Pt 9 exiting through a lobby

[Plumb-bob]

2 storey office building with an exit through the lobby. There are both a service room and storage rooms within the same floor area, but down a hallway and around a corner.

9.9.8.5 (3) states that service and storage rooms shall not open directly onto a lobby.

Do you think that:

1) This means that any storage or service room within the same floor area must be separated from the lobby by a fire separation or fire rated door, or
2) The literal interpretation that the doors of the service or storage rooms may not open onto the lobby is correct.

It seems clear to me that 1) is correct, but I have an architect arguing for 2).

Thoughts?

 

[tmurray]

(4) gives the indication that the lobby needs to be separated by a fire separation from the rest of the building, so you are correct.

 

[Genduct]

The hallway/corridor walls and doors are clearly, going to be a rated assembly

The Service, Storage reference seems to imply a situation where these unmarked doors could be confused with the EXIT Path similar to the one exit from the upper or lower level reference.
If that is a real reach and not the answer. perhaps it means the Code reference needs to be made more explicit

 

[tmurray]

The hallway/corridor walls and doors are clearly, going to be a rated assembly

The Service, Storage reference seems to imply a situation where these unmarked doors could be confused with the EXIT Path similar to the one exit from the upper or lower level reference.
If that is a real reach and not the answer. perhaps it means the Code reference needs to be made more explicit

If the corridor walls are rated, but not in a different fire compartment than the lobby, it remains part of the lobby and the code would prohibit them opening into that part of the lobby.

 

[Plumb-bob]

The Part 3 code article for exiting through a lobby is very clear for what is required, the Part 9 much less so. Part 9 says "if opening directly onto the lobby". the Part 3 says "if opening onto the lobby".

If nothing else, it would be nice if the language were cleaned up to make the requirements more clear.

 

[tmurray]

Is the hallway separated by a fire separation from the lobby?

 

[Plumb-bob]

No, the lobby is not fire separated from the hallway. There is a proposal to install rated doors to separate the hallway from the lobby.

 

[tmurray]

So the hallway is part of the lobby/exit.

 

[Ask Bing Code]

It is Ok as long as the storage room or service room is not open directly to the lobby. The solution is to provide a vestibule in front of the storage or service room.

 

[tmurray]

It is Ok as long as the storage room or service room is not open directly to the lobby. The solution is to provide a vestibule in front of the storage or service room.

Here is the intent statement for this provision:

Intent 1:
To limit the probability that a fire will spread into the lobby from an adjacent occupancy, which could lead to untenable conditions in the exit, which could lead to delays in the evacuation or movement of persons to a safe place, which could lead to harm to persons.

Provided the vestibule is fire rated, I would agree. If it is not fire rated, the vestibule forms part of the exit enclosure and would not satisfy the requirements of 9.9.8.5.(3).

 

[Ask Bing Code]

The rating of the vestibule depends on the rating of the lobby.

 

[tmurray]

The rating of the vestibule depends on the rating of the lobby.

Of course. If it didn't at least achieve the minimum hourly rating of the lobby, it would no longer be considered separated.