The provisions of this section shall apply to buildings or structures defined herein as covered or open mall buildings not exceeding three floor levels at any point nor more than three stories above grade plane. Except as specifically required by this section, covered and open mall buildings shall meet applicable provisions of this code.
Exceptions:
A covered mall building and attached anchor buildings and parking garages shall be surrounded on all sides by a permanent open space or not less than 60 feet (18 288 mm). An open mall building and anchor buildings and parking parking garages adjoining the perimeter line shall be surrounded on all sides by a permanent open space of not less than 60 feet (18 288 mm).
Exception: The permanent open space of 60 feet (18 288 mm) shall be permitted to be reduced to not less than 40 feet (12 192 mm), provided the following requirements are met:
- The reduced open space shall not be allowed for more than 75 percent of the perimeter of the covered or open mall building and anchor buildings;
- The exterior wall facing the reduced open space shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 3 hours;
- Openings in the exterior wall facing the reduced open space shall have opening protectives with a fire protection rating of not less than 3 hours; and
- Group E, H, I or R occupancies are not located within the covered or open mall building or anchor buildings.
The building area and building height of any anchor building shall be based on the type of construction as required by Section 503 as modified by Sections 504 and 506.
Exception: The building area of any anchor building shall not be limited provided the anchor building is not more than three stories above grade plane, and is of Type I, II, III or IV construction.
An anchor building shall be separated from the covered or open mall building by fire walls complying with Section 706.
Exceptions:
- Anchor buildings of not more than three stories above grade plane that have an occupancy classification the same as that permitted for tenants of the mall building shall be separated by 2-hour fire-resistance-rated fire barriers complying with Section 707.
- The exterior walls of anchor buildings separated from an open mall building by an open mall shall comply with Table 602.
An attached garage for the storage of passenger vehicles having a capacity of not more than nine persons and open parking garages shall be considered as a separate building where it is separated from the covered or open mall building or anchor building by not less than 2-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both.
Parking garages, open or enclosed, which are separated from covered mall buildings, open mall buildings or anchor buildings shall comply with the provisions of Table 602.
Pedestrian walkways and tunnels which connect garages to mall buildings or anchor buildings shall be constructed in accordance with Section 3104.
Covered and open mall buildings and buildings connected shall be protected throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1, which shall comply with the all of the following:
- The automatic sprinkler system shall be complete and operative throughout occupied space in the mall building prior to occupancy of any of the tenant spaces. Unoccupied tenant spaces shall be similarly protected unless provided with approved alternative protection.
- Sprinkler protection for the mall of a covered mall building shall be independent from that provided for tenant spaces or anchor buildings.
- Sprinkler protection for the tenant spaces of an open mall building shall be independent from that provided for anchor buildings.
- Sprinkler protection shall be provided beneath exterior circulation balconies located adjacent to an open mall.
- Where tenant spaces are supplied by the same system, they shall be independently controlled.
Exception: An automatic sprinkler system shall not be required in spaces or areas of open parking garages separated from the covered or open mall building in accordance with Section 402.4.2.3 and constructed in accordance with Section 406.5.
Kiosks and similar structures (temporary or permanent) located within the mall of a covered mall building or within the perimeter line of an open mall building shall meet the following requirements:
Combustible kiosks or other structures shall not be located within a covered or open mall unless constructed of any of the following materials:
- 1.1. Fire-retardant-treated wood complying with Section 2303.2.
- 1.2. Foam plastics having a maximum heat release rate not greater than 100 kW (105 Btu/h) when tested in accordance with the exhibit booth protocol in UL 1975 or when tested in accordance with NFPA 289 using the 20 kW ignition source.
- 1.3. Aluminum composite material (ACM) meeting the requirements of Class A interior finish in accordance with Chapter 8 when tested as an assembly in the maximum thickness intended.
- Kiosks or similar structures located within the mall shall be provided with approved automatic sprinkler system and detection devices.
- The horizontal separation between kiosks or groupings thereof and other structures within the mall shall be not less than 20 feet (6096 mm).
- Each kiosk or similar structure or groupings thereof shall have an area not greater than 300 square feet (28 m2).
Where the total floor area is greater than 50,000 square feet (4645 m2) within either a covered mall building or within the perimeter line of an open mall building, an emergency voice/alarm communication system shall be provided.
