Appeal 9209

1023.6 Penetrations at Exit Passageways

1023.6 Penetrations. Penetrations into and openings through an exit passageway are prohibited except for required exit doors, equipment and ductwork necessary for independent pressurization, sprinkler piping, standpipes, electrical raceway for fire department communication and electrical raceway serving the exit passageway and terminating at a steel box not exceeding 16 square inches (0.010 m2). Such penetrations shall be protected in accordance with Section 713. There shall be no penetrations or communicating openings, whether protected or not, between adjacent exit passageways.

The P2 level is the 2nd level below grade and is primarily parking. The level includes a vivarium research lab and support functions. The exiting for the lab and support functions includes an exit passageway that leads occupants directly to a stair enclosure and is separated from the parking garage. The occupant load is limited (38 occupants). The clear height from floor to underside of structure varies from 7’-4 ½” to 8'-4 5/8” near Grid 3. We propose to extend chilled and hot water supply and return lines, ventilation duct work and bio-waste piping through the exit passageway. All of the lines and duct are metal with the exception of the bio-waste which will be encased in a metal sleeve. None of these elements serve the exit passageway. The combined area of this distribution is less than 50% of the exit passageway area and a 6'-8" minimum ceiling height is maintained except at firewrap at ductwork (see separate appeal). All of the ducts will be enclosed in firewrap (2 hour protection). All of the penetrations will be fire sealed at the perimeter walls of the exit passageway. See attached sketches for head height limitations by ductwork and piping.

The clear height from floor to underside of structure is limited on this level. This limitation is further limited by the transition of the floor above to the parking ramp (near Grid 3). See attached sketch for diagram of structure versus head clearances. The horizontal distribution of the mechanical systems occurs on this level and the alternative routes for distribution are limited. The occupants that use this exit passageway are familiar with the building:
• Janitorial staff or maintenance staff accessing back-of-house spaces (electrical rooms, pump rooms, water service room).
• Vivarium employees who require security clearance to be in this part of the building.
• The total occupants served by this corridor are 38.

Typically, metal framed fire rated ceiling is provide to separate these elements from the exit passageway. The addition of this ceiling would encroach in the ceiling height and impact the safety of the occupants.

1003.3.1 Headroom

1003.3.1 Headroom. Protruding objects are permitted to extend below the minimum ceiling height required by Section 1003.2 provided a minimum headroom of 80 inches (2032 mm) shall be provided for any walking surface, including walks, corridors, aisles and passageways. Not more than 50 percent of the ceiling area of a means of egress shall be reduced in height by protruding objects.

Exception: Door closers and stops shall not reduce headroom to less than 78 inches (686 mm) maximum above the floor.

A barrier shall be provided where the vertical clearances is less than 80 inches (2032 mm) high. The leading edge of such a barrier shall be located 27 inches (686 mm) maximum above the floor.

We are proposing that ductwork fire wrap be allowed to be installed at a minimum height of 6’- 5” on two exhaust air ducts that are crossing an exit passageway on Level P2. The ducts are required to provide exhaust air capabilities for the cylinder storage and the fire service access elevator lobby. The bottoms of the ducts are proposed to be at 6’-10” and the fire wrap is 3” thick. The minimum height specified allows for ½” tolerance.

Building infrastructure (pipes, HVAC ducts, structural beams & transitions) make for an extremely limited area that these ducts can be routed within from the adjacent rooms that require HVAC to the parking area. The routing of these is further complicated by the rooms being bound by the stair, exit passageway, & vivarium areas. They simply must cross the exit path somewhere.

The ductwork fire wrap is required for 2 hour separation of the ductwork from the passageway. If we were to install a rated ceiling in this area, it would protrude down to at least 6’-3” above the floor. See attached sketches for head height limitations by ductwork firewrap.

We are not proposing a barrier at this location because it would be more of an impediment to people exiting than the lower projection. The location of the low ductwork is such that it aligns with the exit corridor.

