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Rated corridors in open office

F

Frankencense

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2013
Messages
4
Location
California
I am doing an open office renovation. Single story building, 3500 sf, Type III-B construction, unsprinklered, B occupancy, California Building Code. The intent is to keep an open feel to the space, but not create corridors or sprinkler the space. I have two exits with good separation, each with plenty of width, each opening directly from the space to grade, and travel distance is not a problem. Occupant load is 35, based on the 1:100 ratio for open office business areas. Single tenant in the space.

Question: Is a rated corridor required to connect the exits? CBC Table 1018.1 shows that an unsprinklered B occupancy with an "occupant load served by corridor" > 30 requires a 1-hour rated corridor. Since I have two exits, the "occupant load served" by each exit equals 18. However, if one exit goes down, must the remaining exit "serve" all 35 occupants, thus requiring a rated corridor connecting the two exits?
 
If you do not have anything that looks like a corridor on your plans, than NO. You are not required to add one.

Only applies if you decide to have a corridor.
 
oh missed that detail!!!

welcome

I see you are from the state of confusion, there are a few on the forum from there, so great resource.

do you mind saying waht you do for a living?
 
Ah, yes there is a condition with a moveable partition that, when closed, could be interpreted as a corridor, but I can remove that.

Thanks, all!
 
Not sure if the partition changes anything

Does it just divide a room??
 
The partition basically divides off a 700 sf corner of the space, but when closed it does create an adjacent 4' wide x 36' long space which leads to an exit. I suppose this "looks like a corridor", but like I said I can remove the partition.
 
Agree

A little hard to make calls on this forum without seeing a floor plan

Which can be posted if you want for this or future questions
 
OK, I've attached a plan for this one. Note that the curtain has been deleted, so it is no longer a concern.I simplified the original post a bit for clarity, so here are some updates based on the plan: At the North exit (which is the area of concern) I have 37 people exiting. Question is: do I need a rated corridor in the Training Area leading to the North exit?I see that the passage just outside the Training Area leading to the exit door can be considered a rated corridor since occupancy >30; that's fine. And I understand that IF I provided a corridor in the Training Area it should be rated, but I see the egress through this room as "unenclosed exit access" as Steveray says. Furthermore, the Meeting Room occupancy is accessory to the Training Area, so I don't see an intervening space issue.Thoughts?

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