Emergency voice/alarm communication systems serving a mall, required or otherwise, shall be accessible to the fire department. The systems shall be provided in accordance with Section 907.5.2.2.
In determining required means of egress of the mall, the number of occupants for whom means of egress are to be provided shall be based on gross leasable area of the covered or open mall building (excluding anchor buildings) and the occupant load factor as determined by Equation 4-1.
where:
OLF = The occupant load factor (square feet per person).
GLA = The gross leasable area (square feet).
Exception: Tenant spaces attached to a covered or open mall building but with a means of egress system that is totally independent of the open mall of an open mall building or of a covered mall building shall not be considered as gross leasable area for determining the required means of egress for the mall building.
Within each individual tenant space in a covered or open mall building, the distance of travel from any point to an exit or entrance to the mall shall be not greater than 200 feet (60 960 mm).
The distance of travel from any point within a mall of a covered mall building to an exit shall be not greater than 200 feet (60 960 mm). The maximum distance of travel from any point within an open mall to the perimeter line of the open mall building shall be not greater than 200 feet (60 960 mm).
Where more than one exit is required, they shall be so arranged that it is possible to travel in either direction from any point in a mall of a covered mall building to separate exits or from any point in an open mall of an open mall building to two separate locations on the perimeter line, provided neither location is an exterior wall of an anchor building or parking garage. The width of an exit passageway or corridor from a mall shall be not less than 66 inches (1676 mm).
Exception: Access to exits are permitted by way of a dead-end mall which does not exceed a length equal to twice the width of the mall measured at the narrowest location within the dead-end portion of the mall.
Horizontal sliding or vertical security grilles or doors that are a part of a required means of egress shall conform to the following:
- Doors and grilles shall remain in the full open position during the period of occupancy by the general public.
- Doors or grilles shall not be brought to the closed position when there are 10 or more persons occupying spaces served by a single exit or 50 or more persons occupying spaces served by more than one exit.
- The doors or grilles shall be openable from within without the use of any special knowledge or effort where the space is occupied.
- Where two or more exits are required, not more than one-half of the exits shall be permitted to include either a horizontal sliding or vertical rolling grille or door.
New high-rise buildings and new Group I-2 occupancies having occupied floors located more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access shall comply with Sections 403.2 through 403.7.
Exception: The provisions of Sections 403.2 through 403.7 shall not apply to the following buildings and structures:
- Airport traffic control towers in accordance with Section 412.3.
- Open parking garages in accordance with Section 406.5.
- The portion of a building containing a Group A-5 occupancy in accordance with Section 303.6.
- Special industrial occupancies in accordance with Section 503.1.1.
- Buildings such as power plants, lookout towers, steeples, grain houses and similar structures with noncontinuous human occupancy, when so determined by the enforcing agency.
For existing high-rise buildings and for existing Group R occupancies, see California Fire Code Chapter 11 and California Existing Building Code.
For the purpose of this section, in determining the level from which the highest occupied floor is to be measured, the enforcing agency should exercise reasonable judgment, including consideration of overall accessibility to the building by fire department personnel and vehicular equipment. When a building is located on sloping terrain and there is building access on more than one level, the enforcing agency may select the level that provides the most logical and adequate fire department access.
The following terms are defined in Chapter 2.
The fire-resistance-rating reductions listed in Sections 403.2.1.1 and 403.2.1.2 shall be allowed in buildings that have sprinkler control valves equipped with supervisory initiating devices and water-flow initiating devices for each floor.
Exception: Buildings, or portions of buildings, classified as a Group H-1, H-2 or H-3 occupancy.
The following reductions in the minimum fire-resistance rating of the building elements in Table 601 shall be permitted as follows:
For buildings not greater than 420 feet (128 000 mm) in building height, the fire-resistance rating of the building elements in Type IA construction shall be permitted to be reduced to the minimum fire-resistance ratings for the building elements in Type IB.
Exception: The required fire-resistance rating of the Structural Frame shall not be permitted to be reduced.
In other than Group F-1, M and S-1 occupancies, the fire-resistance rating of the building elements in Type IB construction shall be permitted to be reduced to the fire-resistance ratings in Type IIA.
Exception: The required fire-resistance rating of the structural frame shall not be permitted to be reduced.
- The building height and building area limitations of a building containing building elements with reduced fire-resistance ratings shall be permitted to be the same as the building without such reductions.
The face of the wall assemblies making up the enclosures for interior exit stairways and elevator hoistway enclosures that are not exposed to the interior of the enclosures for interior exit stairways or elevator hoistway enclosure shall be constructed in accordance with one of the following methods:
- The wall assembly shall incorporate no fewer than two layers of impact-resistant construction board each of which meets or exceeds Hard Body Impact Classification Level 2 as measured by the test method described in ASTM C1629/C1629M.
- The wall assembly shall incorporate no fewer than one layer of impact-resistant construction material that meets or exceeds Hard Body Impact Classification Level 3 as measured by the test method described in ASTM C1629/C1629M.
- The wall assembly incorporates multiple layers of any material, tested in tandem, that meets or exceeds Hard Body Impact Classification Level 3 as measured by the test method described in ASTM C1629/C1629M.
The bond strength of the SFRM installed throughout the building shall be in accordance with Table 403.2.4.
TABLE 403.2.4
MINIMUM BOND STRENGTH
| HEIGHT OF BUILDINGa | SFRM MINIMUM BOND STRENGTH |
| Up to 420 feet | 430 psf |
| Greater than 420 feet | 1,000 psf |
For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 pound per square foot (psf) = 0.0479 kW/m2.
- Above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.
Buildings and structures shall be equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 and a secondary water supply where required by Section 403.3.3. A sprinkler water-flow alarm-initiating device and a control valve with a supervisory signal-initiating device shall be provided at the lateral connection to the riser for each floor.
Exception: An automatic sprinkler system shall not be required in open parking garages in accordance with Section 406.5.
In buildings having an occupied floor that are more than 120 feet (36 576 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access, required fire pumps shall be supplied by connections to no fewer than two water mains located in different streets. Separate supply piping shall be provided between each connection to the water main and the pumps. Each connection and the supply piping between the connection and the pumps shall be sized to supply the flow and pressure required for the pumps to operate.
Exception: Two connections to the same main shall be permitted provided the main is valved such that an interruption can be isolated so that the water supply will continue without interruption through no fewer than one of the connections.
Redundant fire pump systems shall be required for high-rise buildings having an occupied floor more than 200 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access. Each fire pump system shall be capable of automatically supplying the required demand for the automatic sprinkler and standpipe systems.
See Section 913.6.
All portions of high-rise buildings shall be provided with a smoke control system in accordance with Section 909
If the standby or emergency power system includes a generator set inside a building, the system shall be located in a separate room enclosed with 2-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both. System supervision with manual start and transfer features shall be provided at the fire command center.
Exception: In Group I-2, manual start and transfer features for the critical branch of the emergency power are not required to be provided at the fire command center.
The following are classified as standby power loads:
- Power and lighting for the fire command center required by Section 403.4.6.
- Ventilation and automatic fire detection equipment for smokeproof enclosures.
- Elevators.
- Where elevators are provided in a high-rise building for accessible means of egress, fire service access or occupant self-evacuation, the standby power system shall also comply with Sections 1009.4, 3007 or 3008, as applicable.
The following are classified as emergency power loads:
- Exit signs and means of egress illumination required by Chapter 10.
- Elevator car lighting.
- Emergency voice/alarm communications systems.
- Automatic fire detection systems.
- Fire alarm systems.
- Electrically powered fire pumps.
For buildings other than Group R-2 that are more than 420 feet (128 000 mm) in building height, one additional interior exit stairway meeting the requirements of Sections 1011 and 1023 shall be provided in addition to the minimum number of exits required by Section 1006.3. The total width of any combination of remaining interior exit stairways with one interior exit stairway removed shall be not less than the total width required by Section 1005.1. Scissor stairways shall not be considered the additional interior exit stairway required by this section.
Exception: An additional interior exit stairway shall not be required to be installed in buildings having elevators used for occupant self-evacuation in accordance with Section 3008.
Every exit enclosure in high-rise buildings shall comply with Sections 909.20 and 1023.11. Every required interior exit stairway in Group I-2 occupancies serving floors more than 75 feet (22 860 mm) above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access shall be a smokeproof enclosure in accordance with Sections 909.20 and 1023.11.
Exception: In high-rise buildings, exit enclosures serving three or less adjacent floors where one of the adjacent floors is the level of exit discharge.
Elevator installation and operation in high-rise buildings shall comply with Chapter 30 and Sections 403.6.1 and 403.6.2.
Enclosed elevator lobbies shall be provided in accordance with Section 3006. Exceptions 2. 3, 4, and 5 of 3006.3 shall only be permitted where approved by the Fire Chief in accordance with Section 1.11.2.1.1 or in accordance with Section 1.11.2.1.2 for all state-owned buildings, state-occupied buildings, and state institutions throughout the state.
For existing high-rise buildings, see California Fire Code Chapter 11 and California Existing Building Code.
The floor of the atrium shall not be used for other than low fire hazard uses and only approved materials and decorations in accordance with the California Fire Code shall be used in the atrium space.
Exception: The atrium floor area is permitted to be used for any approved use where the individual space is provided with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
An approved automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout the entire building.
Exceptions:
- That area of a building adjacent to or above the atrium need not be sprinklered provided that portion of the building is separated from the atrium portion by not less than 2-hour fire barriers constructed in accordance with Section 707 or horizontal assemblies constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both.
- Where the ceiling of the atrium is more than 55 feet (16 764 mm) above the floor, sprinkler protection at the ceiling of the atrium is not required.
Atrium spaces shall be separated from adjacent spaces by a 1-hour fire barrier constructed in accordance with Section 707 or a horizontal assembly constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both.
Exceptions:
A fire barrier is not required where a glass wall forming a smoke partition is provided. The glass wall shall comply with all of the following:
- 1.1. Automatic sprinklers are provided along both sides of the separation wall and doors, or on the room side only if there is not a walkway on the atrium side. The sprinklers shall be located between 4 inches and 12 inches (102 mm and 305 mm) away from the glass and at intervals along the glass not greater than 6 feet (1829 mm). The sprinkler system shall be designed so that the entire surface of the glass is wet upon activation of the sprinkler system without obstruction;
- 1.2. The glass wall shall be installed in a gasketed frame in a manner that the framing system deflects without breaking (loading) the glass before the sprinkler system operates; and
- 1.3. Where glass doors are provided in the glass wall, they shall be either self-closing or automatic-closing.
- A fire barrier is not required where a glass-block wall assembly complying with Section 2110 and having a 3/4-hour fire protection rating is provided.
- In other than Group I and R-2.1 occupancies, a fire barrier is not required between the atrium and the adjoining spaces of any three floors of the atrium provided such spaces are accounted for in the design of the smoke control system.
Required means of egress from sleeping rooms in Group I and R-2.1 occupancies shall not pass through the atrium.
The provisions of Sections 405.2 through 405.9 apply to building spaces having a floor level used for human occupancy more than 30 feet (9144 mm) below the finished floor of the lowest level of exit discharge.
Exception: The provisions of Section 405 are not applicable to the following buildings or portions of buildings:
- One- and two-family dwellings, sprinklered in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3.
- Parking garages provided with automatic sprinkler systems in compliance with Section 405.3.
- Fixed guideway transit systems.
- Grandstands, bleachers, stadiums, arenas and similar facilities.
- Where the lowest story is the only story that would qualify the building as an underground building and has an area not greater than 1,500 square feet (139 m2) and has an occupant load less than 10.
- Pumping stations and other similar mechanical spaces intended only for limited periodic use by service or maintenance personnel.
A building having a floor level more than 60 feet (18 288 mm) below the finished floor of the lowest level of exit discharge shall be divided into no fewer than two compartments of approximately equal size. Such compartmentation shall extend through the highest level of exit discharge serving the underground portions of the building and all levels below.
Exception: The lowest story need not be compartmented where the area is not greater than 1,500 square feet (139 m2) and has an occupant load of less than 10.
The following loads are classified as standby power loads:
- Smoke control system.
- Ventilation and automatic fire detection equipment for smokeproof enclosures.
- Fire pumps.
- Elevators, as required in Section 3003.
The following loads are classified as emergency power loads:
- Emergency voice/alarm communications systems.
- Fire alarm systems.
- Automatic fire detection systems.
- Elevator car lighting.
- Means of egress and exit sign illumination as required by Chapter 10.
