Section 407 — GROUP I-2

Occupancies in Group I-2 shall comply with the provisions of Sections 407.1 through 407.13 and other applicable provisions of this code.

407.1.1 Construction. Group I-2 occupancies wherein mental health patients are restrained shall be housed in buildings of Type IA or Type IB construction.

Exception: Occupancies in Group I-2 wherein mental health patients are restrained are permitted to be housed in one-story build- ings of Type IIA, Type IIIA or Type VA construction provided the floor area does not exceed 5,200 square feet (483 m [2] ) between fire walls of two-hour fire-resistive construction with openings protected by fire assemblies having a 1 [1] / 2 -hour fire protection rating.

Corridors in occupancies in Group I-2 shall be continuous to the exits and shall be separated from other areas in accordance with Section 407.3 except spaces conforming to Sections 407.2.1 through 407.2.6.

407.2.1 Waiting and similar areas. Waiting areas and similar public-use areas or group meeting spaces constructed as required for corridors shall be permitted to be open to a corridor, only where all of the following criteria are met:

1. The spaces are not occupied as care recipient’s sleeping rooms, treatment rooms, incidental uses listed in Table 509, in accordance with Section 509, or hazardous uses.

2. The open space is protected by an automatic fire detection system installed in accordance with Section 907.

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3. The corridors onto which the spaces open, in the same smoke compartment, are protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907, and the smoke compartment in which the spaces are located is equipped throughout with quick-response sprinklers in accordance with Section 903.3.2.
4. The space is arranged so as not to obstruct access to the required exits. 5. Each space is located to permit direct visual supervision by the facility staff.

407.2.2 Nurse stations. Spaces for care providers’, supervisory staff, doctors’ and nurses’ charting, communications and related clerical areas shall be permitted to be open to, or located within the corridor, provided the required construction along the perimeter of the corridor is maintained. Construction of nurse stations or portions of nurse stations, within the envelope of the corridor is not required to be fire-resistive rated. Nurse stations in new and existing facilities see the California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 1, Subchapter 1, Article 3, Section 3.11(d) for storage and equipment requirements.

In detention or secure mental health facilities, the provisions above applies to enclosed nurse stations within the corridor.

407.2.3 Psychiatric treatment areas. Areas wherein psychiatric care recipients who are incapable of self-preservation are housed, or group meeting or multipurpose therapeutic spaces other than incidental uses in accordance with Section 509, under continuous supervision by facility staff, shall be permitted to be open to the corridor, where the following criteria are met:

1. Each area does not exceed 1,500 square feet (140 m [2] ).
2. The area is located to permit supervision by the facility staff.
3. The area is arranged so as not to obstruct any access to the required exits.
4. The area is equipped with an automatic fire detection system installed in accordance with Section 907.2.
5. Not more than one such space is permitted in any one smoke compartment.
6. The walls and ceilings of the space are constructed as required for corridors. 407.2.4 Gift shops. Gift shops and associated storage that are less than 500 square feet (455 m [2] ) in area shall be permitted to be open to the corridor where such spaces are constructed as required for corridors.

407.2.5 Nursing home housing units. In Group I-2, Condition 1 occupancies, in areas where nursing home residents are housed, shared living spaces, group meeting or multipurpose therapeutic spaces shall be permitted to be open to the corridor, where all of the following criteria are met:

1. The walls and ceilings of the space are constructed as required for corridors.

2. The spaces are not occupied as resident sleeping rooms, treatment rooms, incidental uses in accordance with Section 509, or hazardous uses.

3. The open space is protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907.

4. The corridors onto which the spaces open, in the same smoke compartment, are protected by an automatic smoke detection system installed in accordance with Section 907, and the smoke compartment in which the spaces are located is equipped throughout with quick-response sprinklers in accordance with Section 903.3.2.

5. The space is arranged so as not to obstruct access to the required exits. 6. Each space is located to permit direct visual supervision by the facility staff.

