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Hello,
on the last 2 floors of 61-storied building there is supposed to be two-storied office with internal stairs. Should these stairs be included in major vertical penetrations area or it can be occupant area? On both floors? Or on the second it should be void?
On both floors there are also building's fire staris and lifts.
Thank you
Hi Olga,
If the internal stairs could feasibly be removed without affecting normal access and egress on the floors, I think it is reasonable to consider the stairs an Occupant Void (see page 26 of the Standard) in which case they are included in Occupant Area. If however, the stairs are providing a primary circulatory function, then it is more pruduent to assign the stairs as Major Vertical Penetrations, in which case the penetration would exist on both floors.
Adam,
Thank you very much