Special Amusement Building

[duckbill]

Pennsylvania / 2009 ICC Codes

IBC Section 411.2 defines a Special Amusement Building as a temporary or permanent building or portion thereof that is occupied for amusement...

Given: 4-story, 11,000 sq ft per story building with the upper two floors as S-2 occupancy and the bottom two floors a new haunted house attraction A-3 occupancy. There is also a full basement under the building.

The owner does not want to sprinkler the upper two floors (not enough pressure without a fire pump) so is interpreting the definition to mean the Special Amusement Building is only that portion of the building with the A-3 occupancy and sprinklers are only required in that portion (bottom two floors).

Another interpretation is that any building, whether temporary, permanent or partially occupied for amusement makes the entire building a Special Amusement Building requiring sprinklers.

Any thoughts on the interpretations?

 

[mtlogcabin]

SPECIAL AMUSEMENT BUILDING. A special amusement building is any temporary or permanent building or portion thereof that is occupied for amusement, entertainment or educational purposes and that contains a device or system that conveys passengers or provides a walkway along, around or over a course in any direction so arranged that the means of egress path is not readily apparent due to visual or audio distractions or is intentionally confounded or is not readily available because of the nature of the attraction or mode of conveyance through the building or structure.

Install the fire pump.

 

[Francis Vineyard]

We approve these on a case by case basis without sprinkler systems.

[F] 411.4 Automatic sprinkler system. Special amusement buildings shall be equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1. Where the special amusement building is temporary, the sprinkler water supply shall be of an approved temporary means.
Exception: Automatic sprinklers are not required where the total floor area of a temporary special amusement building is less than 1,000 square feet and the travel distance from any point to an exit is less than 50 feet.

I’m familiar with mobile carnival haunted house sprinkler systems, anyone seen a temporary system in a structure?

 

[SCBO1]

Has anyone used IFC 3104.20 Standby personnel. Fire watch as a alternative to installing a fire suppression system? Haunted houses tend to be seasonal.

 

[Francis Vineyard]

Has anyone used IFC 3104.20 Standby personnel. Fire watch as a alternative to installing a fire suppression system? Haunted houses tend to be seasonal.

Yes