Use Group???

[Mech]

Existing building used for Plating and Metal Finishing (I know they've done Nickel plating at this facility), designed in 1998, assuming under BOCA. Pennsylvania DL&I checklist on the drawing indicates manufacturing as the occupancy.

What use group would this have been? I'm assuming Factory, but I do not know if it would be low-hazard or moderate-hazard.

We're altering the use, so I'm not sure if this will the change occupancy or not.

Thanks

 

[Frank]

Under 96 BOCA probably an F-2 examples included Foundries and Metal Fabrication and Assembly.

 

[permitguy]

Assuming they weren't exceeding MAQs for hazardous materials, I'd have leaned towards F-1 for a plating and finishing operation. There's quite a difference between fabrication and finishing.

What are you changing it to?

 

[Mech]

I found and read through a '96 BOCA building code. They include "Electrolytic-reducing works" in group F-1. That's what these guys were doing, so existing F-1 it is, er, was.

I guess the new occupancy will be considered F-2. Sterilization of medical utensils - scalpels, needles, sharp metalic objects, etc. using hot water and steam before sending them to a landfill. But, I'll verify code compliance as F-1 so I don't need to undergo an occupancy change and meet new code requirements.