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“F” Occupancy

General Definition

  • Factory & Industrial Group “F” Occupancy includes buildings used for manufacturing, processing, fabrication, assembly, or industrial operations that involve limited or moderate fire hazards, grouped under F-1 and F-2 occupancies.
    • These facilities are regulated to ensure worker safety, fire protection, and proper ventilation.
  • Both the International Building Code (IBC) and Japan’s Building Standard Law (BSL) categorize industrial buildings based on fire risks, materials handled, and process intensity, with BSL placing a stronger emphasis on seismic stability and environmental regulations.
  • BSL does not subdivide industrial buildings (工業系 (Kōgyō-kei, Industrial Use) into low-hazard and moderate-hazard categories like the IBC but instead classifies them based on process type, fire risk, and location.

IBC Moderate-hazard factory industrial, Group F-1

  • Aircraft (manufacturing, not to include repair)
  • Appliances
  • Athletic equipment
  • Automobiles and other motor vehicles
  • Bakeries
  • Beverages: over 16-percent alcohol content
  • Bicycles
  • Boats
  • Brooms or brushes
  • Business machines
  • Cameras and photo equipment
  • Canvas or similar fabric
  • Carpets and rugs (include cleaning)
  • Clothing
  • Construction and agricultural machinery
  • Disinfectants
  • Dry cleaning and dyeing
  • Electric generation plants
  • Electronics
  • Engines (including rebuilding)
  • Food processing establishments and commercial kitchens not associated with restaurants, cafeterias and similar dining facilities more than 2,500 square feet (232 m2) in area.
  • Furniture
  • Hemp products
  • Jute products
  • Laundries
  • Leather products
  • Machinery
  • Metals
  • Millwork (sash and door)
  • Motion pictures and television filming (without spectators)
  • Musical instruments
  • Optical goods
  • Paper mills or products
  • Photographic film
  • Plastic products
  • Printing or publishing
  • Recreational vehicles
  • Refuse incineration
  • Shoes
  • Soaps and detergents
  • Textiles
  • Tobacco
  • Trailers
  • Upholstering
  • Wood; distillation
  • Woodworking (cabinet)

BSL Equivalents for IBC Group F-1

  • 製造工場 (Seizō Kōjō) – General Manufacturing Plants: Factories involved in product fabrication, processing, or assembly.
  • 自動車製造工場 (Jidōsha Seizō Kōjō) – Automotive Manufacturing: Facilities producing vehicles and major automotive components.
  • 電子機器製造工場 (Denshi Kiki Seizō Kōjō) – Electronics Assembly Plants: Factories manufacturing and assembling electrical and electronic components.
  • 機械製造工場 (Kikai Seizō Kōjō) – Machinery Manufacturing: Factories producing industrial machines and mechanical equipment.
  • 酒類製造工場 (Shurui Seizō Kōjō) – Breweries & Distilleries: Facilities producing alcoholic beverages such as beer, wine, and spirits.
  • パン工場 (Pan Kōjō) – Commercial Bakeries: Large-scale baking operations where ovens and combustible materials pose moderate hazards.
  • 製薬工場 (Iyakuhin Seizō Kōjō) – Pharmaceutical Factories (Non-Hazardous): Factories producing medicine and medical products without hazardous chemicals.
  • プラスチック製品工場 (Purasuchikku Seihin Kōjō) – Plastic Products Manufacturing: Factories producing plastic goods with moderate fire or material hazards.

Click the button below to access the applicable codes guidelines:

ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
MEANS OF EXITING
FIRE & SMOKE PROTECTION

IBC Low-hazard factory industrial, Group F-2

  • Beverages: up to and including 16-percent alcohol content
  • Brick and masonry
  • Ceramic products
  • Foundries
  • Glass products
  • Gypsum
  • Ice
  • Metal products (fabrication and assembly

BSL Equivalents for IBC Group F-2

  1. 食品加工工場 (Shokuhin Kakō Kōjō) – Food Processing Plants (Non-Hazardous): Facilities involved in non-combustible food production and packaging.
  2. 乳製品加工工場 (Nyūseihin Kakō Kōjō) – Dairy Processing Plants: Factories processing milk and dairy products.
  3. 製氷工場 (Seihyō Kōjō) – Ice Production Plants: Facilities that manufacture ice products.
  4. 精錬所 (Seirenjo) – Metal Processing & Refining Plants: Facilities for metal refining, forging, and heat treatment.
  5. セメント工場 (Semento Kōjō) – Cement Plants: Factories producing cement and concrete products.
  6. ガラス製造工場 (Garasu Seizō Kōjō) – Glass Manufacturing: Factories involved in the production of glass and glass-based products.
  7. 組立工場 (Kumitate Kōjō) – Assembly Plants: Facilities focused on assembling products rather than manufacturing raw materials.
  8. 電子機器組立工場 (Denshi Kiki Kumitate Kōjō) – Electronic Device Assembly: Factories assembling consumer electronics, computers, and related components.
  9. 自動車部品組立工場 (Jidōsha Buhin Kumitate Kōjō) – Automobile Parts Assembly: Facilities assembling car parts rather than manufacturing vehicle components.

Click the button below to access the applicable codes guidelines:

ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE
MEANS OF EXITING
FIFIRE & SMOKE PROTECTION

Key Differences

  • BSL has no direct F-1 or F-2 distinction but classifies factories by industry type and process risk.
  • BSL regulates industrial zones more strictly than IBC, with specific districts for high-risk industries.
  • Seismic design and environmental impact are more heavily emphasized in BSL industrial regulations.