Sharing common restrooms

[Arcal]

I have a project that has just come over my desk which includes 3 small businesses sharing common ADA restrooms. The number of restrooms is adequate for all three. The question I have is, each business enters a common hallway to get to the restrooms therefore each business has a door to the hallway that they can be locked after hours. So, if all three doors are locked there is no exiting from the restrooms if someone was in them. Someone could conceivably be locked in. Is there a code section that would deal with this issue? It was suggested that they place signs over each door saying that the doors must remain unlocked when the building is occupied.

 

[cda]

Existing building?

 

[Arcal]

Existing building - tenant improvements

 

[ICE]

Someone could conceivably be locked in at many businesses. However, this particular arrangement does seem like a wrong idea.

 

[cda]

Seems like needs to meet exit provisions

Any way to add a legal exit, punch a hole to the outside, take some space from one of the offices and add a corridor or other

 

[Mech]

Some points to consider:

It was suggested that they place signs over each door saying that the doors must remain unlocked when the building is occupied.

Will each business check the restrooms to ensure no one is in them before locking their individual hallway access door? If there is someone in the restroom, will they inform the adjacent businesses?

Is the following scenario possible? A patron from business one accesses the restroom hallway and moments later that door gets locked. Businesses two and three have not had any customers in the last hour, so they decide to close early and lock their hallway doors at the same time as the first business.

Is there potential for a lawsuit if someone gets trapped? Who is liable? The building owner? The three businesses? The AHJ for allowing a design not necessarily forbidden by the building code? ICC for not addressing this scenario? Sorry - I've been reading too many lawsuit articles in the Accessibility forum.

Someone could conceivably be locked in at many businesses.

I agree, but I would think the building is checked for customers / clients before locking the door. If someone were trapped, hopefully they could locate a telephone and call for help.

However, this particular arrangement does seem like a wrong idea.

Yup.

 

[mark handler]

IPC? UPC? Year?

 

[JBI]

Specific Code and year edition would help, but I think the answer will ultimately be in Chapter 10 of the Building Code, not in the Plumbing Code.

This OP is an exiting issue, not a plumbing issue.

 

[cda]

Agree

Meet exiting provisions

 

[cda]

Existing building - tenant improvements

Is the common hallway also exiting, or will it be created with the remodel?????

1014.2 Egress through intervening spaces. Egress through intervening spaces shall comply with this section.

1. Egress from a room or space shall not pass through adjoining or intervening rooms or areas, except where such adjoining rooms or areas and the area served are accessory to one or the other, are not a Group H occupancy and provide a discernible path of egress travel to an exit.

Exception: Means of egress are not prohibited through adjoining or intervening rooms or spaces in a Group H, S or F occupancy when the adjoining or intervening rooms or spaces are the same or a lesser hazard occupancy group.

2. An exit access shall not pass through a room that can be locked to prevent egress.

3. Means of egress from dwelling units or sleeping areas shall not lead through other sleeping areas, toilet rooms or bathrooms.

4. Egress shall not pass through kitchens, storage rooms, closets or spaces used for similar purposes.

Exceptions:

1. Means of egress are not prohibited through a kitchen area serving adjoining rooms constituting part of the same dwelling unit or sleeping unit.

2. Means of egress are not prohibited through stockrooms in Group M occupancies when all of the following are met:

2.1. The stock is of the same hazard classification as that found in the main retail area;

2.2. Not more than 50 percent of the exit access is through the stockroom;

2.3. The stockroom is not subject to locking from the egress side; and

2.4. There is a demarcated, minimum 44-inch-wide (1118 mm) aisle defined by full- or partial-height fixed walls or similar construction that will maintain the required width and lead directly from the retail area to the exit without obstructions.

 

[steveray]

Ex2 in CDA's post has it to some extent....Doors required for egress have very limited options for locking, and very strict requirements for unlatching....

 

[Arcal]

cda's comment referring to EX 2 of 1014.2 was the answer I was looking for. Thank you. They are going to have to come up with some type of solution to this problem.

 

[cda]

cda's comment referring to EX 2 of 1014.2 was the answer I was looking for. Thank you. They are going to have to come up with some type of solution to this problem.

Is the common hallway also exiting, or will it be created with the remodel?????

 

[Arcal]

The hallway is being created with the remodel. I have sent the issue back to the designer to resolve.

 

[cda]

Good call .....

 

[ADAguy]

Tried to put ten pounds of suger in a five pound sack.

 

[cda]

It's a good concept

Worked in the old days

 

[Frank]

We write this up regularly the hall needs an exit not going through a tenant space.

 

[north star]

= + =

Arcal,

Since the Hallway is being created for access to the common,

ADA restrooms, ...will this "new construction" Hallway provide

an compliant Accessible route to the Public Way [ RE:

Section 1104.3, `12 IBC ] ?

+ = +