4.1.4 OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS.
Buildings and facilities shall comply with these standards to the extent noted in this section for various occupancy classifications, unless otherwise modified by a special application section. Occupancy classifications, and the facilities covered under each category include, but are not necessarily limited to, the listing which follows:
4.1.4(1) GENERAL EXCEPTIONS.
Accessibility is not required to elevator pits, elevator penthouses, mechanical rooms, piping or equipment catwalks, lookout galleries, electrical and telephone closets, and general utility rooms.
4.1.4(2) MILITARY EXCLUSIONS.
The following facilities need not be designed to be accessible, but accessibility is recommended since the intended use of the facility may change with time.
(a) Unaccompanied personnel housing, closed messes, vehicle and aircraft maintenance facilities, where all work is performed by able-bodied military personnel and, in general, all facilities which are intended for use or occupancy by able-bodied military personnel only.
(b) Those portions of Reserve and National Guard facilities which are designed and constructed primarily for use by able-bodied military personnel. This exclusion does not apply to those portions of a building or facility which may be open to the public or which may be used by the public during the conduct of normal business or which may be used by physically handicapped persons employed or seeking employment at such building or facility. These portions of the building or facility shall be accessible.
(c) Where the number of accessible spaces required is determined by the design capacity of a facility (such as parking or assembly areas), the number of able-bodied military persons used in determining the design capacity need not be counted when computing the number of accessible spaces required.
4.1.4(3) MILITARY HOUSING.
In the case of military housing, which is primarily available for able-bodied military personnel and their dependents, at least 5 percent of the total but at least one unit (on an installation-by-installation basis) of all housing constructed will be designed and built to be either accessible or readily and easily modifiable to be accessible, but in any event, modification of individual units (including the making of adaptations), will be accomplished on a high priority basis when a requirement is identified. Common areas such as walks, streets, parking and play areas, and common entrances to multi-unit facilities shall be designed and built to be accessible.
4.1.4(4) ASSEMBLY.
Assembly occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, for the gathering together of persons for purposes such as civic, social or religious functions, recreation, food or drink consumption, or awaiting transportation. A room or space used for assembly purposes by less than fifty (50) persons and accessory to another occupancy shall be included as a part of that major occupancy. For purposes of these standards, assembly occupancies shall include the following:
Facilities
Amusement arcades
Amusement park structures
Arenas
Armories
Art galleries
Auditoriums
Banquet halls
Bleachers
Bowling alleys
Carnivals
Churches
Clubs
Community halls
Courtrooms (public areas)
Dance halls
Drive-in theaters
Exhibition halls
Fairs
Funeral parlors
Grandstands
Gymnasiums
Motion picture theaters
Indoor & outdoor swimming pools
Indoor & outdoor tennis courts
Lecture halls
Libraries*
Museums
Night clubs
Passenger stations
Pool & billiard halls
Restaurants**
Skating rinks
Stadiums
Taverns & bars
Television studios admitting audiences
Theaters
* See Part 8 for special applications.
** See Part 5 for special applications.
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
4.1.4(5) BUSINESS.
Business occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, for office, professional or service type transactions, including storage of records and accounts.
Facilities
Animal hospitals, kennels, pounds
Automobile and other motor vehicle showrooms
Banks
Barber shops
Beauty shops
Car wash
Civic administration
Clinic, outpatient
Dry cleaning
Educational above 12th grade
Electronic data processing
Fire stations
Florists & nurseries
Laboratories: testing & research
Laundries
Motor vehicle service stations
Police stations
Post offices*
Print shops
Professional services: attorney, dentist, physician, engineer, etc.
Radio & T.V. stations
Telephone exchanges
* See Part 9 for special applications.
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
4.1.4(6) EDUCATIONAL.
Educational occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or portion thereof, by six or more persons at any time for educational purposes through the 12th grade.
Schools for business or vocational training shall conform to the requirements of the trade, vocation or business taught.
Facilities
Academies
Kindergarten
Nursery schools
Schools
Application
All areas shall comply.
Factory industrial occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or portion thereof, for assembling, disassembling, fabricating, finishing, manufacturing, packaging, processing or other operations that are not classified as a Hazardous Occupancy.
Facilities
Aircraft
Appliances
Athletic equipment
Automobile and other motor vehicle
Bakeries
Beverages
Bicycles
Boats, building
Brick and masonry
Broom or brush
Business machines
Canvas or similar
Cameras and photo equipment
Carpets & rugs, including cleaning
Ceramic products
Clothing
Construction & agricultural machinery
Disinfectants
Dry cleaning & dyeing
Electronics
Engines, including rebuilding
Film, photographic
Food processing
Foundries
Furniture
Glass products
Gypsum
Hemp products
Ice
Jute products
Laundries
Leather products
Machinery
Metal
Motion pictures & television film
Musical instruments
Optical goods
Paper products
Plastic products
Printing or publishing
Recreational vehicles
Refuse incineration
Shoes
Soaps & detergents
Steel products: fabrication, assembly
Textiles
Tobacco
Trailers
Upholstering
Wood, distribution
Millwork
Woodworking, cabinet
Postal mail: processing facilities*
* See Part 9 for special applications.
