• 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

Plumbing vents distance from firefighter walking surface at roof

Y

Yikes

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
3,651
Location
Southern California
I have a contractor who claims that plumbing vents cannot be placed within 30 inches horizontal distance of a roof walking surface. I've never heard of this before.
He said he previously got nailed for it on a large residential project under jurisdiction of LA County Fire. The fire inspector claimed that their hoses might get caught onthe vents as they dragged the hoses across the roof.

Have any of you heard of this being an issue before?
 
In the past LA County Fire has required ladder truck access to the full length of whatever is the longest side of a building. My guess is the walking surface is some undefined walkway along that longest wall's parapet.
 
Pretty sure the walking surface is the walking surface and there is no setback…but I could see a fire guy pushing for that for catching a hose or something else that they made up…
 
Unless there's a specific definition for it, on flat and low pitch roofs wouldn't the walking surface be the entire roof????
I'd ask for a code section/reference.
 
24 IFC Section 316.4 Obstructions on roofs under exceptions #1 allows for an obstruction to be incased in a 2-inch minimum plastic pipe or approved equivalent. Approval could be the Fire Chief since it's in the IFC. (No distance to the obstruction provided in the code in that area).

Solar requirement of a 36-inch pathway on a roof, IFC sec 1205.2.1.1 and R324.6

U got me scratchin!
 
Yikes said:
I have a contractor who claims that plumbing vents cannot be placed within 30 inches horizontal distance of a roof walking surface. I've never heard of this before.
He said he previously got nailed for it on a large residential project under jurisdiction of LA County Fire. The fire inspector claimed that their hoses might get caught onthe vents as they dragged the hoses across the roof.

Have any of you heard of this being an issue before?
Click to expand...
18-29-904.1.2 Occupiable Rooftop
Where the rooftop is to be used as a promenade, restaurant, bar, sunbathing deck, observation deck or for similar purposes (occupiable rooftop), open vent pipes shall terminate not less than 7 feet (2134 mm) above the highest walking surface located within 10 feet (3048 mm) horizontally.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top