N.Y.C. Admin. Code § BC 509: Section BC 509: Incidental Uses

509.1 General.

Incidental uses listed in Table 509 and located within single occupancy or mixed occupancy buildings shall comply with the provisions of this section. Incidental uses are ancillary functions associated with a given occupancy that generally pose a greater level of risk to that occupancy and are limited to those uses listed in Table 509.

Exception: Incidental uses within and serving a dwelling unit are not required to comply with this section.

Table 509

c

Incidental Uses

Room or Area

Separation and/or Protection 

Furnace room where any piece of equipment is over 350,000 Btu per hour input

2 hour; or 1 hour and provide automatic sprinkler system

a

Furnace room where any piece of equipment is 350,000 Btu per hour input or less, except in R-3 occupancy

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

a

Rooms with a high pressure steam or water boiler that exceeds 350,000 Btu per hour input

2 hour; or 1 hour and provide automatic fire-extinguishing system

a

Rooms with a high pressure steam or water boiler that is 350,000 Btu per hour input or less

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

a

Rooms that contain a low pressure steam or water boiler regardless of Btu per hour input

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

a, b

Refrigerant machinery room

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

Hydrogen fuel gas rooms, not classified as Group H

2 hours in all occupancies

Incinerator rooms

2 hours and automatic sprinkler system

Paint shops, not classified as Group H, located in occupancies other than Group F

2 hours; or 1 hour and provide automatic sprinkler system

In Group E occupancies, laboratories and vocational shops not classified as Group H

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

In Group I-2 occupancies, laboratories not classified as Group H

1 hour and provide automatic sprinkler system

In ambulatory care facilities, laboratories not classified as Group H

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

Laundry rooms over 100 square feet

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

In Group I-2, laundry rooms over 100 square feet

1 hour

Group I-3 cells and Group I-2 patient rooms equipped with padded surfaces

1 hour

In Group I-2, physical plant maintenance shops

1 hour

In ambulatory care facilities or Group I-2 occupancies, waste and linen collection rooms with containers that have an aggregate volume of 10 cubic feet or greater

1 hour

In other than ambulatory care facilities and Group I-2 occupancies, waste and linen collection rooms over 100 square feet

1 hour or provide automatic sprinkler system

In ambulatory care facilities or Group I-2 occupancies, storage rooms greater than 100 square feet

1 hour

Stationary storage battery systems having an energy capacity greater than the threshold quantity specified in Table 608.9.1.1 of the New York City Fire Code

1 hour in group B, F, M, S and U occupancies; 2 hours in Group A, E, I and R occupancies

Rooms containing fire pumps in non-high-rise buildings

2 hours; or 1 hour and provide automatic sprinkler system throughout the building

Rooms containing fire pumps in high-rise buildings

2 hours

For SI: 1 square foot = 0.0929 m

2

, 1 pound per square inch (psi) = 6.9 kPa, 1 British thermal unit (Btu) per hour = 0.293 watts, 1 horsepower = 746 watts, 1 gallon = 3.785 L, 1 cubic foot = 0.0283 m

3

.

a. Boilers servicing more than one dwelling unit in Multiple dwellings shall also comply with Section 65 of the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law.

b. Sealed combustion direct vent boilers shall comply with Section 303 of the New York City Mechanical Code and Section 303 of the New York City Fuel Gas Code, as applicable.

c. For mechanical and/or electrical equipment rooms not identified in this table, see Section 508.1.

509.2 Occupancy classification.

Incidental uses shall not be individually classified in accordance with Section 302.1. Incidental uses shall be included in the building occupancies within which they are located.

509.3 Area limitations.

Incidental uses shall not occupy more than 10 percent of the building in which they are located.

509.4 Separation and protection.

The incidental uses listed in Table 509 shall be separated from the remainder of the building or equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, or both, in accordance with the provisions of that table.

509.4.1 Separation.

Where Table 509 specifies a fire-resistance-rated separation, the incidental uses shall be separated from the remainder of the building by a fire barrier constructed in accordance with Section 707 or a horizontal assembly constructed in accordance with Section 711, or both. Construction supporting 1-hour fire barriers or horizontal assemblies used for incidental use separations in buildings of Type IIB, IIIB and VB construction is not required to be fire-resistance rated unless required by other sections of this code.

509.4.2 Protection.

Where Table 509 permits an automatic sprinkler system without a fire barrier, the incidental uses shall be separated from the remainder of the building by construction capable of resisting the passage of smoke. The walls shall extend from the top of the foundation or floor assembly below to the underside of the ceiling that is a component of a fire-resistance-rated floor assembly or roof assembly above or to the underside of the floor or roof sheathing, deck or slab above. Doors shall be self- or automatic-closing upon detection of smoke in accordance with Section 716.5.9.3. Doors shall not have air transfer openings and shall not be undercut in excess of the clearance permitted in accordance with NFPA 80. Walls surrounding the incidental use shall not have air transfer openings unless provided with smoke dampers in accordance with Section 710.8.

509.4.2.1 Protection limitation.

Except as specified in Table 509 for certain incidental uses, where an automatic sprinkler system is provided in accordance with Table 509, only the space occupied by the incidental use need be equipped with such a system.