Section 1016 Exit Access

Egress through intervening spaces shall comply with this section.

1. Exit access through an enclosed elevator lobby is permitted. Access to not less than one of the required exits shall be provided without travel through the enclosed elevator lobbies required by Section 3006. Where the path of exit access travel passes through an enclosed elevator lobby, the level of protection required for the enclosed elevator lobby is not required to be extended to the exit unless direct access to an exit is required by other sections of this code.

2. Egress from a room or space shall not pass through adjoining or intervening rooms or areas, except where such adjoining rooms or areas and the area served are accessory to one or the other, are not a Group H occupancy and provide a discernible path of egress travel to an exit.

   Exception: Means of egress are not prohibited through adjoining or intervening rooms or spaces in a Group H, S or F occupancy where the adjoining or intervening rooms or spaces are the same or a lesser hazard occupancy group.

3. An exit access shall not pass through a room that can be locked to prevent egress.
4. Means of egress from dwelling units or sleeping areas shall not lead through other sleeping areas, toilet rooms or bathrooms.

5. Egress shall not pass through kitchens, storage rooms, closets or spaces used for similar purposes.

   Exceptions:

   1. Means of egress are not prohibited through a kitchen area serving adjoining rooms constituting part of the same dwelling unit or sleeping unit.

   2. Means of egress are not prohibited through stockrooms in Group M occupancies where all of the following are met:

      1. 2.1. The stock is of the same hazard classification as that found in the main retail area.
      2. 2.2. Not more than 50 percent of the exit access is through the stockroom.
      3. 2.3. The stockroom is not subject to locking from the egress side.
      4. 2.4. There is a demarcated, minimum 44-inch-wide (1118 mm) aisle defined by full- or partial-height fixed walls or similar construction that will maintain the required width and lead directly from the retail area to the exit without obstructions.

Where more than one tenant occupies any one floor of a building or structure, each tenant space, dwelling unit and sleeping unit shall be provided with access to the required exits without passing through adjacent tenant spaces, dwelling units and sleeping units.

Exception: The means of egress from a smaller tenant space shall not be prohibited from passing through a larger adjoining tenant space where such rooms or spaces of the smaller tenant occupy less than 10 percent of the area of the larger tenant space through which they pass; are the same or similar occupancy group; a discernible path of egress travel to an exit is provided; and the means of egress into the adjoining space is not subject to locking from the egress side. A required means of egress serving the larger tenant space shall not pass through the smaller tenant space or spaces.