Occupancy Consulting

Sometimes Your Occupancy Has to Come First.

The high-piled storage project can take some time to complete.  If you were not able to determine this prior to signing a leas, that is OK.  We can obtain your occupancy first so you can do business, and then we can pursue compliance for your other uses.

There are a few paths to obtain your occupancy.  Normally, it is obtained by submitting a tenant improvement project with an architect or general contractor.  However, sometimes, when there the warehouse is taken as-is, a name-change certificate of occupancy may be obtained.  This entails submitting a building permit application and deed affidavit to the building department, paying the permit fee, and then filing for inspections.  The City sends inspectors from the building department, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC to inspect the space.  Once inspections are passed, the certificate of occupancy is issued.  An important note - this can only be done IF there is no change of use.  Therefore, it is essential to know the permit history prior to submitting.

Occupancy Classification

Occupancies are classified into the following categories:

• Assembly - A - These are areas where large number of occupants congregate such as Churches, theaters, restaurants, gyms, etc...
• Business - B - These are office type occupancies and low occupant educational occupancies
• Education - E - These are schools, universities, day cares, etc...
• Factory - F - These are manufacturing, product assembly, and factory uses
  • F-1 for moderate hazard uses with significant combustible fuel load and sources of ignition
  • F-2 for low hazard uses with non-combustible products
• Institutional - I - These are hospitals, jails, etc...
• Hazardous - H - These are hazardous materials occupancies where materials are stored or used in quantities greater than the maximum allowed for a standard occupancy
  • H-1 for buildings and uses posing a detonation hazard
  • H-2 for storage or use of hazardous materials in normally open containers where fumes and vapors can accumulate
  • H-3 for storage or use of hazardous materials in normally closed containers where fumes and vapors have little chance of accumulating
  • H-4 for storage or use of health hazards
  • H-5 for semiconductor manufacturing
• Mercantile - M - These are showrooms, retail shops, and other areas where goods are sold and purchased open to the public
• Residential - R - These are residential homes - single and multi-family
• Storage - S - These are storage and warehouse occupancies
  • S-1 for moderate hazard storage - a significant amount of combustible fuel load
  • S-2 for low hazard - storage of non-combustible items on wooden pallets with limited combustible packaging

While Active Industrial Fire Protection can assist you with any of the above occupancies, we specialize in B, F, H, M, and S occupancies, especially when high-piled combustible storage is added to any of these occupancies.  So if you have any need for an occupancy permit, call us today.