407.2.6 Nursing home cooking facilities. In Group I-2, Condition 1 occupancies, rooms or spaces that contain a cooking facility with domestic cooking appliances shall be permitted in fully sprinklered buildings where all of the following criteria are met:

1. The number of care recipients housed in the smoke compartment shall not be greater than 30.
2. The number of care recipients served by the cooking facility shall not be greater than 30.
3. Only one cooking facility area shall be permitted in a smoke compartment.
4. The corridor shall be a clearly identified space delineated by construction or floor pattern, material or color.
5. The space containing the domestic cooking facility shall be arranged so as not to obstruct access to the required exit.
6. The cooking appliance shall comply with Section 407.2.7.

ot be greater than 30. 3. Only one cooking facility area shall be permitted in a smoke compartment. 4. The corridor shall be a clearly identified space delineated by construction or floor pattern, material or color. 5. The space containing the domestic cooking facility shall be arranged so as not to obstruct access to the required exit. 6. The cooking appliance shall comply with Section 407.2.7.

407.2.7 Domestic cooking appliances. In Group I-2 occupancies, installation of cooking appliances used in domestic cooking facilities shall comply with all of the following:

1. The types of cooking appliances permitted shall be limited to ovens, cooktops, ranges, warmers and microwaves.

2. Domestic cooking hoods installed and constructed in accordance with Section 505 of the California Mechanical Code shall be provided over cooktops and ranges.

3. Cooktops and ranges shall be protected in accordance with Section 904.15.

4. A shut-off for the fuel and electrical power supply to the cooking equipment shall be provided in a location to which only staff has access.

5. A timer shall be provided that automatically deactivates the cooking appliances within a period of not more than 120 minutes.

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6. A portable fire extinguisher shall be provided. Installation shall be in accordance with Section 906, and the extinguisher shall be located a distance of travel of 30 feet (9144 mm) or less from each domestic cooking appliance.

Exceptions:

1. Cooktops and ranges located within smoke compartments with no patient sleeping or patient care areas are not required to comply with Items 3, 4 and 5 of this section.
2. Cooktops and ranges used for care recipient training or nutritional counseling are not required to comply with Item 3 of this section.

Corridor walls shall be constructed as fire partitions in accordance with Section 708 .

407.3.1 Corridor doors. In fully sprinklered buildings, corridor doors, other than those in a wall required to be rated by Section 509.4 or for the enclosure of a vertical opening or an exit, shall not have a required fire protection rating and shall not be required to be equipped with self-closing or automatic-closing devices, but shall provide an effective barrier to limit the transfer of smoke and shall be equipped with positive latching. In Group I-2 Occupancies, self-closing or automatic-closing devices are not required on corridor doors to patient sleeping rooms, treatment rooms and offices located in areas specified in Sections 1224 and 1225, excluding offices specified in Sections 1224.21 and 1225.8. Roller latches are not permitted. Other doors shall conform to Section 716.

407.3.1.1 Door construction. Corridor doors not required to have a fire protection rating shall comply with the following:

1. Solid doors shall have close-fitting operational tolerances, head and jamb stops.
2. Dutch-style doors shall have an astragal, rabbet or bevel at the meeting edges of the upper and lower door sections. Both the upper and lower door sections shall have latching hardware. Dutch-style doors shall have hardware that connects the upper and lower sections to function as a single leaf.

407.3.1.2 Swing of corridor doors. Corridor doors, other than those equipped with self-closing or automatic-closing devices shall not swing into the required width of corridors.

Exception: In detention and/or secure mental health facilities, doors may swing into required width of corridors as long as 44 inches clear is maintained with any one door open 90 degrees and clear corridor widths required in Chapter 12 can be main- tained with doors open 180 degrees.

407.3.2 Glazing. In fully sprinklered buildings, fixed fully tempered or laminated glass in wood or metal frames may be used in corri- dor walls, provided the glazed area does not exceed 25 percent of the areas of the corridor wall of the room. The total area of glass in corridor walls is not limited when the glazing is fixed [1] / 3 -hour fire-protection-rated glazing in approved frames and the size of individ- ual glazed panel does not exceed 1,296 square inches (0.836 m [2] ).

