Building Codes

CODES & STANDARDS:


Spaces & Manuvering clearances:
-permanent rooms and spaces must be identified with signs having lettering from 5/8 to 2 inches high, raised 1/32 inch above the surface of the sign, all upcase lettering, San Serif or Simple Serif accompanied with a Pictograms should be atleast 6’
-needed for wheelchair: 30”x48”
-under a table clear height 37”, top of table 28”-34”
-make sure door push and pull clearance is 12” and 18” respectively


Egress:
-exit sign should be located at doors of stair enclosures, exit passageways, horizontal exits, spaces where direction of exit is unclear
-room heights at least 7’6”
-two exits if occupant load >50 and >500 or if travel distance is >75’ (100’ with sprinklers)


Electrical:
-height of a switch: from CL (center line) of switch to floor 48” max
-height


Ergonomics:
1. All work activities should permit the worker to adopt several different, but equally healthy and.safe postures
2. Where muscular force has to be exerted it should be done by the largest appropriate muscle groups available.
3. Work activities should be performed with the joints at about mid-point of their range of movement. This applies particularly to the head, trunk, and upper limbs. (Cortlett, 1983)


Ergonomics is a science concerned with the ‘fit’ between people and their work. It takes account of the worker's capabilities and limitations in seeking to ensure that tasks, equipment, information and the environment suit each worker.
To assess the fit between a person and their work, ergonomists consider:
▪ the job being done and the demands on the worker;
▪ the equipment used (its size, shape, and how appropriate it is for the task);
▪ the information used (how it is presented, accessed, and changed).
Ergonomics draws on many disciplines in its study of humans and their environments, including anthropometry, biomechanics, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, industrial design, kinesiology, physiology and psychology.
Typically, an ergonomist will have a BA or BS in Psychology, Industrial/Mechanical Engineering or Health Sciences, and usually an MA, MS or PhD in a related discipline. Many universities offer Master of Science degrees in Ergonomics, while some offer Master of Ergonomics or Master of Human Factors degrees.
More recently, occupational therapists have been moving into the field of ergonomics and the field has been heralded as one of the top ten emerging practice areas to watch for in the new millennium. [1]
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Five aspects of ergonomics
There are five aspects of ergonomics, safety, comfort, ease of use, productivity/performance, and aesthetics. Based on these aspects of ergonomics, examples are given of how products or systems could benefit from redesign based on ergonomic principles.
1 Safety - Medicine bottles: The print on them could be larger so that a sick person who may have impaired vision (due to sinuses, etc.) can more easily see the dosages and label. Ergonomics could design the print style, color and size for optimal viewing.
2 Comfort - Alarm clock display: Some displays are harshly bright, drawing one’s eye to the light when surroundings are dark. Ergonomic principles could redesign this based on contrast principles.
3 Ease of use - Street Signs: In a strange area, many times it is difficult to spot street signs. This could be addressed with the principles of visual detection in ergonomics.
4 Productivity/performance - HD TV: The sound on HD TV is much lower than regular TV. So when you switch from HD to regular, the volume increases dramatically. Ergonomics recognizes that this difference in decibel level creates a difference in loudness and hurts human ears and this could be solved by evening out the decibel levels. Voicemail instructions: It takes too long to have to listen to all of the obvious instructions. Ergonomics could address this by providing more options to the user, enabling them to easily and quickly skip the instructions.
5 Aesthetics - Signs in the workplace: Signage should be made consistent throughout the workplace to not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also so that information is easily accessible for all signs


Domains
The IEA divides ergonomics broadly into three domains:
▪ Physical ergonomics: is concerned with human anatomical, anthropometric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to physical activity. (Relevant topics include working postures, materials handling, repetitive movements, work related musculoskeletal disorders, workplace layout, safety and health.)
▪ Cognitive ergonomics: is concerned with mental processes, such as perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response, as they affect interactions among humans and other elements of a system. (Relevant topics include mental workload, decision-making, skilled performance, human-computer interaction, human reliability, work stress and training as these may relate to human-system design.)
▪ Organizational ergonomics: is concerned with the optimization of sociotechnical systems, including their organizational structures, policies, and processes.(Relevant topics include communication, crew resource management, work design, design of working times, teamwork, participatory design, community ergonomics, cooperative work, new work paradigms, virtual organizations, telework, and quality management.)


Applications
The more than twenty technical subgroups within the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society [3] (HFES) indicate the range of applications for ergonomics. Human factors engineering continues to be successfully applied in the fields of aerospace, aging, health care, IT, product design, transportation, training, nuclear and virtual environments, among others. Kim Vicente, a University of Toronto Professor of Ergonomics, argues that the nuclear disaster in Chernobyl is attributable to plant designers not paying enough attention to human factors. "The operators were trained but the complexity of the reactor and the control panels nevertheless outstripped their ability to grasp what they were seeing [during the prelude to the disaster]."
Physical ergonomics is important in the medical field, particularly to those diagnosed with physiological ailments or disorders such as arthritis (both chronic and temporary) or carpal tunnel syndrome. Pressure that is insignificant or imperceptible to those unaffected by these disorders may be very painful, or render a device unusable, for those who are. Many ergonomically designed products are also used or recommended to treat or prevent such disorders, and to treat pressure-related chronic pain.
Human factors issues arise in simple systems and consumer products as well. Some examples include cellular telephones and other handheld devices that continue to shrink yet grow more complex (a phenomenon referred to as "creeping featurism"), millions of VCRs blinking "12:00" across the world because very few people can figure out how to program them, or alarm clocks that allow sleepy users to inadvertently turn off the alarm when they mean to hit 'snooze'. A user-centered design (UCD), also known as a systems approach or the usability engineering lifecycle aims to improve the user-system.