The following terms are defined in Chapter 2:
Private garages and carports shall be classified as Group U occupancies. Each private garage shall be not greater than 1,000 square feet (93 m2) in area. Multiple private garages are permitted in a building where each private garage is separated from the other private garages by 1-hour fire barriers in accordance with Section 707, or 1-hour horizontal assemblies in accordance with Section 711, or both.
Exception: The area of a private garage accessory to Group R-3 one- or two-family dwellings shall not be greater than 3,000 square feet in area.
Carports shall be open on at least two sides. Carport floor surfaces shall be of an approved noncombustible material. Carports not open on at least two sides shall be considered a garage and shall comply with the requirements for private garages.
Exception: Asphalt surfaces shall be permitted at ground level in carports.
The area of floor used for parking of automobiles or other vehicles shall be sloped to facilitate the movement of liquids to a drain or toward the main vehicle entry doorway.
Vehicle barriers not less than 2 feet 9 inches (835 mm) in height shall be placed at the ends of drive lanes, and at the end of parking spaces where the vertical distance to the ground or surface directly below is greater than 1 foot (305 mm). Vehicle barriers shall comply with the loading requirements of Section 1607.8.3.
Exception: Vehicle barriers are not required in vehicle storage compartments in a mechanical access parking garage.
For natural ventilation purposes, the exterior side of the structure shall have uniformly distributed openings on two or more sides. The area of such openings in exterior walls on a tier shall be not less than 20 percent of the total perimeter wall area of each tier. The aggregate length of the openings considered to be providing natural ventilation shall be not less than 40 percent of the perimeter of the tier. Interior walls shall be not less than 20 percent open with uniformly distributed openings.
Exception: Openings are not required to be distributed over 40 percent of the building perimeter where the required openings are uniformly distributed over two opposing sides of the building.
Area and height of open parking garages shall be limited as set forth in Chapter 5 for Group S-2 occupancies and as further provided for in Section 508.1.
TABLE 406.5.4
OPEN PARKING GARAGES AREA AND HEIGHT
| TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION | AREA PER TIER (square feet) | HEIGHT (in tiers) | ||
| Ramp access | Mechanical access | |||
| Automatic sprinkler system | ||||
| No | Yes | |||
| IA | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| IB | Unlimited | 12 tiers | 12 tiers | 18 tiers |
| IIA | 50,000 | 10 tiers | 10 tiers | 15 tiers |
| IIB | 50,000 | 8 tiers | 8 tiers | 12 tiers |
| IV | 50,000 | 4 tiers | 4 tiers | 4 tiers |
For SI: 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2.
Where the open parking garage is used exclusively for the parking or storage of private motor vehicles, with no other uses in the building, the area and height shall be permitted to comply with Table 406.5.4, along with increases allowed by Section 406.5.5.
Exception: The grade-level tier is permitted to contain an office, waiting and toilet rooms having a total combined area of not more than 1,000 square feet (93 m2). Such area need not be separated from the open parking garage.
In open parking garages having a spiral or sloping floor, the horizontal projection of the structure at any cross section shall not exceed the allowable area per parking tier. In the case of an open parking garage having a continuous spiral floor, each 9 feet 6 inches (2896 mm) of height, or portion thereof, shall be considered a tier.
The clear height of a parking tier shall be not less than 7 feet (2134 mm), except that a lower clear height is permitted in mechanical-access open parking garages where approved by the building official.
The allowable area and height of open parking garages shall be increased in accordance with the provisions of this section. Garages with sides open on three-fourths of the building’s perimeter are permitted to be increased by 25 percent in area and one tier in height. Garages with sides open around the entire building’s perimeter are permitted to be increased by 50 percent in area and one tier in height. For a side to be considered open under the above provisions, the total area of openings along the side shall not be less than 50 percent of the interior area of the side at each tier and such openings shall be equally distributed along the length of the tier. For purposes of calculating the interior area of the side, the height shall not exceed 7 feet (2134 mm).
Allowable tier areas in Table 406.5.4 shall be increased for open parking garages constructed to heights less than the table maximum. The gross tier area of the garage shall not exceed that permitted for the higher structure. No fewer than three sides of each such larger tier shall have continuous horizontal openings not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in clear height extending for not less than 80 percent of the length of the sides and no part of such larger tier shall be more than 200 feet (60 960 mm) horizontally from such an opening. In addition, each such opening shall face a street or yard accessible to a street with a width of not less than 30 feet (9144 mm) for the full length of the opening, and standpipes shall be provided in each such tier.