[BE] 407.4 Means of egress. Group I-2 occupancies shall be provided with means of egress complying with Chapter 10 and Sections 407.4.1 through 407.4.4. The fire safety and evacuation plans provided in accordance with Section 1002.2 shall identify the building components necessary to support a defend-in-place emergency response in accordance with Sections 403 and 404 of the California Fire Code .

[BE] 407.4.1 Direct access to a corridor. Habitable rooms in Group I-2 occupancies shall have an exit access door leading directly to a corridor.

Exceptions:

1. Rooms with exit doors opening directly to the outside at ground level.
2. Rooms arranged as care suites complying with Section 407.4.4.

[BE] 407.4.1.1 Locking devices. Locking devices that restrict access to a care recipient’s room from the corridor and that are operable only by staff from the corridor side shall not restrict the means of egress from the care recipient’s room.

Exceptions:

1. This section shall not apply to rooms in psychiatric treatment and similar care areas.
2. Locking arrangements in accordance with Section 1010.2.13.

407.4.1.2 Basement exits. All rooms below grade shall have not less than one exit access that leads directly to an exterior exit door opening directly to an exit discharge at grade plane or the public way.

[BE] 407.4.2 Distance of travel. The distance of travel between any point in a Group I-2 occupancy sleeping room, not located in a care suite, and an exit access door in that room shall be not greater than 50 feet (15 240 mm). 407.4.2.1 Two means of egress. Any sleeping room of more than 1,000 square feet (93 m [2] ) shall have no fewer than two exit access doors from the sleeping room located in accordance with Section 1007.1. Any room, other than sleeping rooms, with an area of more than 2,500 square feet (232 m [2] ) shall have no fewer than two exit access doors from the room located in accordance with Section 1007.1.

[BE] 407.4.3 Reserved.

[BE] 407.4.4 Group I-2 care suites. Care suites in Group I-2 shall comply with Sections 407.4.4.1 through 407.4.4.5 and either Section 407.4.4.6 or 407.4.4.7.

[BE] 407.4.4.1 Exit access through care suites. Exit access from all other portions of a building not classified as a care suite shall not pass through a care suite.

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[BE] 407.4.4.2 Separation. Care suites shall be separated from other portions of the building, including other care suites, not less than a one-hour fire barrier complying with Section 707.

[BE] 407.4.4.3 Access to corridor. Every care suite shall have a door leading directly to an exit access corridor or horizontal exit. Movement from habitable rooms within a care suite shall not require more than 100 feet (30 480 mm) of travel within the care suite to a door leading to the exit access corridor or horizontal exit. Where a care suite is required to have more than one exit access door by Section 407.4.4.6.2 or 407.4.4.7.2, the additional door shall lead directly to an exit access corridor, exit or an adjacent suite.

407.4.4.3.1 Sleeping room. Sleeping rooms shall be limited to one intervening room.

407.4.4.3.2 Two intervening rooms. Movement from habitable rooms other than sleeping rooms located within a care suite, shall not require passage through more than two intervening rooms and 50 feet (15 240 mm) distance of exit access travel within the care suite.

Exception: The distance of travel shall be permitted to be increased to 100 feet (38 100 mm) where an automatic fire sprin- kler system is provided throughout the Group I-2 fire area and an automatic smoke detection system is provided throughout the care suite and installed in accordance with NFPA 72.

[BE] 407.4.4.4 Reserved.

[BE] 407.4.4.5 Doors within care suites. Doors in care suites serving habitable rooms shall be permitted to comply with one of the following:

1. Manually operated horizontal sliding doors permitted in accordance with Exception 9 to Section 1010.1.2.
2. Power-operated doors permitted in accordance with Section 1010.1.2, Exception 7.
3. Means of egress doors complying with Section 1010.

