NFPA 101: Life Safety Code Module 5: Assemby

Assembly occupancy defined as an occupancy used for a gathering of >=50 persons for
deliberation/worship/entertainment/eating/drinking/amusement/waiting for transportation, OR an
occupancy used a special amusement building regardless of occupant load

Examples include assembly halls, auditoriums, bowling lanes, club rooms, college classrooms of over 50
persons, conference rooms, courtrooms, dance halls, drinking establishments, exhibition halls, library,
chapels/churches, theaters, skating rinks, restaurants

Assembly occupancies are generally/occasionally open to the public. Occupants not ordinarily subject to
discipline or control, meaning crowd control might be needed.

Occupant loads are listed in Table 7.3.1.2

Occupant load in assembly occupancies is

limited to avoid overcrowding, which slows
movements. For <7 sqft/person, movement
approaches a ”shuffle.” For <3 sqft/person,
movement approaches a “jam point” and all
movement by occupants virtually stops.

Areas <=10000 sqft: occupant load cannot

exceed one person per 5 sqft

Areas >10000 sqft: occupant load cannot

exceed one person per 7 sqft

In large venues, patrons crowd space near

the attraction, such that occupant load may
be <7 sqft/person near attraction and >7
sqft/person away from the attraction.

Occupant density may be reduced to one

person per 3 sqft in specially designated
waiting spaces, such as waiting for seats to
clear at a theater from previous show.
Waiting spaces cannot be located in or
interfere with egress routes.

Concentrated use and less concentrated use refer to the possible number of occupants in a given area.
Less Concentrated use applies to places where large furniture is present, such as restaurants where
tables and chairs take up space and reduce occupant load compared to otherwise. Concentrated use
could include a stand up reception with small high top cocktail tables in a hotel meeting room.
 Less concentrated Concentrated

Panic or fire exit hardware is required on any door with a latch or lock if the space served by door has an
occupant load >100 persons.

Delayed egress electrical locking systems are permitted on doors other than main entrance or exit
doors, assuming all requirements of 7.2.1.6.1 are met, including protection by either supervised
automatic sprinklers or fire detection system.

12/13.2.3 apply to egress for theater type seating, arranged in rows in assembly occupants that are not
smoke protected. Smoke protected seating is seating served by means of egress that is not subject to
smoke accumulation within or under the structure.

Minimum clear widths of aisles or other

means of egress for theater type seating
arranged in rows is described in Table
12.2.3.2

If stair risers >= 7 inches, multiply stair

width capacity factor of 0.3
in/seat/person is multiplied by Factor A

Stairs without a handrail within a 30 inch

horizontal distance must be 25% wider.

Ramps steeper than 1 in 10 slope used in

ascent during egress must be 10% wider.
New dance halls, discos, nightclubs, and assembly occupancies with festival seating, the main entrance
or exit must accommodate 2/3 of the total occupant load, while the remaining exits must accommodate
1/2 of the total occupant load.

For all other new assembly occupancies and for existing occupancies, the main entrance or exit must
accommodate 1/2 of the total occupant load, while the remaining exits must accommodate the
remaining 1/2 of the occupant load.

In assembly occupancies lacking a single well define main entrance or exit, such as sports stadiums, the
exits are permitted to be distributed around the perimeter of the building providing that the total exit
width provides >=100% of the width needed to accommodate the permitted occupant load.

Where the main entrance or exit is through a lobby or foyer, the aggregate capacity of all exits from the
lobby or foyer is permitted to provide the required capacity of the main entrance or exit, regardless of
whether all the exits from the foyer serve as entrances to the building.

In door festival seating is prohibited unless any of three criteria apply:

1. Occupant load is <=250

2. Approved life safety evaluation has been performed where occupant load exceeds 250
3. Where occupant load is <=1000, and the occupancy is not a dance hall, disco, or nightclub

The catchment area served by an aisle accessway or aisle is the portion of the total space that is
naturally served by the aisle accessway or aisle.

Catchment areas should be based on a balanced use of all means of egress.

Width of aisle accessways and aisles must provide sufficient egress capacity for the number of persons
accommodated by the
catchment area serve by the
aisle acccesway or aisle per
12.2.3.2 or for smoke protected
assembly seating per 12.4.2.