Open parking garages of Type II construction, with all sides open, shall be unlimited in allowable area where the building height does not exceed 75 feet (22 860 mm). For a side to be considered open, the total area of openings along the side shall not be less than 50 percent of the interior area of the side at each tier and such openings shall be equally distributed along the length of the tier. For purposes of calculating the interior area of the side, the height shall not exceed 7 feet (2134 mm). All portions of tiers shall be within 200 feet (60 960 mm) horizontally from such openings or other natural ventilation openings as defined in Section 406.5.2. These openings shall be permitted to be provided in courts with a minimum dimension of 20 feet (6096 mm) for the full width of the openings.
The following uses and alterations are not permitted:
- Vehicle repair work.
- Parking of buses, trucks and similar vehicles.
- Partial or complete closing of required openings in exterior walls by tarpaulins or any other means.
- Dispensing of fuel.
A mechanical ventilation system shall be provided in accordance with the California Mechanical Code.
Exception: Mechanical ventilation shall not be required for enclosed parking garages that serve Group R-3 one- or two-family dwellings.
Canopies under which fuels are dispensed shall have a clear, unobstructed height of not less than 13 feet 6 inches (4115 mm) to the lowest projecting element in the vehicle drive-through area. Canopies and their supports over pumps shall be of noncombustible materials, fire-retardant-treated wood complying with Chapter 23, wood of Type IV sizes or of construction providing 1-hour fire resistance. Combustible materials used in or on a canopy shall comply with one of the following:
- Shielded from the pumps by a noncombustible element of the canopy, or wood of Type IV sizes;
- Plastics covered by aluminum facing having a thickness of not less than 0.010 inch (0.30 mm) or corrosion-resistant steel having a base metal thickness of not less than 0.016 inch (0.41 mm). The plastic shall have a flame spread index of 25 or less and a smoke-developed index of 450 or less when tested in the form intended for use in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723 and a self-ignition temperature of 650°F (343°C) or greater when tested in accordance with ASTM D1929; or
- Panels constructed of light-transmitting plastic materials shall be permitted to be installed in canopies erected over motor vehicle fuel-dispensing station fuel dispensers, provided the panels are located not less than 10 feet (3048 mm) from any building on the same lot and face yards or streets not less than 40 feet (12 192 mm) in width on the other sides. The aggregate areas of plastics shall be not greater than 1,000 square feet (93 m2). The maximum area of any individual panel shall be not greater than 100 square feet (9.3 m2).
Canopies that are used to shelter dispensing operations where flammable compressed gases are located on the roof of the canopy shall be in accordance with the following:
Repair garage floors shall be of concrete or similar noncombustible and nonabsorbent materials.
Exception: Slip-resistant, nonabsorbent, interior floor finishes having a critical radiant flux not more than 0.45 W/cm2, as determined by NFPA 253, shall be permitted.
Activation of the gas detection system shall result in all of the following:
- Initiation of distinct audible and visual alarm signals in the repair garage.
- Deactivation of all heating systems located in the repair garage.
- Activation of the mechanical ventilation system, where the system is interlocked with gas detection.
[SFM]
In any building or interior area used for charging electric vehicles, electrical equipment shall be installed in accordance with the California Electrical Code.
Mechanical exhaust ventilation, when required by the California Electrical Code shall be provided at a rate as required by Article 625 or as required by Section 1203 of the California Building Code whichever is greater. The ventilation system shall include both the supply and exhaust equipment and shall be permanently installed and located to intake supply air from the outdoors, and vent the exhaust directly to, the outdoors without conducting the exhaust air through other spaces within the building.
Exception: Positive pressure ventilation systems shall only be allowed in buildings or areas that have been designed and approved for that application.
The electrical supply circuit to electrically powered mechanical ventilation equipment shall be interlocked with the recharging equipment used to supply the vehicle(s) being charged, and shall remain energized during the entire charging cycle. Electric vehicle recharging equipment shall be marked or labeled in accordance with the California Electrical Code.
