Self-contained hot tub in a commercial building

[Mr. Inspector]

A self-contained hot tub in a commercial building has a suspended ceiling with 2x4 light fixtures over it. There is also wiring above the suspended ceiling. the ceiling is within 7' above the hot tub, don't know what the actual distance is.
1. I already told them that the needed to bond the rails of the suspended ceiling to the hot tub. Do you think every rail needs bonding or just one?
2. I don't think i need to enforce 680.9 for overhead conductors in the ceiling but it would be easy for someone to move the ceiling panels if they were standing on the side or the step to the hot tub. I'm I wrong?
3. I think the area above the suspended ceiling might be part of the corrosive environment and will need to be in wiring methods per NEC 680.14. I'm I wrong?
4. I don't know what they will do about the lighting fixtures in the suspended ceiling yet. But even if they move them 5' away from the hot tub i am concerned that the metal light fixtures will be against the metal rails of the suspended ceiling that is above the hot tub. Any solutions that you can think of for this?
5. Do the requirements for stairways, especially the ceiling height in the IBC for the stairs outside of the hot tub need to be complied too?
6. Do the stirs in and/or outside of the hot tub need to comply with the dimensions in ISPSC 306.3 and a handrail 306.4.
7. Is a clock really required per ISPSC 509.4?

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Doing a final inspection for this building. I was hoping to get opinions on this. I never had to inspect a self-contained hot tub in a commercial building or under a suspended ceiling before. Only ever inspected built in hot tubs under high hard ceilings before which these problems never came up for me before.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

If I could get even a few answers I would be grateful for it. my whole building department is stumped.

I went back to measure the distance between the top of the hot tub and the ceiling and it's 6'-6". The top tread in the hot tub is 1' lower. But there is room for someone to stand on the top of the hot tub and not step over the top. The outside steps are not there yet but i don't know if it would be inspected if they are movable stairs.

The dimensional requirements and the handrail for the stairs is under the section "Decks". So, does anyone knows if it means the stairs in the hot tub or outside of the hot tub or both?

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

306.3 is in chapter 3, which is General Compliance, and as you note, section 306 is decks. So 306.3 would apply to steps leading to a deck outside of a pool, hot tub, or spa. Likewise 306.4.

Based on the definition of "Spa," I believe a hot tub is a spa. So we need to look at chapter 5 for requirements applicable to public spas:

SPA. A product intended for the immersion of persons in
temperature-controlled water circulated in a closed system,
and not intended to be drained and filled with each use. A spa
usually includes a filter, an electric, solar or gas heater, a
pump or pumps, and a control, and can include other equipment,
such as lights, blowers, and water-sanitizing
equipment.

I don't see anything in chapter 5 that addresses either steps or handrails in a spa (hot tub.) However, they are addressed in chapter 11 of A117.1. Accesibility is required:

1109.1.3 Hot Tubs and Spas​

At least one accessible means of entry shall be provided for hot tubs and spas. Accessible means of entry shall comply with swimming pool lifts complying with Section 1109.2; transfer walls complying with Section 1109.4; or transfer systems complying with Section 1109.5.
EXCEPTION: Where hot tubs or spas are provided in a cluster, no more than 5 percent, but not less than one hot tub or spa in each cluster shall be required to comply with Section 1109.1.3.

Stairs within pools are found in A117.1 section 1109.6, so if the only way for occupants to get out of this hot tub is an internal stair, I'd say it doesn't comply.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

They do have a lift. But I will have to see how it works. I'm not sure it will work under this ceiling because there is only 6'-6" between the top of the spa and the ceiling.

I found out this is a Therapeutic Tub that needs to comply with 2017 NEC 680.62. But it would still need to comply to the items in my first post.

If the steps outside of the spa are portable do, they still need to comply with the riser and tread dimensions ISPSC 306.3 and a handrail 306.4? Odd that there are no required dimensions for how wide the stairway needs to be and nothing about landings.

 

[Sifu]

Portable anything is questionable for accessibility. Agree or disagree, the method of transfer is meant to be employed without assistance. I had a prefab spa in a commercial building not long ago. They had several "spas", cold plunge, therapeutic (think the steel tubs from your locker room days) one was a household type hot tub. At least one had to be accessible (code does not dictate that one of each type be accessible, though some would argue that). They finally accepted that they had to have accessibility and provided a portable lift, which would not typically be permitted. But the CBO agreed to it as by having a portable lift, it could be offered to access any of the tubs, rather than just one. So it was determined that it offered greater access than what would have been provided by a fixed lift. An operational constraint was agreed to that mandated an attendant be present at all times. I am sure that happens.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Portable anything is questionable for accessibility. Agree or disagree, the method of transfer is meant to be employed without assistance. I had a prefab spa in a commercial building not long ago. They had several "spas", cold plunge, therapeutic (think the steel tubs from your locker room days) one was a household type hot tub. At least one had to be accessible (code does not dictate that one of each type be accessible, though some would argue that). They finally accepted that they had to have accessibility and provided a portable lift, which would not typically be permitted. But the CBO agreed to it as by having a portable lift, it could be offered to access any of the tubs, rather than just one. So it was determined that it offered greater access than what would have been provided by a fixed lift. An operational constraint was agreed to that mandated an attendant be present at all times. I am sure that happens.

The portable steps are not for accessibility, only the lift is. I just want to know if the steps to a spa that are portable steps, need to comply with the riser and tread dimensions ISPSC 306.3 and a handrail 306.4.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

This seems coo-coo to me.
Why is a clock required per ISPSC 509.4?
GFI protected?
Required in existing buildings?
Does the clock need to keep time?
Is the distance, besides 5' away for a wired clock, from the spa important? NEC only tells you where luminaires, outlets, fire pits and switches can be.
Does it need to be permanent, or can it sit on a shelf? (like an elf)
Does it need to have numbers? 12 or 24?
Can it be a wind up or a clock that uses weights like a grandfather or coo-coo clock?

I think I need a vacation