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I need help with NFPA 101-2012 section 8.6.8

Question asked by richard@rascode.com on Aug 21, 2018
Latest reply on May 7, 2019 by milt.werner

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I am trying to understand NFPA 101-2012 section 8.6.8. When it says that one story must be enclosed off from the opening exactly what does that mean? Does one story have to have closure walls exactly at the edge of the opening or can the closure walls be located away from the opening? Can egress pass througn the non-separated story meaning can the opening be open to corridors that must be traveled to reach an exit? If I can locate the story enclosure walls a distance from the opening I assume that a corridor or egress path cannot go through the floor area that the opening is open to?

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milt.werner Aug 21, 2018 10:33 AM
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Hi Richard:

You wrote: I am trying to understand NFPA 101-2012 section 8.6.8. When it says that one story must be enclosed off from the opening exactly what does that mean? Does one story have to have closure walls exactly at the edge of the opening or can the closure walls be located away from the opening?

To me the enclosure is to meet the requirements of Section 8.6.5. Any configuration of vertical and horizontal construction to enclose a floor opening is acceptable.

Can egress pass through the non-separated story meaning can the opening be open to corridors that must be traveled to reach an exit?
I would say yes for the exit access through the vertical opening, but Section 8.6.2 for the continuity of the enclosure must be met on the separated floor.

If I can locate the story enclosure walls a distance from the opening I assume that a corridor or egress path cannot go through the floor area that the opening is open to?

I would say no. The exit access is permitted through the floors of vertical opening accordance with Section 8.6.8. Section 8.6.8 does not permit the partially enclosed two-story vertical opening to be an exit enclosure. Meaning to me this vertical opening can not be counted as an exit in the means of egress.

My best,
Milt Werner
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- richard@rascode.com @ milt.werner on Aug 21, 2018 11:47 AM
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  Milt,
  The opening in question is located in THE SECOND floor above the main lobby. See attached screen shots. My client says that the first level and second level plans conform to 8.6.8. I just want to be sure that this layout meets 8.6.8. I am concerned that The enclosure at the first floor around the lobby and the enclosure at the second floor to the upper left which is a fully enclosed 2 story high space are in conformance. Mainly because there is the middle enclosed exit stair that has an interior exit discharge into the lobby to allow reaching the exterior exit door from the vestibule. The lobby is a main egress path out of the building from that middle exit stair and the lobby is open to the floor opening above and the large area of the second floor above.
  
  The building is 3 stories and both the exit stairs are fully enclosed from level 3 to the ground level and are legal exit stairs.
  
  Any advice?
  
  Regards,
  
  Dick Sampson
  
  BUILDING CODE CONSULTING LLC
  Richard A. Sampson AIA
  Architect / Building Code Consultant
  62 Grove Street
  Norfolk, MA 02056
  V (508) 520-2376
  F (508) 520-2376
  http://www.rascode.com
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  - Screen Shot 2018-08-21 at 11.30.07 AM.pdf130.2 KB
  - Screen Shot 2018-08-21 at 11.29.52 AM.pdf105.8 KB
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  - milt.werner @ richard@rascode.com on Aug 21, 2018 11:05 AM
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    Richard:
    I am going to vote this morning and will get back you later this morning.
    
    Thanks
    Milt
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    - richard@rascode.com @ milt.werner on Aug 21, 2018 11:12 AM
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      Milt,
      The attachment is now attached to the original reply message. I am new to the forum and am learning the methodologies.
      
      Regards,
      
      Dick Sampson
      
      BUILDING CODE CONSULTING LLC
      Richard A. Sampson AIA
      Architect / Building Code Consultant
      62 Grove Street
      Norfolk, MA 02056
      V (508) 520-2376
      F (508) 520-2376
      http://www.rascode.com
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      - milt.werner @ richard@rascode.com on Aug 21, 2018 2:09 PM
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        Richard:
        Thanks the attachments - much easier to read.
        
        It looks like the plan is a new business occupancy. Section 38.3.1 of 2012 NFPA 101 requires vertical opening to protected in accordance with 8.6. Section 8.6.8 is one of the methods to protect vertical openings in two adjacent stories. The floor the separates the stories must be in accordance with 8.6.1 (1) and (2). The floor is to be constructed as a smoke barrier in accordance to Section 8.5 and the permitted openings described by 8.6.6, 8.7.6, 8.6.6, or Chapter 38.
        
