You are viewing an archived code
Wells, chutes and similar openings through a floor shall be enclosed with construction providing fire resistance of not less than one hour, except that enclosure of wells shall not be required where open stairways are permitted.
(a) In all buildings exceeding three stories in height and in institutional buildings every laundry and rubbish chute enclosure shall be of not less than two- hour fire-resistive construction. The minimum inside dimensions of the chute shall be 18 inches. All chutes shall discharge directly into a room having walls, ceiling and floor of two-hour fire-resistive construction used solely for the reception of laundry or rubbish. The room shall be equipped with one sprinkler head for the first 130 square feet of floor area and one additional head for each additional 130 square feet or less. One sprinkler head shall be installed in the chute at the top service opening; and one additional sprinkler head at every second floor level below the top floor. A self- closing one and one-half-hour Class B labeled fire door assembly shall be installed at the service opening at each level and at the bottom of the chute and in the service door opening of the room into which the laundry or rubbish is discharged.
No laundry or rubbish chute shall be located in any stairwell nor within ten feet of any open stairway. The chute shall extend not less than four feet above the roof, and shall be covered with a metal skylight and plain glass or any approved automatic venting device.
(b) Every refuse chute enclosure located outside of a building shall be constructed of at least 16 U.S. gauge metal with a minimum dimension of at least 18 inches. A clearance of at least six inches shall be provided between the chute and any combustible material; provided, however, that this clearance may be reduced to three inches where the space between the chute and combustible material is protected by three inches of tile, cellular asbestos board or some similar fire-resistive material. The bottom of the chute shall discharge directly into a metal or other noncombustible receptacle which will be maintained closed at all times.
(c) In nursing homes, hospitals and sheltered care facilities, no chutes shall open directly on any corridor but shall be in a separate room of one-hour fire-resistive construction and the door opening shall be protected with a self-closing one-and-one-half-hour Class B labeled fire door assembly.
(Prior code § 62-3.5)