging in then clicking here: Upgrades

Number of Exits from an Occupied Roof

A

ARKC

Registered User
Joined
May 13, 2021
Messages
5
Location
Missouri
I have an upcoming renovation of an existing two-story type 3B building into a bar with a roof deck. The building isn’t planned to be sprinkled at this time and since a 3rd story isn’t allowed per 504.4, I’m classifying the roof deck as an occupied roof. Ideally, I’d like to have one exit from the roof deck down to the second floor. where I'll have 2 exits given it’ll be an A-2 occupancy and over 49 occupants. City is using 2015 IBC.

Can I get by with a single exit from the occupied roof or will I need two exits from the roof? The second floor will have 2 exits.

Am I allowed to have a pergola on the roof?
 
How big is the roof deck going to be?

Welcome!

A pergola, another "roof", on top of an occupied roof?
 
Thanks for the welcome!

Roof deck will be 700 sf. Yes the roof on roof is a bit redundant. Basically a spot to let people be in the shade while on the rooftop if allowed.
 
So what furniture is anticipated??

What occupant load do you calculate??
 
Unconcentrated tables and chairs - 15 net occupant load. Estimated at 47 occupants and can reduce the sf of the roof deck if it needs to be smaller to have 1 exit.
 
Based on 1006.3.2, for a story or occupied roof with a Group A occupancy to have one exit or access to one exit it would have to be the first story, and have a maximum occupant load of 49 and maximum common path of 75 feet.

Would the exit from the occupied roof be a stairway that is also one of the exits from the second story? Or would it be an unenclosed stairway that connects only the occupied roof and the second story?
 
Last edited:
Yes, the exit from the roof would also be one of the exits off the second story. I'd prefer it be unenclosed but enclosing it could be cheaper than adding a second stair off the roof.
 
If that exit is the only one on the roof, that wouldn’t comply with 1006.3.2. You couldn’t go through one exit to get to another, so the two exits below don’t appear to help.

The reason for my question is that it could probably work like a mezzanine if you have an unenclosed exit access stair from the occupied roof to the 2nd story, and the most remote part of the occupied roof was within the maximum common path.
 
SH225 said:
If that exit is the only one on the roof, that wouldn’t comply with 1006.3.2. You couldn’t go through one exit to get to another, so the two exits below don’t appear to help.

The reason for my question is that it could probably work like a mezzanine if you have an unenclosed exit access stair from the occupied roof to the 2nd story, and the most remote part of the occupied roof was within the maximum common path.
Click to expand...
Makes sense. I think I could adjust the size of the deck to make it happen. I'll need to discuss with the AHJ. Thanks for the input.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top