open restrooms

[Examiner]

Many schools prefer the restrooms not to have doors in both existing and new schools off of the rated or not rated egress corridor system.

Concerns I have;

Dead end corridor; Most want a 4-ft or wider opening and a screening wall just inside the opening. Kind of what you see in airport concourses but the occupancy is Educational not Assembly.

Control of Restroom smell by using an exhaust system that may cause a plenum return issue. I think the Mechanical Engineers use fresh air in the corridor to meet fresh air requirements. Classrooms are usually ducted returns or have their own AC within the room.

If the school does not have a sprinkler system; corridor rating question whether it is an existing very old school or a new building. New schools without a sprinkler system would require a rated corridor.

Feel free to provide comments.

 

[cda]

Agree doors required if corridor rated

Dead end issue, never thought about that one ???

Might be case by case, in relation to where the bathroom openings are or where if any additional barrier wall

 

[Architect1281]

If corridor is rated and no doors are desired then the restroom becomes a space within the required fire rated area.

The travel distance from within the restroom would be considered as part of the "Common Path of travel" subject to the distance in the use

40, A 75 most 1100 sometimes with suppression.

Other option would be door returned to wall vestibule with fire release mechanism hardware in normal open position

 

[Examiner]

The old SBC stated that you could bring the rating around the restroom, so yes the restroom would be in the corridor system. However, I have been told several times by the IBC Code people that that is no longer allowed under the IBC. The only place would be the waiting or concourses found in Assembly occupancies. Most fires I have been told that occur in schools are in the restrooms.

 

[kilitact]

I would agree with Architect1281, if it doesn't disrupt corridor continuity its ok. Have the code people at ICC cite a code section that wouldn't allow this design.