Equivalent life safety measures include:
• Ductwork has been designed so that it transitions downward as close to the grilles at the parking garage as possible, therefore limiting their impact to passageway clearances.
• The firewrap is a flexible product that has give to it so head impact would be less dangerous than hard items.
• The hard duct and its flange are above the 6’-8” requirement, it is the flexible firewrap that protrudes below.
• Type 1A construction
• Fully sprinklered building.
• The occupants in this passageway are familiar with the building:
• Janitorial staff or maintenance staff accessing back-of-house spaces (electrical rooms, pump rooms, water service room).
• Vivarium employees who require security clearance to be in this part of the building.
• The total occupants served by this corridor are 38.

1018.2 Corridor Width

1018.2 Corridor width. The minimum corridor width shall be as determined in Section 1005.1, but not less than 44 inches (1118mm).

Exception 5- Seventy-two inches (1829 mm)- In corridors and area serving gurney traffic in occupancies where patients receive outpatient medical care, which causes the patient to be no capable of self-preservation.

We are proposing that the corridor from gridline B.5 to D at 2.5 have a minimum width of 60 inches and not seventy-two inches as described in exception 5. This area may contain a gurney but is highly unlikely. There are only three (3) ambulatory surgery center rooms (rooms 11N086, 11N090 and 11N091) and one (1) recovery room (room 11N089) in this building. The procedures in these rooms are for outpatient medical care for less-than-24 hour basis.
The operational model for this program of the OHSU dental school is as follows:

1. Patient arrives under their own power at the floor reception.
2. Patient is escorted to the treatment room and sits in the dental chair under their own power. The pre-treatment consult occurs in the room with the patient in the chair.
3. The patient is provided with sedation appropriate to the procedure.
4. When the procedure is complete, the patient is brought out of the sedated state in three to five minutes. Initial recovery occurs in the chair in the procedure room. When the patient is able to tolerate sitting up they are assisted out of the room to complete their recovery in the Recovery Room (11N089).
5. Once the patient has recovered they are escorted out of the clinic – either under their own power or with wheelchair assistance to the NE bank of elevators.

The extent of the sixty inch corridor width as required by OAR 333-076-0185 (9) (a) is identified on the attached G111 sheet.
The extent of the seventy-two inch corridor as required by the 2010 OSSC 1018.2 that is anticipated to serve gurney traffic is identified on the attached G111 sheet.
The current design anticipates that gurneys would have the space to pass in the corridor along the north side of Level 11. At the area in question by the NW stair core, it is not anticipated that gurneys would need to pass each other as the horizontal exit presumes exiting in one direction only. It is also anticipated that the area by the NW stair core would not be served by gurneys; therefore not require a corridor width over sixty inches.

At this location, building structure for elevators and columns is creating a pinch point where seventy-two inch width is unachievable. As described above in the proposed design, this area of the building is not anticipating gurney traffic.

The patient volume anticipated by OHSU is such that they do not expect to have all three rooms scheduled for simultaneous procedures since there is only one recovery room. The anticipated scenario, though rare for the maximum patient volume is as follows:

1. Room 1, Patient 1 in escorted to the treatment room and beginning their procedure.
2. Room 2, Patient 2 is nearing the end of their procedure in the treatment room.
3. Room 3 has no patients as this room is being restocked and being prepared for turnover to potentially have another procedure.
4. Recovery room, Patient 3 is nearing discharge after procedure and recovery.

In the event of the use of a gurney, it is not anticipated for the gurney to be located in the area of the building in question (gridline B.5 to D at 2.5). Patients would be transferred to a wheel chair near gridlines B.5 and 2.

• Equivalent safety measures include:
• Fully sprinklered building
• Type 1A construction
• Horizontal exit at grid 9
• Number of potential gurney’s limited by the three procedure rooms and one recovery room
• State fire marshal’s office has reviewed the current layout
• Typical gurney widths range up to 30 inches, which leaves half of the proposed corridor width for fire department travel in the event of an emergency (though it is not anticipated for gurneys to be in this part of the egress system)