SECTION 404 ATRIUMS 

404.1 General. In other than Group H occupancies, and where permitted by Exception 5 in Section 707.2, the provisions of this section shall apply to buildings or structures containing vertical openings defined herein as "Atriums."

404.1.1 Definition. The following word and term shall, for the purposes of this chapter and as used elsewhere in this code, have the meaning shown herein.

ATRIUM. An opening connecting two or more stories other than enclosed stairways, elevators, hoistways, escalators, plumbing, electrical, air-conditioning or other equipment, which is closed at the top and not defined as a mall. Stories, as used in this definition, do not include balconies within assembly groups or mezzanines that comply with Section 505.

404.2 Use. The floor of the atrium shall not be used for other than low fire hazard uses and only approved materials and decorations in accordance with the International Fire Code shall be used in the atrium space.

Exception: The atrium floor area is permitted to be used for any approved use where the individual space is provided with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.

[F] 404.3 Automatic sprinkler protection. An approved automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout the entire building. 

Exceptions:

1.That area of a building adjacent to or above the atrium need not be sprinklered, provided that portion of the building is separated from the atrium portion by not less than a 2-hour fire-resistance-rated fire barrier or I horizontal assembly, or both.

2.Where the ceiling of the atrium is more than 55 feet (16764 mm) above the floor, sprinkler protection at the ceiling of the atrium is not required. 

404.4 Smoke control. A smoke control system shall be installed in accordance with Section 909.

 

Exception: Smoke control is not required for atriums that connect only two stories.

404.5 Enclosure of atriums. Atrium spaces shall be separated from adjacent spaces by a 1-hour fire barrier constructed in accordance with Section 706 or a horizontal assembly constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both.

Exceptions:

1.A glass wall forming a smoke partition where auto­matic sprinklers are spaced 6 feet (1829 mm) or less along both sides of the separation wall, or on the room side only if there is not a walkway on the atrium side, and between 4 inches and 12 inches (102 mm and 305 mm) away from the glass and designed so that the entire surface of the glass is wet upon activation of the sprinkler system without obstruction. The glass shall be installed in a gasketed frame so that the framing system deflects without breaking (loading) the glass before the sprinkler system operates.

2.A glass-block wall assembly in accordance with Section 2110 and having a 3/4-hour fire protection rating.

3.The adjacent spaces of any three floors of the atrium shall not be required to be separated from the atrium where such spaces are included in the design of the smoke control system.

[F] 404.6 Standby power. Equipment required to provide smoke control shall be connected to a standby power system in accordance with Section 909.11.

404.7 Interior finish. The interior finish of walls and ceilings of the atrium shall not be less than Class B with no reduction in class for sprinkler protection.

404.8 Travel distance. In other than the lowest level of the atrium, where the required means of egress is through the atrium space, the portion of exit access travel distance within the atrium space shall not exceed 200 feet (60 960 mm).

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