Number of exits

[Sifu]

Discussed before but this always gets me.

Given an interior assembly space with an occupant load of 900. It has 4 exits, 2 on the east side, 2 on the west side. Number and capacity is adequate from the assembly space. On the west side, the occupants empty into a means of egress system with multiple exit paths. On the east side the occupants empty into a corridor with only a single exit discharge, with adequate capacity. The corridor is not a protected exit path. The corridor exceeds 75' from the farthest exit access door from the assembly space into the corridor. Based on an equal distribution of occupant load from the assembly space, the corridor will have 450 occupants using the single exit discharge. I see this as a violation of both occupant load and CPET per 1006.2.1. Is there any way this is code compliant? I always have trouble with exc. #1 to this section though. I am not using any cumulative OL from any other spaces, or any OL of the corridor itself. The corridor is "just a passage space" (straight from the commentary) so do the number of exits go away as along as the capacity of the corridor and exit discharge is adequate? Really quick sketch below.

 

[steveray]

Not a CPET issue as you have 2 from the assembly space....Would get a little weird if anything else was in the corridor and weird that there is not....Erase the wall and it is an L shaped room...

 

[Mr. Inspector]

It might work if the long hallway would comply as a Horizontal Exit.

 

[walker.t]

I see this as a violation of both occupant load and CPET per 1006.2.1. Is there any way this is code compliant?

I don’t see a violation of 1006.2.1:

2021 IBC 1006.2.1 Egress Based on Occupant Load and Common Path of Egress Travel Distance (partial quote)
Two exits or exit access doorways from any space shall be provided where the design occupant load or the common path of egress travel distance exceeds the values listed in Table 1006.2.1.’

You do exceed the occupant load and common path of egress travel distances in Table 1006.2.1 but that doesn’t matter because you already have at least two exits as steveray noted in #2.

Based on an equal distribution of occupant load from the assembly space, the corridor will have 450 occupants using the single exit discharge.

You meet the requirement for three exit access doorways for an occupant load of 501-1000 occupants required by 1006.2.1.1 Three or More Exits or Exit Access Doorways. You have 50% of the occupant load egressing through the doors on the east side. Even if those were to be considered a single exit due to convergence in the corridor and that combined exit access opportunity was lost, the remaining two exit access doors are not less than 50% so you meet the requirements of 1005.5 Distribution of Minimum Width and Required Capacity.

The corridor is "just a passage space" (straight from the commentary)

The east side of your space is connected to a corridor, that’s not a “passage space,” even though people do converge and move through the space to an exit. A corridor is “an enclosed exit access component that defines and provides a path of egress travel,” lobbies and such are circulation areas that could have other things going on in them, such as the front of a movie theater where people are getting snacks, waiting to enter a theater, or maybe providing access to the restrooms.

I’m not seeing a problem with your plan as long as you have adequate egress width downstream of the two exit access doors on the east side of the room and your exit access travel distance is OK.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

From any point in the ballroom occupants can egress toward the east or toward the west. Common path of travel is zero. No harm - no foul.

Based on an equal distribution of occupant load from the assembly space, the corridor will have 450 occupants using the single exit discharge.

Corridors don't have occupant loads. Corridors are "not normally occupied spaces." The occupant load is in the assembly space, and the corridor is one of two remote means of egress paths from the assembly space to the remote exits.

 

[bill1952]

I agree with walker.t. I'd call it just 3 MOE, but it's close to 4. If the corridor was divided it's clearly 4 separate MOE. I don't think the code requires it to be divided though. Lots of assembly occupancies that 2 of required MOE pass through a lobby with no separation. Sort of like taking those 2 doors on east wall and putting them right next to each other. Is it one or two separate MOE? You divide the room into 4 parts and draw a line for each to the public way and they never cross, it's 4 separate MOE.