Stockroom Egress Pathway Separation

[jasonelliotburkRA]

Has anyone come across an easy and cost effective solution to create pathways compliant with 1014.2 exception 2.4 thorugh a stockroom adjacent to an M occupancy?



This is an interesting situation - we had an existing warehouse that was used mostly as an M but also as an S; the tenant operates a rental business for event furniture and equipment (chairs, tables, etc.). They wanted to create a dedicated retail storefront area in the front of their tenant space (bottom left 2,024 SF):



Doing so triggered a cascade of BS from the local inspectors about changing ocupancy, which we really aren't. We are really just enclosing a room with a wall and doors to create a nicer retail aesthetic for the front area. As we have now submitted multiple revisions, we settled on the space being an M / S-1, but now the plan reviewers want the stockroom egress from the front M space to meet the provisions in 1014.2 above. The space is frankly pretty simple and clear of obstruction, but it doesn't meet code even as it exits unless I can prove otherwise because we only have markings and no walls:



Options are either to find cheap barriers, which would frankly be annoying or maybe I could just tell them the entire space is actually and M occupancy since customers are allowed in the "stockroom" area (this isn't a traditional M). My only concern is that 10,000 SF of M is a lot of ocupants and might end up causing other problems.

Any thoughts?

 

[JPohling]

This is typically done when the exiting from the M is required to go thru the stock room. Think of any strip mall or covered mall store. Deliveries and stock is kept in the rear and the M is large enough to have a second exit that passes thru the stock room.

All you need to do would be have each area exit independently and not have a required exit pass thru the storage/stock room.

cheapest barrier is low chain link fence

 

[Mr. Inspector]

Why do you need a second exit from the M area? Looks like the occupant load would be less than 50 and you would only need one exit in the front.

 

[jasonelliotburkRA]

2,000 SF / 30 SF per occ = 60. 2 exits required. Owner doesn't want to add a storefront exit.

I've decided that any barrier gets in the way, so we'll just call the entire space an M. The owner is vested in this as well - it will be more like a big box store where the "storage" is actually part of the retail area and doesn't require a fixed barrier. The inspectors have simply made this project a difficult mess for no benefit to public safety. SOP sometimes.