When trying to assure that people will work in a safe environment, it is imperative to understand how a building is intended to be used. The code classification system for buildings is therefore based upon how the building is intended to be used. The safety of building occupants cannot be assured if only the construction type and the height and area of a building are considered. How a building is used affects the ability of the building service equipment to deal with the risk of fire/explosion and the occupants’ ability to respond to an emergency.
A building’s occupancy classification also takes into consideration the various types of things moved into a building for use in that occupancy type. One can imagine a drastic change in fire risk if a building that was originally designed and used as a general storage warehouse was changed to be used as a flammable material processing area. Consideration of the building’s use is critical to properly evaluating the appropriate equipment and systems needed to assure the occupants’ safety. The model code classification system designates occupancy types as follows: