Section 3.3. regulates safety within floor areas including rooms and other spaces within a building. The requirements are grouped according to the occupancy of the floor area, room or space which is not necessarily the major occupancy for which the building is classified. For example, a building may be classified by major occupancy as an office building: therefore, the provisions for structural fire protection and fire protection equipment for office buildings prescribed in Section 3.2. apply.
However, within that building, a room or floor area may be used for mercantile, care, treatment, detention, business, residential, industrial or other occupancy.
Life safety for the occupants of any floor area depends in the first instance on the use or occupancy of that floor area. The risks to the occupants occur in the early stages of a fire. These special life risks differ from one occupancy to another and, consequently, must be regulated differently. Section 3.3. regulates risks within floor areas: these requirements apply regardless of the major occupancy of the building that contains the floor areas. For example, an assembly room must comply with the requirements for assembly occupancy whether it is contained in an office building, hospital, hotel, theatre, industrial building or other major occupancy.
Since this Code regulates new construction, alterations and changes of use, the construction of kiosks and similar structures in public corridors must take into consideration all the requirements that apply to the remainder of the building, including structural fire protection, construction type, finish materials, egress widths and sprinkler installations. Special activities of an occasional nature that were not contemplated in the original design of a public corridor and that represent only a temporary change in occupancy are regulated by the Fire Code. These regulations include maintaining egress paths clear of obstructions, controlling combustible contents and providing measures to ensure quick response for firefighting.