# Spiral stair on back yard deck - help please!



## Jlop (Apr 23, 2018)

Hi all, thanks for reading.
I'm in NYC, currently renovating my home, have a metal grate deck on a second floor on the backyard and I'm building a spiral stair to the first floor so I can get down to the garden without having to go through the bottom floor (it will be rented to a tenant). The building code says if used as a means of egress spiral stairs need to comply with the regulations stated on the code, however, I don't think this is a means of egress. The apartment has other doors for you to get out to the street, this is just to get to the garden in the back. Someone mentioned to me this is a 'convenience stair' or an 'accessory stair' and doesn't need to comply strictly with the parameters on the code. I also don't know if this exterior tiny deck (8'x8') needs two means of egress. Would it?

Does anyone have experience with a similar situation? Any help would be much appreciated!
Thanks.
Jlop


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## north star (Apr 23, 2018)

*@ * @ * @ * @*

jlop,

Welcome to The Building Codes Forum !  

What construction code & edition is applicable in your
situation ?

If someone is standing on the 2nd floor metal grate deck,
and a fire is blocking the primary exit [ i.e. - the front
doors ], now will this stair be the Means of Egress ( MOE ) ?

*@ * @ * @ * @*


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## Paul Sweet (Apr 23, 2018)

There are spiral stairs that meet the IRC & IBC, unless NYC amended them out.


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## my250r11 (Apr 24, 2018)

This was just answered in another thread:

https://www2.iccsafe.org/cs/committeeArea/pdf_file/RE_12_06_16.pdf

CHAPTER 3 BUILDING PLANNING SECTION R311.7.10.1 2012 Edition IRC Interpretation 06-16 Issued 6-21-2016 RE_12_06_16 R311.7.10.1 Spiral stairways. Spiral stairways are permitted, provided the minimum clear width at and below the handrail shall be 26 inches (660 mm) with each tread having a 71/2-inch (190 mm) minimum tread depth at 12 inches (914 mm) from the narrower edge. All treads shall be identical, and the rise shall be no more than 91/2 inches (241 mm). A minimum headroom of 6 feet 6 inches (1982 mm) shall be provided. REFERENCED SECTION: SECTION R311 MEANS OF EGRESS R311.1 Means of egress. All dwellings shall be provided with a means of egress as provided in this section. The means of egress shall provide a continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from all portions of the dwelling to the exterior of the dwelling at the required egress door without requiring travel through a garage. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● Q: Is Section R311.7.10.1 applicable to exterior spiral stairways that are not part of the required means of egress? A: Yes. Section R311.1 states the general intent of Section R311, which is that an unobstructed path of egress be provided from all portions of the dwelling to the required egress door. This ensures an acceptable level of safety for occupants. However, other means of egress elements located on the exterior of the dwelling including, but not limited to, spiral stairways, must also be constructed in such a manner that they serve their intended purpose without creating a hazard to the building occupants or general public. Therefore, exterior spiral stairways must also be constructed in compliance with Section R311.7.10.1.


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## Francis Vineyard (Apr 24, 2018)

The OP references an apartment structure in NYC; their code based on the 2009 IBC. The IRC provisions is integrated into the NYC Building Code.

https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/public/chapter/content/7636/

The 2012 IBC Section 1009.1 was rewritten "Stairways serving occupied portions of a building shall comply with the requirements of this section." 
This rewrite clarified that the code applies to any stairway serving occupied portions of a building, including "convenience" stairways that are not a portion of a required means of egress or required means of egress stairways.

Is this language of intent in the NYC 2014 Building Code?

https://codes.iccsafe.org/public/public/chapter/content/7662/

The OP also didn't "know if this exterior tiny deck (8'x8') needs two means of egress"


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