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=y DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING IMPACTIONS !m
INSPECTOR 212 Main.Street ' Muniaipal Building
Northampton, Maas. 01060
February 12, 1998
Dr. Falk
41 Main Street
Florence, MA 01062
RE: Chairlift
Dr. Falk,
The chair lift that you and I have had numerous conversations about would
violate 780CMR (State Building Code). I have enclosed copies of the state
code and sections that this would violate.
The issues have remained the same since our conversations began several
months ago and those issues are that the stair case you wish to install the lift
in must maintain a minimum of 36 inches clear width , from the limited and
incomplete documentation that you have supplied it seems to confirm that you
would not be able to maintain the necessary clearances.
If you have any further questions please respond in writing and I will be glad
to try to help you with this matter.
Sincerely,
Anthony Patillo
Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
CC. M Kerns
Building Department
413-587-1240 fax 413-587-1272
• 780 CMA: STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND.STANDARDS
THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE BUILDING CODE
3. Stairways serving an occupancy in Use Group sightline;reasons,• by the slope of:the!adjacent
R-3 shall not be less than 36 inches(914 mm)in seating area.
width. 6. Any stairway replacing an existing stairway'
4. Stairways serving and contained within a within a space where, because of .existing;
single residential dwelling unit shall not be less construction,the pitch or slope cannot be reduced..
than 36 inches(914 mm)in width. 7. Existing stairways.
5. Stairways serving buildings having a total 8. In occupancies in Use Group R-3 and within
occupant load of 50 or less shall not be less than dwelling units in occupancies in Use Group R-2,
36 inches(914 mm)in width. the maximum riser height shall be 8/inches(210
6. Where a stairway lift is installed on stairways mm) and the minimum tread depth shall be nine
serving occupancies in Use Group R-3 or within inches (229 mm). A one-inch (25 mm) nosing
dwelling units in occupancies in Use Group R-2, shall be provided on stairways with solid risers.
a clear passage width not less than 20 inches(508 9. Stairways in penal facilities serving guard
mm)shall be provided. towers,observation stations and control rooms not
1014.3.1 Restrictions: Means of egress stairways more than 250 square feet(23 m2)in area shall be
shall not reduce in width in the direction of egress permitted to have risers not exceeding eight
inchtravel. Projections into a required stairway width nine inches(20 mm)in height and treads not less than
are prohibited, except at and below handrail mne (229 mm) in depth
height where, at each handrail, the projections
shall not exceed 31/2 inches (89 mm) into the 1014.6.1 Profile: The radius of curvature at the
required width. leading edge of the tread shall not be greater than
/ inch (13 mm). Bevelling of nosings shall not
1014.3.2 Landing width: The least dimension of exceed '/inch(13 mm). Risers shall be solid and
landings and platforms in means of egress vertical or sloped from the underside of the
stairways shall not be less than the required width leading edge of the tread above at an angle not
of the stairway, except that the landing dimension more than 30° (0.52 rad) from the vertical. The
in the direction of egress travel is not required to leading edge of tread shall not project more than
exceed four feet(1219 mm)where the travel from 11/2 inches(38 mm)beyond the tread below.
one stair flight to the next stair flight is a straight Exception: Solid risers are not required for
run. stairways serving dwelling units which are not
required to be accessible or adaptable in
1014.4 Headroom: The minimum headroom in all accordance with 521 CMI?, the Rules and
parts of a stairway shall not be less than 80 inches Regulations of the Architectural Access
(2032 tom) measured vertically from the tread Board,referenced in 780 CMR 11,and listed.,
nosing or from the floor surface of the landing or in Appendix A, provided that the opening
platform. between treads does not permit the passage of
a sphere with a diameter of four inches (102
1014.5 Vertical rise: A means of egress stairway mm).
shall not have a height of vertical rise of more than 1014.6.2 Dimensional uniformity: There shall
12 feet (3658 mm) between landings and not be variation exceeding 3/16 inch(5 mm)in the
intermediate platforms. depth of adjacent treads or in the height of
1014.6 Treads and risers: Maximum riser height adjacent risers. The tolerance between the largest
shall be seven inches(178 mm) and minimum riser and smallest riser or between the largest and
height shall be four inches (102 mm). Minimum smallest tread shall not exceed 3/8 inch(10 mm)in
tread depth shall be 11 inches (279 mm), measured any flight of stairs.