        The general requirement of Section 8.6.2 Continuity must be the first floor enclosure walls required to be continuous from floor to floor, or floor to roof with fire barrier walls.
        
        The fire barriers required by Section 8.6.5 (2) must provided on the first floor. The fire barriers in NFPA 101 are to be constructed in accordance with Section 8.3. Ensure there is continuity of the barriers to the second floor deck from the first floor deck.
        
        Access to exits provided by corridors on the second floor is where the plan may have some problems. In new business occupancies where access to exits in accordance with Section 38.3.6.1 is provided by corridors, those corridors shall be separated from use areas by fire barriers in accordance with Section 8.3 having a minimum 1-hour fire resistance rating unless a single tenant be limited to an area occupied under a single management and work the same hours or a sprinklered building. 38.3.6 (1) through (3) was to permit spaces to be open to the exit access corridor without separation. There is no need to provide a smoke-resistant barriers between the corridor and the adjoining rooms with these exemptions.
        
        I have my doubts about compliance the means of egress requirements of Section 38.2.4.1 have been met for the second floor for two separate exits. The enclosed exit stairs near the open lobby doe not appear to discharge directly to the exterior.
        
        I will let you be the judge of that.
        
        My best,
        Milt Werner
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        richard@rascode.com @ milt.werner on Aug 21, 2018 7:11 PM
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        Milt,
        Thank you so much for your help!!!
        
        Regards,
        
        Dick Sampson
        
        BUILDING CODE CONSULTING LLC
        Richard A. Sampson AIA
        Architect / Building Code Consultant
        62 Grove Street
        Norfolk, MA 02056
        V (508) 520-2376
        F (508) 520-2376
        http://www.rascode.com
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        kschell@thebcgroup.com @ milt.werner on May 7, 2019 3:19 PM
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        Trying to understand something, NFPA section 8.3 clearly calls out that fire barriers have a rating but 8.5 does not appear to explicitly state that smoke barriers must be rated. For a fully sprinkled B-Occupancy building for medical office building (non-ambulatory) would the floor assembly have to be rated in order to provide the smoke barrier required by 8.6.1? I assume the answer is yes because a smoke barrier wall WOULD be 1 HR rated. But corridor wall ratings may be reduced under certain conditions if the building is fully sprinkled. Does the same apply to the floors?
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        milt.werner @ kschell@thebcgroup.com on May 7, 2019 5:26 PM
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        Hi Mari:
        
        "For a fully sprinkled B-Occupancy building for medical office building (non-ambulatory) would the floor assembly have to be rated in order to provide the smoke barrier required by 8.6.1?"
        
        If I am reading this right, the occupancy might have patients that are not able to walk about because of the medical treatments (nonambulatory) and further defined in the NFPA 101 as an:
        
        Ambulatory Health Care Occupancy. An occupancy used to provide services or treatment simultaneously to four or more patients that provides, on an outpatient basis, one or more of the following: (1) treatment for patients that renders the patients incapable of taking action for self-preservation under emergency conditions without the assistance of others; (2) anesthesia that renders the patients incapable of taking action for self preservation under emergency conditions without the assistance of others; (3) emergency or urgent care for patients who, due to the nature of their injury or illness, are incapable of taking action for self-preservation under emergency conditions without the assistance of others.
        
        For vertical opening applications, I would first consult Section 20.3.1 [ambulatory health care occupancies] and find it refers to Section 38.3.1 [business occupancies]. Section 38.3.1 refers to Section 8.6 with specific modifications such as a two-level office or a reference library in an office building to have an unenclosed convenience stair and single exit arrangements in business occupancies by permitting the single means of egress to include an unenclosed stair. For the floor smoke barriers, there were no requirements in for compliance with Section 8.3 for fire resistant rating requirements in the referenced sections.
        
        I would consult with the other sections in Chapter 20 that may require fire barriers in sprinklered buildings for enclosures, subdivision, protection and separation that might require fire barriers to see if any apply to the floor construction. An example in a sprinklered building would be the horizontal exit fire barrier for just one floor in a multiple floor building where the floor would require the construction to be a 2-hour fire resistant fire barrier.
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richard@rascode.com Aug 21, 2018 1:13 PM
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I need help with NFPA 101-2012 section 8.6.8

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