In the U.S., there are two main codes for building occupancy classification. The occupancy group classification is a means of determining what the space will be used for, including the expected age, mental and physical capacity, self-preservation capacity, and alertness of the occupants. The two main codes are the NFPA Life Safety Code and the International Building Code (IBC) Occupancy Classification and Use.
This information is critical for developing evacuation plans because evacuating a medical facility with nonambulatory patients requires a much different strategy than evacuating an office full of workers.
While the codes are fairly straightforward, determining fire evacuation routes can be more complicated in mixed-use buildings, buildings that are not being used for their intended purpose, and places where the internal layout often changes, such as event centers. Understanding the occupancy classifications and applications is key to fire exit safety requirements.
Fire Code Occupancy Classifications
The NFPA and IBC occupancy classification codes designate the primary purpose of a building, structure, or area within the building. They are mainly used by architects to determine building design requirements for fire and safety features. As such, these designations are foundational building blocks for fire codes. However, they also designate the minimum requirements for evacuation routes, which makes the occupancy classification essential to egress route planning.
While there are differences between the two codes, there is also a lot of overlap between the occupancy classifications. The codes cover the following occupancy classifications:
- Assembly
- Health Care
- Business
- Day Care
- Educational
- Detention and Correctional
- Residential
- Hotel/Dormitory
- Apartment
- Mercantile
- Industrial
- Storage
- High Hazard
- Utility and Misc.
The occupancy classification informs the requirements for the number of exits, egress route width and type, maximum egress travel distance, maximum occupant load, and more. When developing emergency escape routes, one of the first steps is to determine which codes are applicable to the building or area within the building.
Many commercial buildings are used for multiple purposes, either with different sections of the building or with a common area used by different groups of people. When this happens, multiple fire code occupancy classifications can apply to one building or area.
When Multiple Occupancy Classifications Apply
There are many situations where a building may have different occupancy classifications apply to different parts of the building, or for different periods of time. Thorough fire safety planning must account for every group of people that occupies the building, considering both “when” and “where.”
Some examples of occupancy classification challenges include:
- A building may have an underground parking garage, ground-level retail shops, and residential occupancy on the higher levels.
- Hotels with sleeping rooms, restaurants, and event spaces.
- A car dealership with an attached service garage.
- A building used as a preschool during the day, but an adult training center during evening hours.
- A theater that accommodates traveling troupes, which involves ever-changing set materials and structures, and occupants who are unfamiliar with the building.
- An event center that occasionally hosts industry events involving more hazardous or flammable materials.
- A building that was initially built as an industrial building but has since been renovated into residential lofts.
Planning evacuation routes for these types of scenarios can be challenging. In cases where multiple codes apply, the stricter code is typically the enforced code. Since occupancy classifications can apply to certain areas of a building, code compliance requires knowing when to apply one classification to one part of the building and when to apply multiple classifications to the whole area.
Secure Your Fire Evacuation Routes with Code-Compliant Building Maps
Guiding employees and visitors to safety is a critical part of each organization’s Emergency Action Plan and may fall into the jurisdiction of multiple federal, state, and local codes. While developing safe egress routes and fire evacuation maps is paramount to preserving human lives in an emergency, it can also be a complicated task.
At Building Maps, our team of map illustrators are safety professionals who have in-depth knowledge of occupancy classifications and applicable fire safety codes. We can help you keep building occupants safe with clear, code-compliant, and easy-to-read evacuation maps. We are well-versed in safety codes like IBC, NFPA, OSHA, and more.
To learn more about partnering with Building Maps for your fire evacuation maps, request a quote or give us a call at 877.866.9696. We’ll help you keep your people safe.
