STATE BUILDING CODE INTERPRETATION NO. 97-08
 
CODE: 1994 Uniform Building Code (UBC)
SECTION:  Sections 313.1 and 313.2.1.3
QUESTION:  1. UBC Section 313.1 states that Group LC Occupancies shall include buildings, structures, or portions thereof, used for the business of providing licensed care to clients regulated by either the Department of Health or the Department of Social and Health Services.

Does this section mean that portions of the structure which consist of storage rooms, a dining and assembly room, a kitchen and a laundry facility do not require occupancy separations?

2. UBC Section 313.2.1.3 states that Group LC Occupancies shall be separated from Group H occupancies by a four-hour fire-resistive occupancy separation and shall be separated from all other occupancies by a one-hour fire-resistive assembly. UBC Table 3-B shows that the required separation between a Group R-1 Occupancy and a Group S-3 Occupancy used exclusively for parking or storage of pleasure-type motor vehicles and provided no repair or refueling is done may be reduced from three hours to two hours.

Per Section 313.2.1.3, is a one-hour separation all that is required between Group S-3 and Group LC Occupancies?

ANSWER:
 
 
 
 

 

1. The intent of Section 313, Requirements for Group LC Occupancy, is to provide construction requirements which are equivalent to those for Group R Occupancies for the designated licensed health care facilities. Therefore, the storage rooms, dining and assembly room, kitchen and laundry facility are all part of the Group LC Occupancy and they should meet the same requirements as if they were all part of a Group R Occupancy (See UBC Section 310-Requirements for Group R Occupancies). 

2. Yes.

SUPERSEDES: None
REQUESTED BY:  City of Chelan