Appeal 33737

OSSC 2022, 1016.2 Egress through intervening spaces

“1016.2.2: 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 another, are not a group H occupancy and provide a discernable path of egress travel to an exit.”

This code section requires that the code-required egress from one room does not pass through any adjoining rooms or spaces, except when these spaces are accessory to one or another, and a discernable egress path is provided.

“1016.2.5: Egress shall not pass through kitchens, storage rooms, closets or spaces used for similar purposes.”

This code section requires that the code-required egress does not pass through any spaces defined as kitchens or similar.

Allow required second egress path from Multipurpose Room 405 to pass through the Break Room area, by providing a min 44” wide egress pass outside of the seating area, free of furniture and obstructions.

Based on the calculated occupant load of a maximum of 67 occupants in Multipurpose Room 405, two exits are required from the room, which have been provided. The north exit provides a path of egress from the Multipurpose Room through an open circulation space with a direct connection to the hallway and exit door beyond. This path requires no egress through any kitchen area or any adjoining room. The south exit from the Multipurpose Room provides a path of egress through an open circulation space along the east wall of the break room. This path requires no egress through any kitchen area.

Plans have been updated to clarify extents of the space denoted as “Break Room”, with seating areas contained to the southwest portion of the space. The remainder of the space will remain available for circulation, providing a minimum 44” wide egress path from both required exits from the Multipurpose Room as demonstrated in A0.03 Revision 1. Room labels and the proposed Break Room furniture layout have been added to the code plan for clarity.

The Break Room is not a kitchen, as no cooking or hazardous uses will be taking place within. No egress path is proposed to pass through the space between the built-in countertop and island on the west side of the room. There is a clear, discernable, minimum 44” wide egress path free of any furniture and obstructions from both required exits from the Multipurpose Room, as demonstrated in the Code Plan provided on A0.03.

The Break Room acts as an accessory support space to the Multipurpose Room; there are no locks on the doors separating the two spaces; and no risk of the spaces ever being blocked off from one another.

Additionally, the Break Room is not an enclosed room, it is an area open to the rest of the office space. Egressing through this space does not require passing through any additional doors. The hallway leading from the Break Room area to the exit door is 84” wide. The furniture proposed in the break room allows for a 72” wide clear space at the egress path from the southern exit from the Multipurpose Room. There is nothing within the Break Room that would prevent free egress through the space along the paths shown. Thus, plans proposed provide free and safe egress, on a discernable path, through open circulation space provided at the perimeter of the Break Room area. The entire building, including the area described, is smoke detected with fire alarm and sprinklers. Egress paths from the Multipurpose Room as proposed pose no violation to code-required life-safety or fire protection, or any additional code requirements.