Occupied Roof Egress

Ibc 2015 section 1006 3 added language which specifically recognizes that occupied roofs exist and stipulates egress requirements associated with them.

Occupied roof egress.

The path of egress travel to an exit shall not pass through more than one adjacent story. Paragraph 7 2 1 5 8 9 from nfpa 101 says that roof doors have to either allow free egress from the roof or be kept locked. The state architect office responsible for public schools will define these area as occupied assess as part of the egress provisions a 4 outdoor assymbly or a 3 if less than 500. The egress from the space must be sized for the roof occupant load and must be continuous to the exit discharge at grade.

For example 1910 37 now requires that a means of egress be at least 28 inches wide. I would allow the use of the roof since it should be a. Substituting a performance oriented criterion such as a requirement that a means of egress be of adequate width to support building occupants would eliminate the minimum width but might also reduce the protection provided to those seeking to leave the workplace. The means of egress system serving any story or occupied roof shall be provided with the number of exits or access to exits based on the aggregate occupant load served in accordance with this section.

The stairway must be enclosed in a penthouse at the roof level. Roof access and egress. The means of egress system serving any story or occupied roof shall be provided with the number of exits or access to exits based on the aggregate occupant load served in accordance with this section. 1006 3 egress from stories or occupied roofs.

Access to an occupied roof is required to be by stairway meeting the code requirements for exit stairs specified in section 1011. In addition the americans with disabilities act requires elevator access to an occupied roof. The number of exit stairs required is specified in table 1006. I would classify it as an assembly area and make sure that it met all life safety requirements for egress.

Occupied rooftops and terraces are considered special purpose roofs and are subject to section bc 1607 11 2 2 for minimum live load requirements. Areas for green roofs not intended for human occupancy are subject to section bc 1607 11 3 for minimum live load requirements.