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
4.1.4(8) HAZARDOUS.
Hazardous occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or a portion thereof, that involves the manufacturing, processing, generation or storage of corrosive, highly toxic, highly combustible, flammable or explosive materials that constitute a high fire or explosive hazard, including loose combustible fibers, dust and unstable materials.
Facilities
Combustible dust
Combustible fibers
Combustible liquid
Corrosive liquids
Explosive material
Flammable gas
Flammable liquid
Liquified petroleum gas
Nitromethane
Oxidizing materials
Organic peroxide
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
4.1.4(9) INSTITUTIONAL.
Institutional occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or any portion thereof, in which people have physical or medical treatment or care, or in which the liberty of the occupants is restricted. Institutional occupancies shall include the following subgroups:
(a) Institutional occupancies for the care of children, including:
Facilities
Child care facilities
Application
All public use, common use, or areas which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
(b) Institutional occupancies used for medical or other treatment or care of persons, some of whom are suffering from physical or mental illness, disease or infirmity, including:
| Facilities | Application |
|---|---|
| Long Term Care Facilities: (including Skilled Nursing Facilities, Intermediate Care Facilities, Bed & Care, and Nursing Homes). | At least 50 percent of patient toilets and bedrooms; all public use, common use or areas which may result in employment of handicapped persons. |
| Outpatient Facilities: | All patient toilets and bedrooms, all public use, common use, or areas which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons. |
| Hospital*: General Purpose Hospital: |
At least 10 percent of toilets and bedrooms, all public use, common use, or areas which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons. |
| Special Purpose Hospital: (Hospitals that treat conditions that affect mobility). |
All patient toilets bedrooms, all public use, common use, or areas which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons. |
(c) Institutional occupancies where the occupants are under some degree of restraint or restriction for security reasons including:
Facilities
Jails
Prisons
Reformatories
Other detention or correctional facilities
Application
5 percent of residential units available, or at least one unit, whichever is greater; all common use, visitor use, or areas which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
4.1.4(10)* MERCANTILE.
Mercantile occupancy includes, among others, all buildings and structures or parts thereof, for the display and sale of merchandise, and involving stocks of goods, wares or merchandise incidental to such purposes and accessible to the public.
Facilities
Department stores
Drug stores
Markets
Retail stores
Shopping centers
Sales rooms
* See Part 7 for special applications.
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
4.1.4(11) RESIDENTIAL.
Residential occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or portion thereof, for sleeping accommodations when not classed as an institutional occupancy. Residential occupancies shall comply with the requirements of 4.1 and 4.34 except as follows:
(a) Residential occupancies where the occupants are primarily transient in nature (less than 30 days) including:
Facilities
Hotels
Motels
Boarding houses
Application
5 percent of the total units, or at least one, whichever is greater, and all public use, common use, and areas which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons.
(b) Residential occupancies in multiple dwellings where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature, including:
| Facilities | Application |
|---|---|
| Multifamily housing (Apartment houses): | |
| Federally assisted | 5 percent of the total, or at least one unit, whichever is greater, in projects of 15 or more dwelling units, or as determined by the appropriate Federal agency following a local needs assessment conducted by local government bodies or states under applicable regulations. |
| Federally owned | 5 percent of the total, or at least one unit, whichever is greater. |
| Dormitories | 5 percent of the total or at least one unit, whichever is greater. |
(c) Residential occupancies in one (1) and two (2) family dwellings where the occupancies are primarily permanent in nature and not classified as preceding residential categories or as institutional.
| Facilities | Application |
|---|---|
| One and two family dwelling: | |
| Federally assisted, rental | 5 percent of the total, or at least one unit, whichever is greater, in projects of 15 or more dwelling units, or as determined by the appropriate Federal agency following a local needs assessment conducted by local government bodies or states under applicable regulations. |
| Federally assisted, homeownership | To be determined by home buyer. |
| Federally owned | 5 percent of the total, or at least one unit, whichever is greater. |
4.1.4(12) STORAGE.
Storage occupancy includes, among others, the use of a building or structure, or portion thereof, for storage that is not classified as a Hazardous Occupancy.
Facilities
Metal desks
Electrical coils
Electrical motors
Dry cell batteries
Metal parts
Empty cans
Stoves
Washers & Dryers
Metal cabinets
Glass bottles with noncombustible liquid
Mirrors
Foods in non-combustible containers
Frozen foods
Meats
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Dairy products
Beer or wine up to 12 percent alcohol
Distribution transformers
Cement in bags
Electrical insulators
Gypsum board
Inert pigments
Dry insecticides
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons shall comply.
4.1.4(13) UTILITY AND MISCELLANEOUS.
Utility and miscellaneous occupancies include, among others, accessory buildings and structures, such as:
Facilities
Fences over 6 ft. high
Tanks
Cooling towers
Retaining walls
Buildings of less than 1,000 sq. ft. such as: Private garages, Carports, Sheds, Agricultural buildings
Application
All areas for which the intended use will require public access or which may result in employment of physically handicapped persons shall comply.
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