Use + Occupancy
15%of exam
Means of Egress
20%of exam
Fire-Rated Construction
15%of exam
Fire Protection Systems
15%of exam
SprinklersAlarmsStandpipesSmoke Control
Accessibility + Structural
20%of exam
Accessible RoutesParking + RestroomsLoadsSeismic
Heights + Administration
15%of exam
Height Area TablesSprinkler IncreasesPermitsCO
Quick Facts
- Exam
- B2
- Credential
- Commercial Inspector
- Items
- 80 (60 scored)
- Time
- 2.5 hours
- Pass
- 75% correct
- Format
- Open book IBC
- Fee
- $196-$292
- Provider
- Pearson VUE
Major Occupancies
A assembly B business E education
A: assemblyB: business officeE: educationalM: mercantile retail
Group B vs M
Group B
- Office service
- Professional work
- Low hazard
Group M
- Merchandise display
- Retail sales
- Public shopping
Office vs retail
Occupancy Picker
- Office work→Group B(Business)
- Retail sales→Group M(Mercantile)
- Restaurant dining→Group A-2(Assembly)
- School K-12→Group E(Educational)
- Hospital care→Group I-2(Institutional)
- Warehouse storage→Group S(Storage)
- Factory process→Group F(Industrial)
- Hazardous materials→Group H(High hazard)
Occupancy Groups
- Group A
- Assembly gathering
- Group B
- Business offices
- Group E
- Educational K-12
- Group F
- Factory industrial
- Group H
- High-hazard materials
- Group I
- Institutional care
- Group M
- Mercantile retail
- Group R
- Residential dwelling
Mixed Use
- Accessory
- 10% main occupancy
- Incidental
- Table 509 allowance
- Separated
- Fire-rated division
- Non-separated
- Most restrictive applies
- Occupant load
- Table 1004 factor
- Mezzanine
- 1/3 floor area max
- Special use
- Chapter 4 provisions
- Change of use
- Trigger compliance review
Egress Components
Access Exit Discharge public way
Access: room to doorExit: protected enclosureDischarge: to public way
Exit Access vs Exit
Exit access
- Room to exit door
- Not yet protected
- Travel distance
Exit
- Enclosed stairway
- Fire-rated path
- Exit discharge
Open path vs protected
Egress Picker
- OL over 49→Two exits(Table 1006)
- OL over 500→Three exits(Remoteness)
- OL over 1000→Four exits(Capacity)
- A or E assembly→Panic hardware(Over 50 OL)
- Corridor OL 50+→44 in width(Min width)
- Stair design→7/11 rule(Riser tread)
- Dead-end corridor→50 ft max(Limit)
- Exit remoteness→1/3 diagonal(Separation)
Egress Core
- Exit access
- Path to exit door
- Exit
- Enclosed protected path
- Exit discharge
- Public way outside
- Two exits
- OL over 49
- Common path
- Dead-end limit
- Travel distance
- Table 1017.2 limit
- Remoteness
- 1/3 diagonal min
- Dead end
- 50 ft max corridor
Stairs + Doors
- 7/11 rule
- Max 7 riser 11 tread
- 44 in corridor
- OL 50 or more
- 32 in door
- Min clear width
- Handrail height
- 34-38 inches
- Guard height
- 42 inches min
- Panic hardware
- A/E over 50 OL
- Door swing
- Direction of egress
- Landings
- Width of stair served
Construction Types
I II III IV V most to least
I: noncomb highestII: noncombIII: ext combustIV: heavy timberV: wood
Fire Wall vs Barrier
Fire wall
- Collapse independent
- 2hr+ rating
- Unlimited area
Fire barrier
- Occupancy separation
- 1-2hr rating
- Opening limits
Collapse vs separation
Construction Types
- Type I-A
- 3hr frame highest
- Type I-B
- 2hr frame high-rise
- Type II-A
- 1hr protected noncomb
- Type II-B
- Unprotected noncombustible
- Type III-A
- 1hr exterior combust
- Type IV
- Heavy timber HT
- Type V-A
- 1hr wood protected
- Type V-B
- Unprotected wood
Rated Hierarchy
Wall Barrier Partition lowest
Wall: collapse ratedBarrier: occupancy sepPartition: corridor tenant
Type I vs Type V
Type I
- Noncombustible
- Highest ratings
- High-rise use
Type V
- Wood frame
- Lowest ratings
- Small buildings
Steel vs wood
Fire-Rated Assemblies
- Fire wall
- 2hr+ collapse barrier
- Fire barrier
- 1-2hr occupancy sep
- Fire partition
- 1hr corridor tenant
- Shaft enclosure
- 2hr stair elevator
- Opening protect
- Rated door frame
- Penetration
- Firestop required
- Table 601
- Type ratings source
- Table 508.4
- Occupancy separation
Partition vs Barrier
Fire partition
- 1hr rating
- Corridor tenant wall
- Less restrictive
Fire barrier
- 1-2hr rating
- Occupancy separation
- More restrictive
Tenant vs occupancy
Height vs Area Increase
Height increase
- Table 504.3
- Stories feet added
- Sprinklered building
Area increase
- Table 506.3
- Floor area added
- Sprinklered building
Vertical vs horizontal
Fire Systems
- NFPA 13
- Sprinkler standard
- NFPA 72
- Fire alarm standard
- NFPA 14
- Standpipe standard
- Area increase
- Sprinkler Table 506.3
- Height increase
- Sprinkler Table 504.3
- Smoke control
- Pressurize exhaust
- Fire pump
- Adequate water pressure
- Emergency lighting
- 90 min backup
Accessibility
- A117.1
- ICC accessibility standard
- Accessible route
- 36 in min width
- Ramp slope
- 1:12 max rise
- Clear floor
- Wheelchair turning space
- Grab bars
- Side rear toilet
- Van parking
- 96 in aisle
- Signage
- Tactile braille required
- Door pressure
- 5 lbf max open
Structural Loads
- Live load
- Occupancy Table 1607
- Dead load
- Permanent structure weight
- Snow load
- Ground pg by map
- Wind load
- Speed exposure height
- Seismic
- SDC risk category
- Risk Category
- Table 1604.5 importance
- ASCE 7
- Referenced load standard
- Special inspection
- Chapter 17 triggers
Height Area + Admin
- Table 504.3
- Allowable height
- Table 506.2
- Allowable area
- Unlimited area
- Section 507 conditions
- Permit
- Work authorization
- Inspection
- Required hold points
- CO
- Occupancy approval
- Stop work
- Unsafe violation order
- Existing building
- Chapter 34 provisions
Common Traps
B vs M occupancy
B = office work ≠ M = retail sales
Wall vs barrier
Wall = collapse rated ≠ Barrier = occupancy sep
Exit access vs exit
Access = open path ≠ Exit = protected enclosure
Height vs area
504.3 height table ≠ 506.3 area table
Type I vs V
Type I noncombustible ≠ Type V wood frame
Scored vs pretest
60 scored items ≠ 20 pretest unscored
Last Minute
- 1.Weights: 20% egress largest
- 2.Open book = tab IBC tables
- 3.Pass = 75% (~45 scored)
- 4.Two exits OL over 49
- 5.Corridor 44 in OL 50+
- 6.Stairs 7/11 riser tread
- 7.Table 601 construction types
- 8.Sprinkler = height area boost
- 9.A117.1 = accessibility standard
- 10.Fire wall > barrier > partition
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