[BE] 407.4.4.6 Care suites containing sleeping room areas. Sleeping rooms shall be permitted to be grouped into care suites where one of the following criteria is met:

1. The care suite is not used as an exit access for more than eight care recipient beds.
2. The arrangement of the care suite allows for direct and constant visual supervision into the sleeping rooms by care providers.
3. In fully sprinklered buildings, an automatic smoke detection system is provided in the sleeping rooms and installed in accordance with Section 907.2.6.2.2, Item 1 and NFPA 72.

[BE] 407.4.4.6.1 Area. Care suites containing sleeping rooms shall be not greater than 5,000 square feet ( 465 m [2] ) in area.

Exception s : 1. Care suites containing sleeping rooms shall be permitted to be not greater than 7,500 square feet (696 m [2] ) in area where an automatic fire sprinkler system is provided throughout the Group I-2 fire area. 2. Care suites containing sleeping rooms shall be permitted to be not greater than 10,000 square feet (929 m [2] ) in area where an automatic fire sprinkler system is provided throughout the Group I-2 fire area and where an automatic smoke detection system is provided throughout the care suite and installed in accordance with Section 907 .

[BE] 407.4.4.6.2 Exit access. Any sleeping room, or any care suite that contains sleeping rooms, of more than 1,000 square feet (93 m [2] ) shall have not fewer than two exit access doors from the care suite located in accordance with Section 1007.

[BE] 407.4.4.7 Care suites not containing sleeping rooms. Areas not containing sleeping rooms, but only treatment areas and the associated rooms, spaces or circulation space, shall be permitted to be grouped into care suites and shall conform to the limitations in Sections 407.4.4.7.1 and 407.4.4.7.2.

[BE] 407.4.4.7.1 Area. Care suites of rooms, other than sleeping rooms, shall have an area not greater than 10,000 square feet ( 929 m [2] ).

[BE] 407.4.4.7.2 Exit access. Any room or care suites, other than sleeping rooms, with an area of more than 2,500 square feet (232 m [2] ) shall have not fewer than two exit access doors from the room or care suite located in accordance with Section 1007.

407.4.5 Group I-2 nonpatient-care suites. The means of egress provisions for nonpatient-care suites shall be in accordance with the primary use and occupancy of the suite.

407.4.5.1 Separation. Nonpatient-care suites shall be separated from other portions of the building, including other suites, by not less than a 1-hour fire barrier complying with Section 707. Each suite of rooms shall be separated from the remainder of the build- ing by not less than a 1-hour fire barrier. 407.4.5.2 Area. Nonpatient-care suites of rooms shall have an area not greater than 10,000 square feet (929 m [2] ).

407.4.5.3 Automatic sprinkler system protection. Nonpatient-care suites shall be located in fully sprinklered buildings.

[BE] 407.5 Smoke barriers. Smoke barriers shall be provided to subdivide every story used by persons receiving care, treatment or sleeping into not fewer than two smoke compartments. Smoke barriers shall be provided to subdivide other stories with an occupant load of 50 or more persons, regardless of occupancy or use, into not fewer than two smoke compartments. The smoke barrier shall be in accordance with Section 709.

Exceptions: 1. This requirement shall not apply to the following: 1.1. Any story, not containing a Group I-2 occupancy, that is located above a story containing a Group I-2 occupancy.

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1.2. Areas that do not contain a Group I-2 occupancy, where such areas are separated from the Group I-2 occupancy by a horizontal exit in accordance with Section 1026.2.

1.3. Any story, not containing a Group I-2 occupancy, that is located more than one story below a story containing a Group I-2 occupancy. 1.4. Any story housing only mechanical equipment where such story is located below a story containing a Group I-2 occupancy and is separated from the story above by a horizontal assembly having not less than a 2 hour fire resis- tance-rating.

[BE] 407.5.1 Smoke compartment size. Stories shall be divided into smoke compartments with an area of not more than 22,500 square feet (2092 m [2] ) in Group I-2 occupancies.

Exceptions:

1. A smoke compartment in Group I-2, Condition 2 is permitted to have an area of not more than 40,000 square feet (3716 m [2] ) provided that all patient sleeping rooms within that smoke compartment are configured for single patient occupancy and any suite within the smoke compartment complies with Section 407.4.4.
2. A smoke compartment in Group I-2, Condition 2 without patient sleeping rooms is permitted to have an area of not more than 40,000 square feet (3716 m [2] ).