Exceptions:
- Exhaust ventilation shall not be required in areas with an approved engineered ventilation system, which maintains a hydrogen gas concentration at less than 25 percent of the lower flammability limit.
- Mechanical exhaust ventilation for hydrogen shall not be required where the charging equipment utilized is installed and listed for indoor charging of electric vehicles without ventilation.
Waiting areas and similar spaces constructed as required for corridors shall be permitted to be open to a corridor, only where all of the following criteria are met:
- The spaces are not occupied as care recipient’s sleeping rooms, treatment rooms, incidental uses listed in Table 509, or hazardous uses.
- The open space is protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907.
- The corridors onto which the spaces open, in the same smoke compartment, are protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907, and the smoke compartment in which the spaces are located is equipped throughout with quick-response sprinklers in accordance with Section 903.3.2.
- The space is arranged so as not to obstruct access to the required exits.
- Each space is located to permit direct visual supervision by the facility staff.
Spaces for doctors’ and nurses’ charting, communications and related clerical areas shall be permitted to be open to, or located within the corridor, provided the required construction along the perimeter of the corridor is maintained. Construction of nurses’ stations or portions of nurses’ stations, within the envelope of the corridor is not required to be fire-resistive rated. Nurses’ stations in new and existing facilities see the California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1, Article 3, Section 3.11(d) for storage and equipment requirements.
In detention or secure mental health facilities, the provisions above applies to enclosed nurses’ stations within the corridor.
Areas wherein psychiatric care recipients who are not capable of self-preservation are housed, or group meeting or multipurpose therapeutic spaces other than incidental uses in accordance with Section 509, under continuous supervision by facility staff, shall be permitted to be open to the corridor, where the following criteria are met:
- Each area does not exceed 1,500 square feet (140 m2).
- The area is located to permit supervision by the facility staff.
- The area is arranged so as not to obstruct any access to the required exits.
- The area is equipped with an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907.2.
- Not more than one such space is permitted in any one smoke compartment.
- The walls and ceilings of the space are constructed as required for corridors.
In Group I-2 occupancies, in areas where nursing home residents are housed, shared living spaces, group meeting or multipurpose therapeutic spaces shall be permitted to be open to the corridor, where all of the following criteria are met:
- The walls and ceilings of the space are constructed as required for corridors.
- The spaces are not occupied as resident sleeping rooms, treatment rooms, incidental uses in accordance with Section 509, or hazardous uses.
- The open space is protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907.
- The corridors onto which the spaces open, in the same smoke compartment, are protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907, and the smoke compartment in which the spaces are located is equipped throughout with quick-response sprinklers in accordance with Section 903.3.2.
- The space is arranged so as not to obstruct access to the required exits.
- Each space is located to permit direct visual supervision by the facility staff.
In Group I-2 occupancies, rooms or spaces that contain a cooking facility with domestic cooking appliances shall be permitted in fully sprinklered buildings where all of the following criteria are met:
1. The number of care recipients housed in the smoke compartment is not greater than 30.
2. The number of care recipients served by the cooking facility is not greater than 30.
3. Only one cooking facility area is permitted in a smoke compartment.
4. The types of domestic cooking appliances permitted are limited to ovens, cooktops, ranges, warmers and microwaves.
5. A domestic cooking range hood installed and constructed in accordance with the California Mechanical Code is provided over the cooktop or range.
6. A portable fire extinguisher shall be installed in accordance with Section 906 of the California Fire Code.
Corridor doors, other than those equipped with self-closing or automatic-closing devices shall not swing into the required width of corridors.
Exception: In detention and/or secure mental health facilities, doors may swing into required width of corridors as long as 44" clear is maintained with any one door open 90 degrees and clear corridor widths required in Chapter 12 can be maintained with doors open 180 degrees.
In fully sprinklered buildings, fixed fully tempered or laminated glass in wood or metal frames may be used in corridor walls, provided the glazed area does not exceed 25 percent of the areas of the corridor wall of the room. The total area of glass in corridor walls is not limited when the glazing is fixed 1/3-hour fire-protection-rated glazing in approved frames and the size of individual glazed panel does not exceed 1,296 square inches (0.836 m2).
Locking devices that restrict access to a care recipient’s room from the corridor and that are operable only by staff from the corridor side shall not restrict the means of egress from the care recipient’s room.