horizontally between the vertical planes of the Exceptions:
foremost projection of adjacent treads and at a right 1. Where the bottom riser adjoins a sloping
angle to the tread's leading edge. public way, walk or driveway which has an
Exceptions: established grade and serves as a landing, a
1. Winders in accordance with 780 CMR variation in the height of the bottom riser shall
1014.6.3. not exceed three inches(76 mm)in every three
2. Spiral stairways in accordance with 780 CMR feet(914 mm)of stairway width.
1014.6.4. 2. On stairways serving as aisles in assembly
seating, where necessitated by changes in the
3. Circular stairways in accordance with
780 CMR 1014.6.5. gradient of adjoining seating areas to maintain
adequate sightlines, the maximum
4. Alternating tread stairways in accordance with nonuniformity of riser heights within a flight
780 CMR 10 . and the nonuniformity between adjacent risers
serving Stairways as aisles in assembly seating shall not apply. Where a nonunifotmity
areas where the stairway pitch or slope is set,for exceeds 3/16 inch (5 mm) between adjacent
risers, the exact location of the nonuniformity
184 780 CMR-Sixth Edition 2/7/97 (Effective 2/28/97)
780 CMR: STATE BOARD OF BUILDING REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
MEANS OF EGRESS
width. Handrail projections are permitted in
accordance with 780 CMR 1022.2.1. 1011.3.1 Capacity: The required capacity of a
corridor shall be determined by dividing the
1011.2 Dead ends: exit access passageways and occupant load that utilizes the corridor for exit
access by the number of exits to which the
corridors in all stories which serve more than one
exit shall provide direct connection to such exits in corridor connects, but not less than the capacity
opposite directions from any point in the of the exit element to which the corridor leads.
passageway or corridor insofar as practicable. The1011.4 Enclosure: All corridors shall be
length of a dead-end passageway or corridor shall fireresistance rated in accordance with Table 1011.4
not be more than 20 feet(6096 mm). based on the use group of the space and the total
Exceptions: required capacity of all of the exits from', the
1. In occupancies in Use Group I-3 of Occupancy corridor. The corridor walls shall comply with
Conditions II,III or IV(see 780 CMR 308.4), the 780 CMR 711.0.
dead end in a corridor, hallway or aisle shall not
exceed 50 feet(15240 mm). Exceptions:
2. In occupancies in Use Group B where 1. A fireresistance rating is not required for
passageways are bounded by furniture, counters, corridors in an occupancy in Use Group E where
partitions or similar dividers not more than six each room that is occupied for instruction or
feet(1829 mm)in height,the length of a dead-end assembly purposes has at least one-half of the
passageway shall not be more than 50 feet(15240 required means of egress doors opening directly
to the exterior of the building at ground level.
3. Passageways or corridors within spaces with
2. A fireresistance rating is not required for
• corridors contained within a dwelling unit or a
one means of egress.
4. A dead-end passageway or corridor shall not guestroom in an occupancy in Use Group R.
be limited in length where the length of the dead-
end passageway or corridor is less than 2.5 times Table 1011.4
the least width of the dead-end passageway or CORRIDOR FIRERESISTANCE RATING
corridor. Required fireresistance rating
Total required (hours)
1011.2.1 Common path of travel: In Use Group capacity of all
exits from Without
occupancies in Use Group B, the length of a corridor spr�1d� With sp er
co.nmon path of travel shall not exceed 75 feet system system
(22860 mm). H-1,H-2,H-3 All 1 I
Exceptions: H-4 >30 1 1
1. The length of a common path of travel in an A B,E,F,Zvi, >30 I 0-
occupancy in Use Group B shall not be more s
than 100 feet (30480 mm), provided that the I 1 Rn >°10 1 'h
building is equipped throughout with an 1-2 All 1 0
automatic sprinkler system installed in 1-3 All Not permitted 0`
accordance with 780 CMR 906.2.1. Note a. For a reduction in the fireresistance rating for
2. Where a tenant space in an occupancy in occupancies in Use Group R, see 780 CMR 1011.4,
Use Group B has an occupant load of not more Exception 2.
than 30,the length of a common path of travel Note b. For requirements for occupancies in Use
shall not be more than 100 feet(30480 mm). Group I-2,see 780 CMR 409.3.
Note c. For a reduction in the fireresistance rating for
occupancies in Use Group I-3,see 780 CMR 410.7.
1011.3 Width: The minimum required width of Note d. buildings equipped throughout with an
passageways,aisle access-ways,aisles and corridors automatic sprinkler system in accordance with 780 CMR
shall be determined by the most restrictive of the 906.2.1 or 906.2.2.
following criteria:
1. 44 inches (1118 mm) where serving an 1011.4.1 Corridor walls as separation walls:
occupant load of greater than 50. Tenant and dwelling unit separation walls which
2. 36 inches(914 mm)where serving an occupant are also corridor walls shall comply with
load of 50 or less. 780 CMR 1101.0 and the requirements of Table
3. 96 inches(2438 mm)in an occupancy in Use 602.
Group I-2 used for the movement of beds. Exception: Tenant separation and dwelling
4. 72 inches(1829 mm)in an occupancy in Use unit separation walls which are also corridor
Group E with more than 100 occupants. walls shall not be required to have a
5. The width required for capacity as determined fireresistance rating greater than that required
by 780 CMR 1009.0. by Table 1011.4 where the building is
Aisles and aisle access-ways shall conform to the equipped throughout with an automatic
requirements of 780 CMR 1011.0 or 780 CMR sprinkler system in accordance with 780 CMR
1012.0. 906 2 1 or 906.2.2.
2/7/97 (Effective 2/28/97) 780 CMR- Sixth Edition 179