505.3 Equipment Platforms

Equipment platforms in buildings shall not be considered as a portion of the floor below. Such equipment platforms shall not contribute to either the building area or the number of stories as regulated by Section 503.1. The area of the equipment platform shall not be included in determining the fire area in accordance with Section 903. Equipment platforms shall not be a part of any mezzanine and such platforms and the walkways, stairways, alternating tread devices and ladders providing access to an equipment platform shall not serve as a part of the means of egress from the building.

The aggregate area of all equipment platforms within a room shall be not greater than two-thirds of the area of the room in which they are located. Where an equipment platform is located in the same room as a mezzanine, the area of the mezzanine shall be determined by Section 505.2.1 and the combined aggregate area of the equipment platforms and mezzanines shall be not greater than two-thirds of the room in which they are located. The area of the mezzanine shall not exceed the area determined in accordance with Section 505.2.1.

Where located in a building that is required to be protected by an automatic sprinkler system, equipment platforms shall be fully protected by sprinklers above and below the platform, where required by the standards referenced in Section 903.3.

Equipment platforms shall have guards where required by Section 1015.2.