[BE] 407.5.2 Exit access travel distance. The distance of travel from any point in a smoke compartment to a smoke barrier door shall be not greater than 200 feet (60 960 mm).

[BE] 407.5.3 Refuge area. Refuge areas shall be provided within each smoke compartment. The size of the refuge area shall accommodate the occupants and care recipients from the adjoining smoke compartment. Where a smoke compartment is adjoined by two or more smoke compartments, the minimum area of the refuge area shall accommodate the largest occupant load of the adjoining compartments. The size of the refuge area shall provide the following:

1. Not less than 30 net square feet (2.8 m [2] ) for each care recipient confined to bed or stretcher.
2. Not less than 6 square feet (0.56 m [2] ) for each ambulatory care recipient not confined to bed or stretcher and for other occupants.

Areas or spaces permitted to be included in the calculation of refuge area are corridors, sleeping areas, treatment rooms, lounge or dining areas and other low-hazard areas.

[BE] 407.5.4 Independent egress. A means of egress shall be provided from each smoke compartment created by smoke barriers without having to return through the smoke compartment from which means of egress originated. Smoke compartments that do not contain an exit shall be provided with direct access to not less than two adjacent smoke compartments.

[BE] 407.5.5 Horizontal assemblies. Horizontal assemblies supporting smoke barriers required by this section shall be designed to resist the movement of smoke. Elevator lobbies shall be in accordance with Section 3006.2.

Automatic-closing doors with hold-open devices shall comply with Sections 709.5 and 716.2.

407.6.1 Activation of automatic-closing doors. Automatic-closing doors on hold-open devices in accordance with Section 716.2.6.6 shall also close upon activation of a fire alarm system, an automatic sprinkler system, or both. The automatic release of the hold-open device on one door shall release all such doors within the same smoke compartment.

[F] 407.7 Automatic sprinkler system. Every facility as specified herein wherein more than six clients or patients are housed or cared for on the premises on a 24-hour per-day-basis shall have installed and maintained in an operable condition in every building or portion thereof where clients or patients are housed, an automatic sprinkler system of a type approved by the state fire marshal. The provisions of this subsection shall apply to every person, firm or corporation establishing, maintaining or operating a hospital, children’s home, children’s nursery or institution, or a home or institution for the care of aged or persons with dementia or other cognitive impairments, or any institution for persons with mental illness or persons with developmental disabilities and any nursing or convalescent home, and to any state-owned or state-occupied building used for any of the types of facilities specified herein.

Exceptions: 1. This section shall not apply to homes or institutions for the 24-hour-per-day care of ambulatory children if all of the follow- ing conditions are satisfied: 1.1. The buildings or portions thereof in which children are housed are not more than two stories in height and are constructed and maintained in accordance with regulations adopted by the state fire marshal. 1.2. The buildings or portions thereof housing more than six such children shall have installed and maintained in an operable condition therein, a fire alarm system of a type approved by the state fire marshal. Such system shall be activated by detectors responding to invisible particles of combustion other than heat, except that detectors used in closets, usable under-floor areas, storage rooms, bathrooms, attached garages, attics, plenums, laundry rooms and rooms of similar use, may be heat-responsive devices. 1.3. The building or portions thereof do not house persons with mental illness or children with developmental disabilities.

2. This section shall not apply to any one-story building or structure of an institution or home for the care of the aged providing 24-hour-per-day care if such building or structure is used or intended to be used for the housing of no more than six ambula- tory aged persons. Such buildings or institutions shall have installed and maintained in an operable condition herein a fire alarm system of a type approved by the state fire marshal. Such system shall be activated by detectors responding to either

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visible or invisible particles of combustion other than heat, except that detectors used in closets, usable under-floor areas, storage rooms, bathrooms, attached garages, attics, plenums, laundry rooms and rooms of similar use, may be heat- responsive devices. 3. This section shall not apply to occupancies or any alterations thereto conforming to the construction provisions of this exception which were under construction or in existence on March 4, 1972. “Under construction” as used in this exception shall mean that actual work had been performed on the construction site and shall not be construed to mean that the hospi- tal, home, nursery, institution, sanitarium or any portion thereof, was or is in the planning stage. The provisions of this exception shall apply to those buildings or structures having bearing walls and structural frames protected in accordance with the provisions of Column Type IA of Table 601.

