Exit sign/ light for exterior dining area

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piccard1898

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Anaheim, CA
This project involves converting an existing rooftop area into a new outside dining patio (non-enclosed).
There are to be new exterior (non-enclosed) stairs from the exterior ground-level to the new 2nd level (roof) dining area.
There is new LED lighting for the patio dining area and new step lighting for the stairs.
All of the new lighting (patio and step lighting) is fed from a relay with normal and "EM" power from Emergency generator (So all the lighting will come on when the ATS kicks in during an outage). There will be adequate lighting for the egress path.

There are to 2 accesses to this patio:
1. Exterior stairs
2. New door from the existing interior 2nd level area (where there is an elevator located). The interior pathway leaving the dining area is not fire-rated, so I am not
counting this as a valid emergency egress

One plancheck correction is requiring an exit sign/fixture for this patio dining area.
I am thinking that the stairs are the "clear and obvious" path of travel for egress during an emergency (going from outside 2nd floor to outside 1st floor).
There is not a "good" location for an exit fixture (aesthetically speaking) and I am being asked if this exit fixture is required by NEC (correction did not cite a code).
Does anyone know where I can find anything specific to this case in the NEC (either in favor or not)?
Based on several other "corrections", I can tell that the planchecker did not spend much time looking at everything and included corrections for several things and his "generic corrections list" addressing things that are already on our drawings. This makes we wonder if this is another of his "I don't have any time to check this myself, so I'll let the electrical contractor do it for me" correction.
Thanks.
 
The NEC does not specify locations of exit signs. The requirement for exit signs and their placement come from the building codes.

IBC Section 1011 covers the requirements for exit signage.

Is there a door separating the patio area from the exterior stairway?

How many occupants are there for the patio area?

Chris
 
Raider1 - If the interior corridor is NOT enclosed or fire-rated, how would this be a legal egress path from the patio?


North Star- HC Accessible both ways from inside elevator during normal operation. I'm not sure what the planned egress for HC compliance would be
during a fire or other type emergency. I would assume that they would need to be assisted down the steps (since elevators are not to be used during fires
anyway??)
 
Piccard, a exit access does not need to be fire rated. A patio with an occupant load above 50 will require 2 exits.

Chris
 
I guess that answers my question then.


I still think Darwinism should be given a chance to work though. Anyone who can't find there way from the patio to the steps and away from the building (if they are able-bodied) should not last long enough to reproduce.

Thank you all for your assistance and have a great afternoon.
 
How do people get to the dining area? If not from the exterior stairs, studies have shown that people will tend to exit the same way they came in, that is why you want them to know that their are other exits and those exits need to be lit. If there is a fire on the roof and it is engulfed with smoke, even if you knew the stairs were there you might not be able to see them, so another reason for the signage.

Also remember that if two exits are required then you also need an emergency light (illumination) at the exterior landing of "all" exits.
 
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