Occupant load - Virtual Workshop Help

project planning & design
1

@coachmarissayee From yesterday’s PPD code workshop, in the last question we covered number of exits. We determined 2 exits based on 490 occupants and divided by 2. I had a question if the scenario was slightly different.

First -If the question was giving us 550 occupants would we have 3 exits and then need to divide by 3 to calculate the egress width?

Secondly - If the resultant number from (550 x 0.2 =110" /3 = 36") is below 48" Accessible Egress width MIN, than we would go with 48" for the exit stair width. Is that correct?

Lastly, if we calculated the egress width for the exit doors on the first floor with 153 occupants than this would be a separate calculation from the above stories (you don’t add the second floor occupants to this to find first floor egress door width)?
(153 x .15 = 22.95") So, if my understanding is correct than the door is MIN 32" to exit the bldg?

Thank you for the clarification on this!

2

Hey there!

  1. If there are 550 occupants, then 3 exits will be required per IBC section 1006.3.3. You would divide by 3 when determining the calculated egress width.
  2. Correct, if the calculated egress width is less than 44" for stairways (section 1011.2) or 48" for accessible stairways (section 1009.3.2), then the more restrictive requirement would apply. Per section 1009.1, only one exit is required to be accessible. Therefore, you would need two exits at 44" and one exit at 48".
  3. Correct, you do not add the occupants from above into the ground floor egress calculation, per section 1004.2.3.
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3

Marissa, Thank you so much for the detailed feedback on this! I appreciate your clear explanations.
Cristina

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