High rise ventilation?

[Timham]

Dr Jerry,
I ran into a new situation yesterday and have attached a photo.
Can you provided any information on this type of "cross-ventilation" (door) from a new 11th floor condo?
Seems a potential hazard.
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Tim

[Jerry Peck - Codeman]

Tim,

Rx: Take two aspirin and call back in the morning if it still bothers you.

Think of that as a "window", a side-hinged window, i.e., a "casement window".
- From the 2014 FBC-Building: (underlining is mine)
- - 1013.8 Window sills.
- - - In Occupancy Groups R-2 and R-3, one- and two-family and multiple-family dwellings, where the opening of the sill portion of an operable window is located more than 72 inches (1829 mm) above the finished grade or other surface below, the lowest part of the clear opening of the window shall be at a height not less than 36 inches (915 mm) above the finished floor surface of the room in which the window is located. Operable sections of windows shall not permit openings that allow passage of a 4-inch-diameter (102 mm) sphere where such openings are located within 36 inches (915 mm) of the finished floor.
- - - - Exceptions:
- - - - - 1. Operable windows where the sill portion of the opening is located more than 75 feet (22 860 mm) above the finished grade or other surface below and that are provided with window fall prevention devices that comply with ASTM F 2006.
- - - - - 2. Windows whose openings will not allow a 4-inch-diameter (102 mm) sphere to pass through the opening when the window is in its largest opened position.
- - - - - 3. Openings that are provided with window fall prevention devices that comply with ASTM F 2090.
- - - - - 4. Windows that are provided with window opening control devices that comply with Section 1013.8.1.
- - - 1013.8.1 Window opening control devices.
- - - - Window opening control devices shall comply with ASTM F 2090. The window opening control device, after operation to release the control device allowing the window to fully open, shall not reduce the minimum net clear opening area of the window unit to less than the area required by Section 1029.2.

Before I repeat the saying "You can't fix stupid." ... verify that, when the window is open, the opening width allows a 4 inch sphere to pass through ... in which case ... "You can't fix stupid."

But they can fix that issue and remove the hazard.

And that setup may be in each unit on each floor ... which causes me to wonder about plan review and inspections for the AHJ ... oh, wait, its in South Florida ... where they are highly concerned about hurricanes (rightfully so) to the detriment of enforcing anything else (another "stupid" thing).