Index of Sections


SECTION 334B - ACCESS AND EXIT FACILITIES AND EMERGENCY ESCAPES

PART ONE: 334B.1-334B.4

Code Plain English

334B.1 Accessibility.

334B.1.1 General. Spaces Open to the General Public Or Common Use Spaces.

Provisions of this chapter notwithstanding buildings with JLWQ occupancies and that have spaces regularly open to the public or for common use of the occupants of the building shall comply with the applicable accessibility regulations pursuant to Chapter 11B.

INSERT JOHN E’S RULING REGARDING ACCESS.

334B.1.2 JLWQ Without Employees and/or Not Regularly Open to the Public and Not Publicly-funded.

Buildings or portions of buildings with JLWQ that are not publicly funded, do not have employees or are regularly open to the public, nor are commercial spaces may comply either with the residential accessibility requirements promulgated by the California Division of Housing and Community Development (see Chapter 11A) or with the non-residential accessibility requirements promulgated by the California Division of the State Architect (see Chapter 11B).

334B.1.3 JLWQ With Employees and/or Regularly Open to the Public and Not Publicly-funded.

Buildings or portions of buildings with JLWQ that are not publicly funded, but do have employees and/or are regularly open to the public shall comply with the non-residential accessibility requirements promulgated by the California Division of the State Architect (see Chapter 11B).

334B.1.4 Publicly-funded JLWQ Without Employees and Not Regularly Open to the Public.

Buildings with F-7 Occupancy JLWQ that are publicly funded (owned, operated, or maintained by a public jurisdiction) and do not have employees and are not regularly open to the public shall comply with the applicable accessibility regulations for publicly funded residential occupancy pursuant to Chapter 11B and also Federal requirements if more stringent.

334B.1.5 Publicly-funded JLWQ With Employees and/or Are Regularly Open to the Public.

Buildings with F-7 Occupancy JLWQ that are publicly funded (owned, operated, or maintained by a public jurisdiction) and do have employees and/or are regularly open to the public shall comply with the applicable accessibility regulations pursuant to Chapter 11B and also Federal requirements if more stringent.

334B.2 Number of Exits.

In individual spaces of Group F-7 Occupancies a minimum of two exits shall be required from the individual space where the number of occupants is 10 or more. For special provision for exits due to hazardous materials in an individual space see Section 338B.1.2.

334B.2 Number of Exits.

The "occupant load factor" is the number of square feet which the code has determined will accommodate one person. 200 is the occupant load factor for all types of live/work spaces *, which means that it would require 2000 square feet to reach an occupant load of 10 (200 x 10 = 2000), which would trigger a requirement for a second means of egress out of that individual unit. The two exits are required to be a distance apart equal to at least half of the longest diagonal distance in the unit. It is also true that anytime there are more than 10 occupants above the first floor of a building, then that floor must have two means of egress. Usually this means stairs, often in fire-rated towers.

Diagram

334B.3 Stairways.

334B.3.1 General.

Stairways within an individual JLWQ shall comply as a minimum with the requirements for a residential or other private stair where the occupant load is less than 10, or with Section 334B.3.2 for a ship stair access, Section 333B.3.3 for a ladder access, or with Section 333B.3.4 for other means of access to a mezzanine, sleeping mezzanine, or built-in sleeping bunk within an individual JLWQ unit. See Figures A-3B-1A & 1B; A-3B-2A & 2B; and A-3B-3.

334B.3 Stairways.

334B.3.1 General.

Staircases which are permitted in residences are also typically permitted within live/work units, including 8" riser on 9" tread, winders and, when serving less than 400 square feet, spiral stairs. Additionally, ship’s stairs or ladders are permitted for access to mezzanines, sleeping mezzanines, and sleeping bunks with units. The use of ladders is a code relaxation–requiring a Notice of Limitation–for JLWQ only.

334B.3.2 Ship Stair.

A ship stair (ships ladder) which is a fixed ladder within the pitch range of 41.5 to 75 degrees from the horizontal, equipped with treads and stair rails may provide access to a mezzanine, sleeping mezzanine, or built-in sleeping bunk within an individual JLWQ unit provided a warning sign and illumination are installed at the ship stair to meet the requirements of the Building Official. There shall be 6-8" minimum headroom provided at the top of the ship stair except the headroom clearance for access to a built-in sleeping bunk may be 3'6" minimum.

334B.3.3 Ladder.

A ladder may provide access to a sleeping mezzanine or a built-in sleeping bunk within an individual JLWQ if the rungs are 14" maximum o.c., 20 inches minimum wide, with 7" minimum toe space (measured horizontally from the outside of the rung to the face of a wall or other surface) and a safety cage of 30 inches' minimum clear dimension is provided above 6'-8" height above the bottom of the ladder when the floor to floor height traversed by the ladder is greater than 9 feet and provided that a warning sign and illumination are installed at the ladder to meet the requirements of the building official.

334B.3.4 Other Means of Stairway Access.

Other means of access to a sleeping mezzanine or built-in bunk bed by means of prefabricated access equipment (folding stairs, etc.) may be used if equivalent to the above, subject to building official approval and provided a warning sign and illumination are installed at the access.

334B.3.5 Notice of Limitation.

See Section 325B.3 for a "notice of limitation" required for any access based on Sections 334B.3.2, 334B.3.3, and 334B.3.4.

334B.4 Landing at a Sleeping Mezzanine.

A stairway, ship stair (ships ladder), ladder or similar equipment providing access to a sleeping mezzanine in a JLWQ shall terminate in a landing with a 3' minimum dimension in any direction. The landing shall have 6'-8" minimum headroom. There may be a single step up to the floor of the sleeping mezzanine of 12" maximum rise or otherwise steps complying with individual unit residential requirements shall be provided the same width of the landing in the direction up to the floor of the sleeping loft. See Figures A-3B-1A and 1B.


top