4. In detention facilities where inmates are not restrained.

The provisions of this section shall not apply to any facility used to house six or less persons on the premises.

407.7.1 When a new addition is to be made to an unsprinklered building or structure as permitted by this subsection, such new addi- tion shall be sprinklered as required by this section and shall be separated from the existing building or structures by not less than a two-hour fire-resistive fire barrier.

When a sprinkler system is added to an existing unsprinklered building or structure, the sprinklered area(s) shall be separated from the remainder of the building by not less than a one-hour fire-resistive fire barrier. The provisions of this section do not apply to any facility used to house six or less persons on the premises.

[F] 407.8 Fire alarm system. A fire alarm system shall be provided in accordance with Section 907.2.6.

[F] 407.9 Automatic smoke detection. A utomatic smoke detection shall be provided in accordance with Section 907.2.6.2.2.

Group I-2, Condition 2 occupancies shall be equipped with smoke detection as required in Section 407.2.

Exceptions:

1. Corridor smoke detection is not required where sleeping rooms are provided with smoke detectors that comply with UL
2. Such detectors shall provide a visual display on the corridor side of each sleeping room and an audible and visual alarm at the care provider’s station attending each unit.
3. Corridor smoke detection is not required where sleeping room doors are equipped with automatic door-closing devices with integral smoke detectors on the unit sides installed in accordance with their listing, provided that the integral detectors perform the required alerting function.

r side of each sleeping room and an audible and visual alarm at the care provider’s station attending each unit. 2. Corridor smoke detection is not required where sleeping room doors are equipped with automatic door-closing devices with integral smoke detectors on the unit sides installed in accordance with their listing, provided that the integral detectors perform the required alerting function.

[BE] 407.10 Secured yards. Grounds are permitted to be fenced and gates therein are permitted to be equipped with locks, provided that safe dispersal areas having 30 net square feet (2.8 m [2] ) for bed and stretcher care recipients and 6 net square feet (0.56 m [2] ) for ambulatory care recipients and other occupants are located between the building and the fence. Such provided safe dispersal areas shall be located not less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) from the building they serve. Each safe dispersal area shall have a minimum of two exits. The aggregate clear width of exits from a safe dispersal area shall be determined on the basis of not less than one exit unit of 22 inches (559 mm) for each 500 persons to be accommodated, and no exit shall be less than 44 inches (1118 mm) in width. Gates shall not be installed across corridors or passageways leading to such dispersal areas unless they comply with egress requirements. Keys to gate locks shall be provided in accordance with the California Fire Code.

[F] 407.11 Electrical systems. In Group I-2 occupancies, electrical construction and installation shall be in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 27, Article 517 of the California Electrical Code and NFPA 99.

A technology equipment center serving a Group I-2 occupancy shall be separated from other portions of the building by not less than a 1-hour fire barrier constructed in accordance with Section 707 and a 1-hour horizontal assem- bly constructed in accordance with Section 711 or both.

407.13.1 Storage and handling of flammable, combustible liquids and hazardous materials shall be in accordance with the Califor- nia Fire Code.

407.13.2 All exterior openings in a boiler room or room containing central heating equipment, if located below openings in another story, or if less than 10 feet (3048 mm) from other doors or windows of the same building, shall be protected by a fire assembly having a three-fourths-hour fire protection rating.

407.13.3 Safety padding. See Sections 308.1 and 408.14.

407.13.4 Floor surfaces. Rooms occupied by patients whose personal liberties are restrained shall have noncombustible floor surfaces see Sections 308.1 and 804.4.3.