Cautions and Codes Related to Shafts (part 3)

Essential Guidelines for Understanding Shaft Enclosures and Compliance with IBC Codes. The 2015 IBC code section includes vital cautions and codes related to shafts—don’t worry, it will be painless and its SUPER useful information. Stick with me please! 

Section 713 is on shaft enclosures and there are a few things you really need to know about cautions and codes related to shafts. I’ll give you a general overview. However, I recommend that you check online for the specific details whenever you need them. Alternatively, you can hire me, and I will supply the detailed information you require.

Generally a shaft has 4 sides, a top and a bottom. Your shaft may have 3 sides or 10 sides. For simplicity, let’s assume it has 4 sides, like most shafts. It MUST have a top and a bottom because remember your floors are required to have a 2 hour rating (in most concrete buildings) and the shaft has to match the floor’s rating so that you can have an unprotected hole in the floor that could potentially run the height of the building.

It must have a bottom. This could be the ground floor or a horizontal rated assembly made of concrete, gypsum, or firestop materials.

It also has to have a top. That could either be the roof or one of the rated assemblies we covered. If you have a penetration through the top or bottom of the shaft you will have to firestop those penetrations. 

Guess what! If you use a horizontal gypsum assembly, there are no UL-listed details for penetrations through the shaft wall assembly. You automatically have to get an EJ. Is that included in your firestop submittals? It should be! 

The top or bottom of your shaft can be part of a room. For instance, if you have a trash chute or linen chute, the bottom of the shaft should, therefore, connect to the laundry or trash room. Ensure the surrounding walls are rated and that there are no prohibited penetrations.

More on prohibited penetrations in our next post! If you have shafts on your project or are concerned that your firestop submittals might be missing something, as always contact us here.