International Building Code Section 407

International Building Code 407.1

1 General. Occupancies in Group I-2 shall comply with
the provisions of this section and other applicable provisions of
this code.

International Building Code 407.2

Corridors. Corridors in occupancies in Group I-2 shall
be continuous to the exits and separated from other areas in
accordance with Section 407.3 except spaces conforming to
Sections 407.2.1 through 407.2.4.

Spaces of unlimited area.Waiting areas and similar
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 for patient sleeping units,
treatment rooms, hazardous or incidental use areas as
defined in Section 508.2.
2. The open space is protected by an automatic fire
detection system installed in accordance with Section
907.
3. The corridors onto which the spaces open, in the same
smoke compartment, are protected by an automatic
fire detection system installed in accordance with
Section 907, or 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.

Nurses’ stations. Spaces for doctors’ and nurses’
charting, communications and related clerical areas shall be
permitted to be open to the corridor, when such spaces are
constructed as required for corridors.

Mental health treatment areas. Areas wherein
mental health patients who are not capable of self-preservation
are housed, or group meeting or multipurpose therapeutic
spaces other than incidental use areas as defined in
Section 508.2, 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 (140m2).
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.

Gift shops. Gift shops less than 500 square feet
(46.5m2) in area shall be permitted to be open to the corridor
provided the gift shop and storage areas are fully
sprinklered and storage areas are protected in accordance
with Section 508.2.

International Building Code 407.2.2

Nurses’ stations. Spaces for doctors’ and nurses’
charting, communications and related clerical areas shall be
permitted to be open to the corridor, when such spaces are
constructed as required for corridors.

International Building Code 407.2.3

Mental health treatment areas. Areas wherein
mental health patients who are not capable of self-preservation
are housed, or group meeting or multipurpose therapeutic
spaces other than incidental use areas as defined in
Section 508.2, 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 (140m2).
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.

International Building Code 407.2.4

Gift shops. Gift shops less than 500 square feet
(46.5m2) in area shall be permitted to be open to the corridor
provided the gift shop and storage areas are fully
sprinklered and storage areas are protected in accordance
with Section 508.2.

International Building Code 407.3

Corridor walls. Corridor walls shall be constructed as
smoke partitions in accordance with Section 710.

Corridor doors. Corridor doors, other than those in
a wall required to be rated by Section 508.2 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. Roller
latches are not permitted. Other doors shall conform to Section
715.4.

Locking devices. Locking devices that restrict
access to the patient room from the corridor, and that are
operable only by staff from the corridor side, shall not
restrict the means of egress from the patient room except for
patient rooms in mental health facilities.

International Building Code 407.3.1

Corridor doors. Corridor doors, other than those in
a wall required to be rated by Section 508.2 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. Roller
latches are not permitted. Other doors shall conform to Section
715.4.

International Building Code 407.3.2

Locking devices. Locking devices that restrict
access to the patient room from the corridor, and that are
operable only by staff from the corridor side, shall not
restrict the means of egress from the patient room except for
patient rooms in mental health facilities.

International Building Code 407.4

Smoke barriers. Smoke barriers shall be provided to
subdivide every story used by patients for sleeping or treatment
and to divide other stories with an occupant load of 50 or more
persons, into at least two smoke compartments. Such stories
shall be divided into smoke compartments with an area of not
more than 22,500 square feet (2092 m2) and the travel distance
from any point in a smoke compartment to a smoke barrier door
shall not exceed 200 feet (60 960 mm). The smoke barrier shall
be in accordance with Section 709.

Refuge area. At least 30 net square feet (2.8m2) per
patient shall be provided within the aggregate area of corridors,
patient rooms, treatment rooms, lounge or dining areas
and other low-hazard areas on each side of each smoke barrier.
On floors not housing patients confined to a bed or litter,
at least 6 net square feet (0.56 m2) per occupant shall be
provided on each side of each smoke barrier for the total
number of occupants in adjoining smoke compartments.

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.

International Building Code 407.4.1

Refuge area. At least 30 net square feet (2.8m2) per
patient shall be provided within the aggregate area of corridors,
patient rooms, treatment rooms, lounge or dining areas
and other low-hazard areas on each side of each smoke barrier.
On floors not housing patients confined to a bed or litter,
at least 6 net square feet (0.56 m2) per occupant shall be
provided on each side of each smoke barrier for the total
number of occupants in adjoining smoke compartments.

International Building Code 407.4.2

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.

International Building Code 407.5

Automatic sprinkler system. Smoke compartments
containing patient sleeping units shall be equipped throughout
with an automatic fire sprinkler system in accordance with Section
903.3.1.1. The smoke compartments shall be equipped
with approved quick-response or residential sprinklers in
accordance with Section 903.3.2.

International Building Code 407.6

Automatic fire detection. Corridors in nursing
homes (both intermediate care and skilled nursing facilities),
detoxification facilities and spaces permitted to be open to the
corridors by Section 407.2 shall be equipped with an automatic
fire detection system. Hospitals shall be equipped with smoke
detection as required in Section 407.2.
Exceptions:
1. Corridor smoke detection is not required where
patient sleeping units are provided with smoke detectors
that comply with UL 268. Such detectors shall
provide a visual display on the corridor side of each
patient sleeping unit and an audible and visual alarm
at the nursing station attending each unit.
2. Corridor smoke detection is not required where
patient sleeping unit 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.

International Building Code 407.7

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 m2) for
bed and litter patients and 6 net square feet (0.56 m2) for ambulatory
patients and other occupants are located between the
building and the fence. Such provided safe dispersal areas shall
not be located less than 50 feet (15 240 mm) from the building
they serve.

International Building Code sectin 407.2.1

Spaces of unlimited area.Waiting areas and similar
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 for patient sleeping units,
treatment rooms, hazardous or incidental use areas as
defined in Section 508.2.
2. The open space is protected by an automatic fire
detection system installed in accordance with Section
907.
3. The corridors onto which the spaces open, in the same
smoke compartment, are protected by an automatic
fire detection system installed in accordance with
Section 907, or 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.