Definintion of Contiguous 1

[hbendillo]

I have not been able to find a clear definition for what is considered "contiguous spaces" within a building. In a case I am looking at I have a secure corridor leading from a detention facility dorm sleeping area. All doors into the secure corridor or normally locked and closed including the one from the dorm. Is this corridor contiguous? I thought contiguous meant "without break" so the areas would have to be open to each other.

 

[Duwe6]

IMHO, if these [normally closed & locked, opened infrequently & briefly] doors are fire-rated they would constitute a break in continuity. Non-rated, I'd call the rooms behind them contiguous.

 

[cdafd]

Depends on how or why you are applying it


1018.6 Corridor continuity. Fire-resistance-rated corridors shall be continuous from the point of entry to an exit, and shall not be interrupted by intervening rooms.

What is the real question??

Fire alarm

Doors

Rating

Exiting??

 

[hbendillo]

The question is fire alarm and whether or not smoke detectors are required.

 

[cdafd]

Ok
Now what code and edition is this designed to?

And detention as in jail or Rehab or other

 

[stookeyfpe]

No one can answer this without a reference to a code. Otherwise it's a waste of our time.

 

[hbendillo]

The code the plans reviewer cited was NFPA 5000 21.3.4.4.1. This is a jail that is part of a law enforcement center.

 

[cdafd]

21.3.4.4* Detection. An approved automatic smoke detection system shall be installed in accordance with Section 55.2, as modified by 21.3.4.4.1 through 21.3.4.4.3, throughout all resident sleeping areas and adjacent day rooms, activity rooms, or contiguous common spaces.


21.3.4.4.1 Smoke detectors shall not be required in sleeping rooms with four or fewer occupants.



21.3.4.4.2 Other arrangements and positioning of smoke detectors shall be permitted to prevent damage or tampering, or for other purposes. Such arrangements shall be capable of detecting any fire, and the placement of detectors shall be such that the speed of detection is equivalent to that provided by the spacing and arrangements required by the installation standards referenced in Section 55.2. Detectors shall be permitted to be located in exhaust ducts from cells, behind grilles, or in other locations. The equivalent performance of the design, however, shall be acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction in accordance with the equivalency concepts specified in Section 1.5.



21.3.4.4.3* Smoke detectors shall not be required in Use Condition II open dormitories where staff is present within the dormitory whenever the dormitory is occupied.

 

[cdafd]

con·tig·u·ous (kən-tĭg′yo̅o̅-əs)
adj.
1. Sharing an edge or boundary; touching.

2. Neighboring; adjacent.

3.
a. Connecting without a break: the 48 contiguous states.

b. Connected in time; uninterrupted: served two contiguous terms in office.




3.3.35.4 Detention and Correctional Residential Housing Area. Sleeping areas and any contiguous day room, group activity space, or other common space for customary access of residents.





Without seeing a floor plan, I am going to say yes they are required, if you have to walk through the immediate corridor to get to the cells, even though you pass through a jail cell door to get from the corridor to the cell room.

any fire walls/ barriers to seperate?? areas?

 

[cdafd]

contiguous

Is used at least 36 times in NFPA 5000

 

[hbendillo]

Thanks cdafd. I am looking at the life safety floor plan and a lot of doors are labeled "Smoke Tight" but not the one leading from the dorm to the corridor. The corridor leads to dayroom accesses through secure vestibules. Vestibules are enclosed by same one hour fire and smoke barrier as corridor.

I think they are required based on the information you presented. The condition existed on a project we are working on and only amounted to adding three smoke detectors. When I saw the word contiguous, I wanted to get a better handle on what that means going forward. Thanks for your help.