NFPA

We will be studying the NFPA codes and regulations as they relate to occupied places of assembly. We will need to learn to read the codes and how they are applied to live performance venue’s. We will examine the audience spaces, performance spaces and shop spaces. This course is not designed to make you an expert. But it will allow you to plan your events and be prepared for a life safety inspection. By being knowledgeable you can save time, money and lives.

We will start with audience spaces. Entrances, lobbies seating areas and emergency exits.

NFPA applies to

1. Permitted for an occupant load of 250 or less.
2. Permitted where an approved life safety evaluation has been performed where occupant load is over 250.
3. Permitted for an occupant load of no more than 1000 where assembly occupancy is not a dance hall discotheque or night club.

Occupancy load

1. Description- occupant load is basically the number of people intended to occupy a building or portion of a building at any one time. This load is the number for which the means of egress system is designed to. Based on occupant load tables 7.7.1.7 Also the numbers to be used are based on the maximum occupancy of the population for the event.

Movement information

Standing definitions (square feet per person)

• <7ft² per person allows movement in a crowd is a shuffle.  
• <3ft² jam per person a jam point potential. 
• =<10,000ft² audience space allows 1 person per 5 ft²
• => 10,000ft² audience space allows 1 person per 7ft² (This is because the audience in large venues crowds the stage creating a jamming scenario at the stage area.)

Definitions

fixed seat—number of fixed seats allowed and installed in the space.

Waiting areas– such as lobbies are 3 ft² per audience member. The waiting space cannot interfere with the entrance or egress routes of the rest of the facility.

Concentrated use– a location that has furniture such as tables and chairs such as a restaurant or a catering area with temporary tables.

Fire Exits

• Panic hardware is required for any door with a latch or if the area served by the door has an occupancy load of great than 100 people.
• Electrical locking systems are allowed in doors other than the main entrance or exit if all requirements of 7.2.1.6.1 are met.
• Any location greater than 100 occupants must use panic door hardware on their exits not a doorknob or lever. A panic bar is need so if a crowd pushes from behind the door opens.
• Delayed fire egress bars are allowed if the code is followed 12/13/2.2.2.5
• 12.2.3.2 and 13.2.3.3 egress are for smoke protected exiting.

Main Entrance Egress

• New construction of dance halls, night clubs and festival seating * the entrances doors must accommodate 2/3 of the total occupancy load all other exits must accommodate ½ of the occupancy load. The system must accommodate 117% of the occupant load.

• All other new builds and current venues, the front doors must accommodate ½ of the occupant load and the exits must accommodate ½ of the occupant load.

• Any assemble location where there is no well-defined main entrance or exit the exits can be distributed around the perimeter but the total ex width most be 100% of the occupancy load.  

•   Venues with Lobby’s—the facility lobby doors can be the total sum of the main exit of the occupant load when there is a lobby attached.

Indoor Festival Seating

*Festival seating: a seating arrangement (such as in an auditorium) in which unreserved seats are available to the first people to claim them.

• Indoor festival seating is prohibited unless:
  • Occupant load is 250 or less.
  • Approved life safety evaluation has been performed where occupant load is 1000 or less.
  • Not a dance hall, discotheque, or night club

Seating Terminology

Aisle–An unenclosed path of travel that forms part of the exit access and provides an open and unobstructed path of egress travel to another aisle, a corridor, a vomitory, or an exit.

Aisle Accessway– The initial portion of an exit access that leads to an aisle. Any walkway that has a seat opening.

Catchment area– designated area for assigned seats for specific emergency egress.

• Catchment areas should be based on a balance of all means of egress.
  • The egress must provide sufficient egress capacity for the capacity of please served in the designated seating area.
    • 12.2.3.2 theatre seating capacity table
    • 12.4.2

• Aisle accessway requirements NFPA 12.2.5.5.1=12.2.5.5.9 and 13.2.5.5.1-13.2.5.5.8

Clear width of aisles

Type of aisle	Seating arrangement	Minimum width
Stepped	Both sides	48 in (new) 42 in (existing)
Stepped	One side	36 in
Level or ramped	Both side One side	42 in 36 in
All	Aisle split by handrail	23(new) 20 in (Existing)

EXCEPTIONS

1. All aisle minimum 12” except aisles less than 6’-0” long with no more than four patrons using the aisle.
2. Unfixed seats: when providing nonfixed seats: If a nonfixed seat is located at table on an aisle accessway the clear width of the accessway should be 19 in or 38in if two chairs are back-to-back.

Platform and stage definitions

• Platform is defined as a raised area used for presentations,
• Regular stage a stage with a height of 50’-0” or less measured from the lowest point of the stage floor to the highest point of the roof or floor deck above.
• Legitimate stage has a height of greater that 50-’0” measured from the lowest point of the stage floor to the highest point of the roof or floor deck above.

Assignment’s part 1

1. Quiz. Return to blackboard, Assignment’s tab, Quizzes folder, NFPA quiz 1 icon. and Places of assembly Quiz icon.
2. NFPA project part 1. Group assignment,

Assignment’s part 2

1. Quiz. Return to blackboard, Assignment’s tab, Quizzes folder, Seating Terminology.
2. NFPA aisle math Group assignment,

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