Seating Ergonomics
The best way to reduce pressure in the back is to be in a standing position. However, there are times when you need to sit. When sitting, the main part of the body weight is transferred to the seat. Some weight is also transferred to the floor, back rest, and armrests. Where the weight is transferred is the key to a good seat design. When the proper areas are not supported, sitting in a seat all day can put unwanted pressure on the back causing pain.
The lumbar (bottom five vertebrate in the spine) needs to be supported to decrease disc pressure. Providing both a seat back that inclines backwards and has a lumbar support is critical to prevent excessive low back pressures. The combination which minimizes pressure on the lower back is having a backrest inclination of 120 degrees and a lumbar support of 5 cm. The 120 degrees inclination means the angle between the seat and the backrest should be 120 degrees. The lumbar support of 5 cm means the chair backrest supports the lumbar by sticking out 5 cm in the lower back area.
Another key to reducing lumbar disc pressure is the use of armrests. They help by putting the force of your body not entirely on the seat and back rest, but putting some of this pressure on the armrests. Armrest needs to be adjustable in height to assure shoulders are not overstressed.




Flooring:
Exception:
- Floors and floor coverings of a traditional type, such as wood, vinyl, linoleum or terrazo, and resilient floor covering materials which are not comprised of fibers.

- Interior floor finish and floor covering materials required by Section 804.5.1 to be of Class I or Class II materials shall be classified in accordance with NFPA 253. The classification referred to herein corresponds to the classifications determined by NFPA 253 as follows: Class I, 0.45 watts/cm 2 or greater; Class II, 0.22 watts/cm 2 or greater.
804.4.2 Wood finish flooring.
- Wood finish flooring is permitted to be attached directly to the embedded or fireblocked wood sleepers and shall be permitted where cemented directly to the top surface of approved fire-resistance-rated construction or directly to a wood subfloor attached to sleepers as provided for in Section 804.4.1 .
804.5.1 Minimum critical radiant flux.
Interior floor finish in vertical exits, exit passageways and exit access corridors shall not be less than Class I in Groups I-2 and I-3 and not less than Class II in Groups A, B, E, H, I- 4, M, R-1, R-2, and S. In all other areas, the interior floor finish shall comply with the DOC FF-1 “pill test” (CPSC 16 CFR 1630).
Exception:
- Where a building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 , Class II materials are permitted in any area where Class I materials are required and materials complying with DOC FF-1 “pill test” (CPSC 16 CFR 1630) are permitted in any area where Class II materials are required.


Glass:
2403.4 Interior glazed areas.
Where interior glazing is installed adjacent to a walking surface, the differential deflection of two adjacent unsupported edges shall not be greater than the thickness of the panels when a force of 50 pounds per linear foot (730 N/m) is applied horizontally to one panel at any point up to 42 inches (1067 mm) above the walking surface.


Elevators:
3005.3.1 Enclosure.
Conveyors and related equipment connecting successive floors or levels shall be enclosed with fire barrier walls and approved opening protectives complying with the requirements of Section 3002 and Chapter 7 .
3005.3.2 Conveyor safeties.
Power-operated conveyors, belts and other material-moving devices shall be equipped with automatic limit switches which will shut off the power in an emergency and automatically stop all operation of the device.


Indoor Environment:
Lighting
Natural Lighting
3005.4 Personnel and material hoists.
Personnel and material hoists shall be designed utilizing an approved method that accounts for the conditions imposed during the intended operation of the hoist device. The design shall include, but is not limited to, anticipated loads, structural stability, impact, vibration, stresses and seismic restraint. The design shall account for the construction, installation, operation and inspection of the hoist tower, car, machinery and control equipment, guide members and hoisting mechanism. Additionally, the design of personnel hoists shall include provisions for field testing and maintenance which will demonstrate that the hoist device functions in accordance with the design. Field tests shall be conducted upon the completion of an installation or following a major alteration of a personnel hoist.


Artifical Lighting
1204.3 Artificial light.
Artificial light shall be provided that is adequate to provide an average illumination of 10 foot-candles (107 lux) over the area of the room at a height of 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor level.


Stairway Illumination
1204.4.1 Controls.
The control for activation of the required stairway lighting shall be in accordance with the ICC Electrical Code .


Emergency Egress Lighting
1204.5 Emergency egress lighting.
The means of egress shall be illuminated in accordance with Section 1003.2.11 .


Efficiency dwelling units
1207.4 Efficiency dwelling units.
An efficiency living unit shall conform to the requirements of the code except as modified herein:
1. The unit shall have a living room of not less than 220 square feet (20.4 m) of floor area. An additional 100 square feet (9.3 m) of floor area shall be provided for each occupant of such unit in excess of two.
2. The unit shall be provided with a separate closet.
3. The unit shall be provided with a kitchen sink, cooking appliance and refrigeration facilities, each having a clear working space of not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in front. Light and ventilation conforming to this code shall be provided.
4. The unit shall be provided with a separate bathroom containing a water closet, lavatory and bathtub or shower.

information from 2006 North Carolina Building Codes