Exception: This section shall not apply to rooms in psychiatric treatment and similar care areas.
All rooms below grade shall have not less than one exit access that leads directly to an exterior exit door opening directly to an exit discharge at grade plane or the public way.
Movement from habitable rooms shall not require passage through more than one intervening room and 100 feet (30 480 mm) distance of travel within the care suite.
Movement from habitable rooms other than sleeping rooms located within a care suite, shall not require passage through more than two intervening rooms and 50 feet (15 240 mm) distance of exit access travel within the care suite.
Exception: The distance of travel shall be permitted to be increased to 100 feet (38 100 mm) where an automatic fire sprinkler system is provided throughout the Group I-2 fire area and an automatic smoke detection system is provided throughout the care suite and installed in accordance with NFPA 72.
Doors in care suites serving habitable rooms shall be permitted to comply with the following:
- Manually operated horizontal sliding doors permitted in accordance with Exception 9 to Section 1010.1.2.
- Power-operated doors permitted in accordance with Exception 7 to Section 1010.1.2.
- Means of egress doors complying with Section 1010.
Sleeping rooms shall be permitted to be grouped into care suites where one of the following criteria is met:
- The care suite is not used as an exit access for more than eight care recipient beds.
- The arrangement of the care suite allows for direct and constant visual supervision into the sleeping rooms by care providers.
Care suites containing sleeping rooms shall be not greater than 5,000 square feet (465 m2) in area.
Exceptions:
- Care suites containing sleeping rooms shall be permitted to be not greater than 7,500 square feet (696 m2) in area where an automatic fire sprinkler system is provided throughout the Group I-2 fire area.
- Care suites containing sleeping rooms shall be permitted to be not greater than 10,000 square feet (929 m2) in area where an automatic fire sprinkler system is provided throughout the Group I-2 fire area and where an automatic smoke detection system is provided throughout the care suite and installed in accordance with Section 907.
Smoke barriers shall be provided to subdivide every story used by persons receiving care, treatment or sleeping and to divide other stories with an occupant load of 50 or more persons, regardless of occupancy or use, into no fewer than two smoke compartments. Such stories shall be divided into smoke compartments with an area of not more than 22,500 square feet (2092 m2) and the distance of travel from any point in a smoke compartment to a smoke barrier door shall be not greater than 200 feet (60 960 mm). The smoke barrier shall be in accordance with Sections 709 and 909.5.
Exceptions:
- This requirement shall not apply to Group I-2.1 less than 10,000 ft2 (929 m2).
An area in an adjoining occupancy shall be permitted to serve as a smoke compartment for a Group I-2.1 facility if the following criteria are met:
This requirement shall not apply to the following:
- 3.1. Any story, not containing a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy, that is located above a story containing a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy.
- 3.2. Areas that do not contain a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy, where such areas are separated from the Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy by a horizontal exit in accordance with Section 1025.2.
- 3.3. Any story, not containing a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy, that is located more than one story below a story containing a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy.
- 3.4. Any story housing only mechanical equipment where such story is located below a story containing a Group I-2 or I-2.1 occupancy and is separated from the story above by a horizontal assembly having not less than a 2 hour fire resistance-rating.
Refuge areas shall be provided within each smoke compartment. The size of the refuge area shall accommodate the occupants and care recipients from the adjoining smoke compartment. Where a smoke compartment is adjoined by two or more smoke compartments, the minimum area of the refuge area shall accommodate the largest occupant load of the adjoining compartments. The size of the refuge area shall provide the following:
- Not less than 30 net square feet (2.8 m2) for each care recipient confined to bed or stretcher.
- Not less than 6 square feet (0.56 m2) for each ambulatory care recipient not confined to bed or stretcher and for other occupants.
Areas or spaces permitted to be included in the calculation of refuge area are corridors, sleeping areas, treatment rooms, lounge or dining areas and other low-hazard areas.
Every facility as specified herein wherein more than six clients or patients are housed or cared for on the premises on a 24-hour perday-basis shall have installed and maintained in an operable condition in every building or portion thereof where clients or patients are housed, an automatic sprinkler system of a type approved by the state fire marshal. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to every person, firm or corporation establishing, maintaining or operating a hospital, children’s home, children’s nursery or institution, or a home or insti