LIFE SAFETY: Occupancy Classification/Risk Category (IDFX, IDIX, IDPX)

Question 1

Classification (Risk Category)

Occupancy often referred to as

Answer 1

Risk Category

Question 2

Classification (Risk Category)

Risk Category describes describes how a building or interior space is what?

Answer 2

Used

Question 3

Classification (Risk Category)

The very FIRST THING you determine during the investigative phase of a project is what?

Answer 3

Who will be occupying the space

Question 4

Classification (Risk Category)

Simplifed Tips on Occupancy

Answer 4

• Everything begins with occupancy.
• It establishes the building’s level of risk.
• Think of occupancy as the “master switch” of a project.

Question 5

Classification (Risk Category)

Occupancy classification defines what?

Answer 5

How a space is used and determines its fire rating, egress width, and plumbing fixture requirements.

Question 6

Occupancy Groups

Group A

Answer 6

Assembly: theaters, restaurants, places of gathering

Question 7

Occupancy Groups

Group B

Answer 7

Business: offices, clinics, educational (college)

Question 8

Occupancy Groups

Group M

Answer 8

Mercantile: retail spaces

Question 9

Occupancy Groups

Group R

Answer 9

Residential: apartments, hotels

Question 10

Occupancy Groups

Group I

Answer 10

Institutional: healthcare, assisted living

Question 11

Occupancy Groups

Group E

Answer 11

Educational: schools up to 12th grade

Question 12

Occupancy Groups

Mixed-use occupancies (e.g., restaurant + office) require separation with fire-rated assemblies or must comply as non-separated occupancies per which IBC table?

Answer 12

508

Question 13

Occupancy Groups

Assembly there are 2 distinct rules that will allow assembly spaces to be classified as B (instead of one of the A subgroups) what are they?

Answer 13

• A building or tenant space used for assembly purposes with an occupant load of less than 50 persons shall be classified as a Group B occupancy.
• Small assembly room or space must be accessory to another occupancy
  In this case,
  1. a room or less than 50 persons or
  2. a room less than 750 SF
  can be classified as Group B (or as part of the main occupancy)

Question 14

Occupancy Groups

Assembly rooms which are accessory to Group E are not considered as Group what?

Answer 14

A
(A classroom in K-12 for example, is not considered Assembly, but rather classified as E)

Question 15

Occupancy Groups

Once there are 50 or more people in an B assembly occupancy, it must be classified as one of which groups?

Answer 15

A’s

Question 16

Occupancy Groups

Acessory spaces other than storage are limited to what perchantage of the building area?

Answer 16

10%

Aggregate accessory limited also to 10%

Question 17

Day Care Simplified

A daycare facilities of 6 or more ages 2 1/2 & over with less than 24hrs of care is classified as what Group?

Answer 17

E

Question 18

Day Care Simplified

A daycare facilities of 6 or for ALL ages with less than 24hrs of care is classified as what Group?

Answer 18

I-4

Question 19

Day Care Simplified

Daycare facilities of 6-100 persons of less than 2 1/2 years of age and less than 24hrs of care is classified as what Group?

Answer 19

E

Question 20

Day Care Simplified

Dwelling daycare of 5 and no specific age and less than 24hrs of care is classified as what Group?

Answer 20

R3

Question 21

Day Care Simplified

Group I-4 daycare is not educational, however there is ONE exeption to it be classificed as Educational if what?

Answer 21

1. Amount of children is between more than 5 but less than 100
2. The children are LESS than 2 ½ years of age
3. The rooms are all the first floor (level of discharge)
4. EACH room has a door DIRECTLY to the outside

Question 22

Day Care Simplified

If in a place of worship that offers daycare, what group would it fall under?

Answer 22

A-3
The primary group

Question 23

Day Care Simplified

If there are 5 or less persons in a daycare within a main occupancy, what group would if fall under?

Answer 23

Under the main occupancy group

Question 24

If there are 5 or less persons in a single family dwelling, it’s daycare is considered under what group?

Answer 24

R3

Question 25

The local Memory Care Center is starting a caregiver respite program offering adult day care in a satellite building, until they can build their permanent facility. The new program will offer daily activities, supervised and custodial care to adults with cognitive impairments. How many adults can the program take before they reach the limit allowed by code? * Limited by the OL of the building * No limit on the number of persons * Up to 100 adults. * 49 adults

Answer 25

No limit on the number of persons *Reference: IBC 2018 308.5 This would be classified as I-4. (Day Care) As such, there is no limit on the number of people it can provide service to*

Question 26

Two tenant spaces on the second floor of the building classified as Group B, Type II A construction are being considered for a Day care center. The new space will consist of the aggregate of suites 05-01 & 05-05. It will offer custodial care to children under 30 months old. The building is sprinklered. What would be the correct separation for this space and how would it be classified? Refer to this Floor plan * 1 HR, E * 2 HR, I-4 * 1 HR, I * 1 HR, I-4

Answer 26

1 HR, I-4 *1 HR. The new space would be classified as I-4 Reference: Table 508.4 The new space would need to be classified as I-4 as it is the only classification that allows to have children younger than 30 months AND not be located on the ground floor. IBC Section 308.5*

Question 27

The local High Schools is in the process of repurposing a small building on their campus to provide care program for children of the students and staff for the entire school district. They wish to keep the building classified as E for budgetary reasons. The age will be limited newborns through 24 months. The building is one story, sprinklered. The program calls for creating 5 rooms approx. 400 SF each, plus required ancillary and incidental use spaces. What would the occupant load of each of the rooms? And what other requirement would these rooms need to meet in order to be classified as day care in an educational setting? * 58 OL. 1 HR Separation will be required between the buildings * 58 OL. Sprinklers will need to be added * 60 OL. Sprinklers will be required. * 60 OL. Each room will require an exit on the level of discharge directly to the exterior.

Answer 27

60 OL. Each room will require an exit on the level of discharge directly to the exterior. *Reference: 308.5.1. Calculation: 400 ÷ 35 sf/net = 11.42 or 12 persons. 12 x 5 = 60 OL. Note calculation has to be done for each individual room, then added together. *For children that age, an exit is required on the level of discharge or it will need to be classified as I-4*