Stretcher Elevator to the roof?

[nealderidder]

Consider a 5 story office building in CA with penthouse spaces on the roof. The Penthouse spaces include chiller room, elevator machine room etc. The building has passenger elevators and a service elevator. The service elevator goes to the Roof/Penthouse level.

Taking the service elevator to the roof seems to make sense, it will be used to service all of the equipment up there. The service elevator is at the rear of the building by the loading dock.

The passenger elevator seems to make more sense to serve as the stretcher compliant-elevator. Easier to get to, obvious where it is, won't be behind a lot of doors etc.

So the question is - does the passenger elevator (that serves as the stretcher elevator) need to go to the roof? CBC 3002.4 says to provide access to all floors. Is the Roof/Penthouse level a floor in this scenario?

Would appreciate any thoughts!

 

[mtlogcabin]

In your description IMHO no.
If it was an occupied roof then yes

 

[nealderidder]

In your description IMHO no.
If it was an occupied roof then yes

That's my thinking, they are not normally occupied spaces.

 

[classicT]

[BG] 1510.2 Penthouses
Penthouses in compliance with Sections 1510.2.1 through 1510.2.4 shall be considered as a portion of the story directly below the roof deck on which such penthouses are located. Other penthouses shall be considered as an additional story of the building.

In the example provided by the OP, if it is a penthouse and not an occupied roof, and it complies with 1510.2 (above), then the gurney elevator does not have to go the the roof/penthouse because the penthouse is part of the story directly below, which will have elevator access.

 

[RLGA]

Just out of curiosity, is your service elevator smaller than your passenger elevator? If not, they will use likely use the service elevator anyway should an employee or worker need medical assistance while working in the penthouse.

 

[nealderidder]

[BG] 1510.2 Penthouses
Penthouses in compliance with Sections 1510.2.1 through 1510.2.4 shall be considered as a portion of the story directly below the roof deck on which such penthouses are located. Other penthouses shall be considered as an additional story of the building.

In the example provided by the OP, if it is a penthouse and not an occupied roof, and it complies with 1510.2 (above), then the gurney elevator does not have to go the the roof/penthouse because the penthouse is part of the story directly below, which will have elevator access.

Our penthouses do indeed comply with 1510.2.1-1510.2.4. This is exactly how I'll respond should this come up during plan review. Thanks!

 

[nealderidder]

Just out of curiosity, is your service elevator smaller than your passenger elevator? If not, they will use likely use the service elevator anyway should an employee or worker need medical assistance while working in the penthouse.

Ron - You're right, that is exactly what would happen. The service elevator is bigger than the passenger stretcher-elevator. I didn't want to designate the service elevator as the stretcher elevator because it could wind up behind locked doors on some floors in a multi-tenant per-floor situation. That didn't seem right. I think with classicT's argument about being part of the floor below and the practical argument that the one floor the stretcher elevator doesn't reach is served by an even bigger elevator ought to cover me! Thanks.

 

[RLGA]

[BG] 1510.2 Penthouses
Penthouses in compliance with Sections 1510.2.1 through 1510.2.4 shall be considered as a portion of the story directly below the roof deck on which such penthouses are located. Other penthouses shall be considered as an additional story of the building.

In the example provided by the OP, if it is a penthouse and not an occupied roof, and it complies with 1510.2 (above), then the gurney elevator does not have to go the the roof/penthouse because the penthouse is part of the story directly below, which will have elevator access.

The problem I have with that logic is Section 3002.4 states "not fewer than one elevator shall be provided for fire department emergency access to all floors."

The penthouse may be considered a part of the story below when determining the number of stories, but it still has a floor.