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open stairs

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spector51

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Oct 22, 2012
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DC, Northern VA
There is much discussion found on the internet concerning open stairs between stories and travel distance, and where you measure travel distance. Here is the challenge. Reference 2012 IBC Section 1009.3 Exception 1 which state " In other than I-2 and I-2 occupancies, exit access stairways that serve or atmospherically communicate between, only two stories are not required to be enclosed."

I have a small A-2 where the architect is proposing an open stair connecting the ground floor, a mezzanine, a second floor and an occupied roof. The mezzanine is part of the story below, code is crystal clear on that. How do you handle the roof? I suppose you could apply section 4 but they do not want to provide the draft curtains.

Chew on this on for a while.
 
This is as stated a tiny A-2. the roof will meet the travel distance and occupant load for 1 exit. the question is being asked is " when connecting or communicating between the ground floor, mezzanine, second floor and occupied roof, does that condition exceed connecting "only" can only two stories?
 
STORY. That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or roof next above (also see "Basement," "Building height," "Grade plane" and "Mezzanine"). It is measured as the vertical distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story, from the top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or, where there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.

Technically not a story......I would argue that it connects 2 stories plus the outside atmosphere....
 
spector51 said:
This is as stated a tiny A-2. the roof will meet the travel distance and occupant load for 1 exit. the question is being asked is " when connecting or communicating between the ground floor, mezzanine, second floor and occupied roof, does that condition exceed connecting "only" can only two stories?
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Man, I should read what I type before hitting the submit button. Try this.....

This is as stated a tiny A-2. the roof will meet the travel distance and occupant load for 1 exit. the question is being asked is " when connecting or communicating between the ground floor, mezzanine, second floor and occupied roof, does that condition exceed connecting "only" two stories?
 
mtlogcabin said:
No you are not
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Unless there is a roof on that roof......

Wouldn't a tiny A2 be a B?....And I don't know if anything 4 levels could be called tiny.....or below 50 people and 75 feet I believe....
 
Could someone clarify for me how does the occupied roof having a single exit access meet an occupant load and travel distance (of 75') in accordance with 1021.2 condition 2?
 
Francis Vineyard said:
Could someone clarify for me how does the occupied roof having a single exit access meet an occupant load and travel distance (of 75') in accordance with 1021.2 condition 2?
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Maybe it is just a viewing tower?....Or water slide stair........ :)
 
Francis Vineyard said:
Could someone clarify for me how does the occupied roof having a single exit access meet an occupant load and travel distance (of 75') in accordance with 1021.2 condition 2?
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Francis, I agree. Section 1021.1 starts off with "Each story and occupied roof shall have the minimum number of exits, or access to exits, as specified in this section."
 
What are the exact words of the section? That's the answer. If the code text says 'shall not connect more than two stories' then the roof, although not a story, is also not a part of the second story (it's not another mezzanine). So the roof goes beyond the limit of 'two stories'. (I lost my I-codes on-line link... )
 
John, as clarified an occupied roof is not a story but treated as such for the required minimum number of exits. The picture presented by spector51 would not require draft curtains in the unenclosed stair to the roof as my original post suggested.
 
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