August 30, 1990
BCAB #1218
Re: Guards for Exterior Exit Passageways on a Residential Building - Articles 3.3.4.6. & 3.4.7.6.
Project Description
High-rise residential apartment building with exterior exit passageways surrounding an inner courtyard.
Reason for Appeal
Article 3.3.4.6. requires non-climbable guards "around balconies in buildings of residential occupancy."
Appellant's Position
The appellant maintains that Article 3.3.4.6. does not apply to exit passageways but only to balconies of residential occupancy such as the private balconies attached to each suite. Guards in other public areas such as shopping malls are not required to be non-climbable so neither should exit passageways on residential buildings.
Building Official's Position
The building official feels that Article 3.3.4.6. applies to all balconies in buildings of residential occupancy, including a balcony used as an exit passageway .
Appeal Board Decision #1218
The Board considers that for the purposes of Article 3.3.4.6. the exterior passageway in question is a balcony and the required guard must not facilitate climbing. In arriving at this decision the Board consulted the "Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Building and Construction Terms" which defines balcony as "any above-ground walkway or platform connected to the outside of a building."
George R. Humphrey, Chair