# Turning space in office building



## jar546 (Jan 19, 2010)

2006 IBC and ANSI 117.1 2003 apply, B, Type VB, 40 occupant load, 4 exits.

In an office building with individual offices for employees, do all offices have to have hallways wide enough for turning spce under ANSI 1171.1 in order to enter?

If the hallways are wide enough for egress requirements and for an accessible route, do they have to be wide enough to provide the required turning space to get into the office?

Would a percentage of offices have to be accessible or all?


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## Coug Dad (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

If the offices are for employees only and the public does not transact business in those offices, then full accessibility would not be required.  Infrequent visitors, such as a salesman, could be accomodated in a conference room.  Some of the offices should be adaptable so that an employee who might become disabled in the future could be reasonably accomodated.


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## Rick18071 (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

I would like to know what code section Coug Dad is using. Everything must be accessable but the exceptions in IBC 1103.2


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## jar546 (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

Forgot to give my opinion.

All employee work areas must be accessible to enter and exit.

What I have is an architect trying to say that the individual offices are less than 300sq feet therefore don't have to be accessible.  The issue is they have to widen a hallway which will take away from office space and they don't want to do it.

The 300sq feet comes from the 2009 IBC which does not apply anyway.  They have to be less than 150 AND elevated more than 7".

Just thought I would throw this out there.


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## Plans Approver (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

Your hallways need to be 42" minimum width to comply with ANSI 117.1 404.2.3.1, Table 404.2.3.1, and Figure 404.2.3.1 (e) and (g) assuming that the office doors swing into the offices.

Then look at ANSI 117.1 403.5.2:


```
403.5.2 Passing Space. An accessible route with a clear width less than 60 inches shall provide passing spaces at intervals of 200 feet maximum. Passing spaces shall be either a 60 inch minimum by 60 inch minimum space, or an intersection of two walking surfaces that provide a T-shaped turning space complying with Section 304.3.2, provided the base and arms of the T-shaped space extend 48 inches minimum beyond the intersection.
```

That passing space may be at the ends of the hallways as long as you don't exceed the 200 feet maximum.

All of the offices have to be accessible to the point that they are work spaces and individuals need to approach, enter and exit (IBC 1103.2.3).

The above is also in ADAAG.

edit: 2009 refers to courtrooms or raised *essential to function* areas. Essential to function is also in 2006 as you stated.


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## jar546 (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

Thanks.  Passing space will not be an issue.  The building is small, approximately 4,000 square feet.


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## brudgers (Jan 19, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building



			
				jar546 said:
			
		

> 2006 IBC and ANSI 117.1 2003 apply, B, Type VB, 40 occupant load, 4 exits.In an office building with individual offices for employees, do all offices have to have hallways wide enough for turning spce under ANSI 1171.1 in order to enter?
> 
> If the hallways are wide enough for egress requirements and for an accessible route, do they have to be wide enough to provide the required turning space to get into the office?
> 
> Would a percentage of offices have to be accessible or all?


All the offices need to be located on an accessible route with a possible limited exception for vertical accessibility only.

Every office door needs to be accessible.

Typically public areas such as lobbies are suitable for turnaround space in pure shotgun configurations.  If the hallways form a Tee that can also serve for turnaround.


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## Coug Dad (Jan 20, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

2006 Section 1103.2 sets the general scoping requirements.  Section 1103.2.3 specifies that employee work areas shall only be reqiured to comply with Sections 907.9.1.2, 1007 and 1104.3.1.

907.9.1.2 deals with visual alarms

1007 deals with accessible means of egress

1104.3.1 addresses common use circulation paths.

you can create cubicle farms that are not accesible if the common use circulation paths are accessible.  some of the work spaces  should be adaptable for use for persons with disabilities, when hired.  Kitchens, breakrooms, conference rooms and other common use spaces must be accessible.  Every employee work station is not required to be accessible.


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## mueller (Jan 20, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

 Section 1103.2.3 specifies that employee work areas shall only be reqiured to comply with Sections 907.9.1.2, 1007 and 1104.3.1.and shall be designed

and constructed so that individuals with disabilities can

approach, enter and exit the work area.

I take this to mean the doorway to the work area must be accessible and have the turning space.


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## TJacobs (Jan 20, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building



			
				brudgers said:
			
		

> jar546 said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


All the offices need to be located on an accessible route with a possible limited exception for vertical accessibility only.

Every office door needs to be accessible.

Typically public areas such as lobbies are suitable for turnaround space in pure shotgun configurations.  If the hallways form a Tee that can also serve for turnaround.

I agree.


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## Coug Dad (Jan 20, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

mueller, the 300 square foot rule in 1104.3.1 also applies.


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## brudgers (Jan 20, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building



			
				mueller said:
			
		

> I take this to mean the doorway to the work area must be accessible and have the turning space.


Turning space is not required accept where the code specifically mandates it.

Wheelchairs roll backwards, and the code recognizes this fact explicitly.

Once you provide the required clear floor area inside the office door, a person can _ipso facto_ leave the space.


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## Paul Sweet (Jan 20, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

I believe that 1104.3.1 exception 1 refers to passages between cubicles within a space no larger than 300 SF.

A hallway only has to provide width for the required maneuvering clearance (not turning space) at the office doors, which can be as little as 42", or for the number of occupants, whichever is greater.


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## Big Mac (Jan 21, 2010)

Re: Turning space in office building

Maybe you checkee

Section 1103.1.  Sites, buildings, structures, facilities, elements and spaces, temporary or permanent, shall be accessible to persons with physical disabilities.

Section 1103.2.3.  Sapces and elements within employee work areas shall meet 1103.4.1 and shall be constructed so that individuals with disabilities can approach, enter, and exit the work area.  Work areas having less than 150 square feet and raised 7" are exempt only if they are not essential to the function of the space.  A rare condition, I think.

Section 1104.3.  When a building or portion of a building is required to be accessible, an accessible route shall be provided to each portion, of the building.....

Exception #1 - Common use circulation paths, located *within employee work areas *(where the work areas are) less than 300 square feet in size and defined by "permanently installed" (not cubicals) casework, partions, etc. shall not be required to be accesible routes.  300 square feet is a 15' X 20' area.  These areas are still required to be accessible to enter and exit.

ICC A117.1, Section and Table 404.2.3.1 - Manuvering space at doorways.  Corridors may be as narrow as 42" and as much as 60" to satisfy the manuvering space requirements.  However it is also quite likely that the corridors cannot be less than 44" in width to satisfy other exiting requirements.


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