Plumbing vents distance from firefighter walking surface at roof

[Yikes]

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?

 

[ICE]

Not me. Can you define what you mean by a roof walking surface?

 

[Yikes]

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.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Have any of you heard of this being an issue before?

No.

 

[steveray]

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…

 

[klarenbeek]

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.

 

[SCBO1]

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!

 

[Gregg Harris]

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?

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.