Space Planning Code Requirements

Compliance with Safety Codes

Nearly all work spaces need to comply with safety codes and regulations. Hey, it's the law. And while they are sometimes difficult to understand, these codes are in place to protect anyone who enters your space. If you wish, we’ll take care of it all for you. Turnstone Space Planning Consultant services meet or exceed minimum requirements established by ADA Standards for Accessible Design for space planning. If you choose to design your own space, here are a few guidelines from the 2006 International Building Code & ADA Standards for Accessible Design for you to consider. Keep in mind, these are in no way an exhaustive list of regulations. Contact your local municipality for a complete list.

Fire Code Protection

Some areas of the country, like Boston and areas in California, have very specific codes that apply to office furniture that contains foam or upholstery. Often referred to as FCS or 'CAL 133', these codes ensure that the product has undergone burn testing to see if it meets specific guidelines for off-gassing, temperature of surround area, and burn time.

Fire Protection Systems are designed to prevent the compromise of the existing building’s fire protection systems by:

• keeping furniture clear from all fire alarm detection systems.
• maintaining access to manual pull stations or fire extinguishing elements.
• coordinating exit aisles with exit signage locations.
• making sure furniture assembly may doesn't compromise the coverage of a building’s fire sprinkling system. Accessibility: providing the required access for physically disabled persons.
• Minimum 5’-0” turning radius at aisle transitions.
• All interior furniture planning needs to maintain a clear width off accessible routes at doors and doorways as shown: (Also, refer to our ADA Compliance article in Phase 1)

Means of Egress

Maintaining minimum standards for emergency situations.

• The location of interior furniture elements need to maintain a continuous, unobstructed path of exit travel from any occupied point in a building.
• You may not have projections into the required clear width lower than 34” above the floor. Projections between 34” and 80” above the floor may not exceed 4”.
• Recommended aisle widths are a minimum of 44” clear. 36” minimum is allowed when occupant capacity is less than 50 people. Required width clearances need to be calculated.
• Doors that swing into egress travel may not reduce the required width to less than one-half during the course of the swing. Doors that are in the full open position may not reduce the required width by more than 7”.
• When workstations are organized against a building wall, the exit aisle may not have a “dead-end” length that exceeds 20 feet. If the building is provided with a fire sprinkler system, the “dead-end” length may not exceed 50 feet.

Seismic Considerations

Locations that experience earthquakes have codes in place for safety. For example, some locations may require that furniture be anchored or height limited. It's a good idea to check with your local municipalities for a list of earthquake codes.