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(a) In institutional units all rooms shall be separated from exit corridors by noncombustible construction providing a minimum fire resistance of not less than one hour. Door openings shall be protected with 20 minute labeled doors in a minimum 18 gauge steel frame.
Corridor partition walls shall be continuous from the floor slab to the underside of the floor decking or roof decking through any concealed spaces such as those above the suspended ceilings.
If the building is sprinklered throughout, including the ceiling spaces, the exit corridor partitions above the ceilings may be eliminated.
Fixed wire glass vision panels may be placed in corridor walls, provided each light does not exceed 1,296 square inches in area having a maximum dimension of four feet, six inches and is installed in a 16 gauge steel frame.
Special occupancy areas in hospitals such as recovery rooms, intensive care rooms, newborn nurseries, and their work areas, may have separations within these areas. Separations shall be achieved by use of noncombustible materials having fire resistant properties not less than that of one-quarter-inch thick safety or tempered glass installed in metal sash and frames. Doors provided therein shall be not less fire resistant than the partitions on which they are installed, and shall close the opening completely with such clearance as is necessary only for proper operation. Doors may be swing or sliding type. Special occupancy areas shall not exceed 5,000 square feet in floor area. Corridor partitions shall be noncombustible and of not less than one-hour fire-resistive construction. Corridor doors to special occupancy areas shall be not less fire- resistive than solid wood doors one and three-quarter inches thick.
(b) In every institutional unit hereafter erected, altered or converted, over two stories in height, every floor over 12,000 square feet which contains bedrooms or wards shall be divided into two areas by a three-hour fire-resistive separation. The openings in said separation shall be protected by standard Class A single automatic fire doors and the corridor openings and the doorways of rooms used for patients shall be wide enough to permit passage of the patients' beds.
(c) In nursing homes, hospitals, and sheltered care facilities each sleeping floor shall be divided into at least two smoke sections by a one hour fire rated smokestop partition. Partitions shall be continuous from floor slab to underside of floor or roof slab or decking above. A minimum of 30 square feet per bed occupant shall be provided in the corridor on each side of the smoke partition. Door openings in smoke partitions shall be protected with Class “C” label door assemblies. Doors shall be automatic closing, held open by approved magnetic hold open devices activated by smoke detectors. The smoke detectors shall be located on both sides of the partitions within 24 inches of the door openings. These doors shall also be closed by the activation of the fire alarm system and/or the sprinkler system. The doors shall swing in a direction opposite from each other and each door shall be not less than three feet eight inches in clear width.
(Prior code § 53-3)