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Office Pods and IBC/CBC

M

Mikko

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Joined
Jul 11, 2018
Messages
2
Location
Finland
How do office pods like the one below relate to California Building Code?

bc9ace4376de955aabafeee1f6122acc--telephone-booth-office-interiors.jpg


Are office pods viewed as furniture or rooms? And if they're considered to be rooms, do the requirements of egress doors apply to them?
 
Yes to all

Plus, if in a building with a fire sprinkler system, it would require sprinkler protection in it.
 
cda said:
Yes to all

Plus, if in a building with a fire sprinkler system, it would require sprinkler protection in it.
Click to expand...

Are all spaces inside an office always considered as parts of an egress system? I know that, according to CBC, at least elevators are not and egress door requirements don't apply to them.

If the width of a pod is under 4 ft, shouldn't that eliminate the need for a sprinkler?
 
The only thing wrong that I can tell by the photo is the floor elevation at the door. I think I would call it furniture. Wouldn't be like a telephone booth or are you to young to ever see one

Don't forget the occupancy load sign.
 
Mikko said:
Are all spaces inside an office always considered as parts of an egress system? I know that, according to CBC, at least elevators are not and egress door requirements don't apply to them.

If the width of a pod is under 4 ft, shouldn't that eliminate the need for a sprinkler?
Click to expand...


Normally a means of exit is required from every space, especially if normally occupied .

Not sure why the Question, if you go in the cube, you have to come out.

In say an office setting and sprinkled, yes normally would have to have sprinkler protection.
 
Mikko said:
Are all spaces inside an office always considered as parts of an egress system? I know that, according to CBC, at least elevators are not and egress door requirements don't apply to them.

If the width of a pod is under 4 ft, shouldn't that eliminate the need for a sprinkler?
Click to expand...
Is an office pod, or small telephone room, considered a habitable space and therefore subject to CBC/IBC section 1208.1 and cannot be less than 7 feet in any plan dimension or can it be smaller if not "habitable." How small can the pod space be?
 
AOTB said:
Is an office pod, or small telephone room, considered a habitable space and therefore subject to CBC/IBC section 1208.1 and cannot be less than 7 feet in any plan dimension or can it be smaller if not "habitable." How small can the pod space be?
Click to expand...


Welcome
 
When all else fails,,,

Check Funk and Wagnalls


HABITABLE SPACE. A space in a building for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.


Sorry room not defined
 
cda said:
When all else fails,,,

Check Funk and Wagnalls


HABITABLE SPACE. A space in a building for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.


Sorry room not defined
Click to expand...
I would not rely on Funk and Wagnalls

CBC 201.4 Terms not defined Where terms are not defined through the methods authorized by this section, such terms shall have ordinarily accepted meanings such as the context implies.
CBC defines HABITABLE SPACE. A space in a building for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.
Oddly similar to Funk and Wagnalls.
Based on that definition, if an office is living space, so would this "office" cubical.

And yes, if you provide this, "office" cubical, you will also need one for the disabled, fully accessible.
 
steveray said:
What is the purpose of them?
Click to expand...
The trend now is open office space ... really wide open office space ... everyone sits a5 a small cubie with very low walls ... or no walls at all. Your space is about 4 ft square, and everyone around you hears everything you say. So it has become popular to have a couple of those around for when you need a private conversation. They work well, quite a reduction in sound ... not quite sound proof, but close. Ours have enough space for a stool and a counter large enough for your laptop, and not much else.
 
I thought that might be it...GIGNA insurance is doing something similar (open office) in the Town I live in....Gave the BO a heads up in case this comes up...
 
Would these rooms, as employee work spaces, be required to provide a turning space and maneuvering clearance to go in, turn and exit? Would they be required to be large enough to go in, close the door and use the space the same as a non-wheelchair user? They are the only two such spaces in an otherwise open office.

1656441627213.png
 
And would it be a reasonable accommodation to remove the desk/furniture if an employee needed it?
 
Isn't that a phone booth where an employee can go to make a personal phone call, with privacy? Since there is more than one, I would expect at least one would be ADA accessible.
 
e hilton said:
Isn't that a phone booth where an employee can go to make a personal phone call, with privacy? Since there is more than one, I would expect at least one would be ADA accessible.
Click to expand...
Yes, they are. And I would too. If the room would fit a turning space without the furniture I am wondering if the moveable furniture can stay unless an accommodation is needed in the future.
 
Sifu said:
Yes, they are. And I would too. If the room would fit a turning space without the furniture I am wondering if the moveable furniture can stay unless an accommodation is needed in the future.
Click to expand...
I agree but I think there should still be room for a writing table for the person in a wheelchair to use to take notes if they are making a phone call.
 
While I agree, I think that would fall under an accommodation. I think as an employee workspace it needs only to be accessible for approach, entry and exit.
 
To update, after a conversation with the designer they added another room with the required clearances. All good, which it should be since this is to be an architects office.
 
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