Aisle accessways serving seating

other than at tables are covered
in 12/13.2.5.5
The aisle accessway is the initial portion of an exit access that leads to an aisle. The space formed
between the rows of chairs is an aisle accessway, as shown below. Tablet arm chair seating is not
considered seating at tables.

The seats in the top row are not self-rising. Horizontal measurements for these seats are made from the
back of one seat to the front of the most forward projection of the seat immediately behind it.

The seats on the bottom row are self-rising. Measurements may be made with seats in the up position

Requirements for row spacing and path of travel are detailed in 12/13.2.5.5
Example: Calculating minimum aisle accessway for fixed seating

12 inches plus 0.3 inches per seat for each seat in each row exceeding 14 seats and having an aisle with
two directions to exit.

There are 50 seats in each row, so 50-14=36 seats in excess of 14 in each row.

12+36*0.3 = 10.8+12 = 22.8 inches

The maximum required aisle accessways is 22 inches wide, per 12.2.5.5.5.1

Thus, the minimum aisle accessway in this case is 22 inches.

Example: Calculate the minimum aisle accessway for fixed seating where the aisle accessway dead-ends
or abuts the walls so as to provide one way and one way out seating.

12 inches plus 0.6 inches per seat for each seat exceeding 7 seats in a dead end row

There are 12 seats in each row, so 12-7 = 5 seats in excess of 7 in each row

12+0.6*5=12+3=15 inches

Thus, the minimum aisle accessway in this case is 15 inches.

The minimum clear width of aisles must comply with minimum egress capacity width calculated per
12/13.2.3.1 and the minimum width specified by 12/13.2.5.6.3. Where the minimum width specified by
12/13.2.5.6.3 is wider than calculated for a require egress capacity, the minimum width specified in
12/13.2.5.6.3 is used.

For seating arrangements with tables, the required clear width of an aisle accessway must be 12 inches
or more. If an aisle accessway is used by <=4 persons, no minimum clear width is required for the
portion of aisle accessway <=6 ft.
Where nonfixed seating is located between a table and an aisle accessway or aisle, the measurement of
the require clear width of the aisle accessway or aisle must include a 19 inch allow for a single chair or
38 inch allowance for two chairs back to back within aisle or aisle accessway.

Where X is the measurement of the required clear width of the aisle accessway

The minimum require clear width of an aisle accessway, must be increased beyond the 12 inch
requirement by 1/2 inches for each additional foot or fraction of a foot beyond 12 ft of aisle accessway
length measured from the center of the seat farthest from the aisle

In this example, the length of the aisle accessway from the center of the farthest chair from aisle is 36 ft
36-12 = 24 feet in excess of 12 feet to nearest aisle for the minimum 12 inch aisle accessway width

12 + 0.5*24 = 12+12 = 24 inches of aisle accessway after adding half inch for every foot in excess of 12 ft

X = 24 + 19 = 43 inches when accounting for 19 inch chair width

Y = 43 + 19 = 62 inches when accounting for addition line of chairs in one aisle accesway

The width of aisles serving seating at tables must be at a least 44 inches where the aisle serves an
occupant load >50, and 36 inches where the aisle serves occupant load <=50. Additional 19 inches must
be added where one chair backs into the aisle or 38 inches where two chairs back into the aisle.

To ensure accessibility for wheelchairs, refer to ICC/ANSI A117.1 for aisle widths.

Platforms and Stages, detailed in 12/13.4.6

Platform: a raised area used for presentations

Regular stage: stage with a height <=50ft or less measured from the lowest point on the stage floor to
the highest point of the roof or floor deck above

A legitimate stage has a height >50 ft measured from the lowest point on the stage floor to the highest
point on the roof or floor deck above

Special Amusement Buildings

Any special amusement building is an assembly occupancy regardless of the occupant load. Do not
include theaters, move houses, or similar. Examples include children’s play structures with
chutes/slides/ladders.

Directions to an exit must be provided.

Conflicting or confusing audiovisuals must be stopped in emergencies

Additional exits signs must be provided where a person’s relative position to an exit is changed

Grandstands

Must comply with general 12/13 requirements, and specifically those of 12/13.4.9

Requirements include seating, special requirements for wood/portable grandstands, and spaces
beneath grandstand requirements

Folding/Telescopic Seatings

Must comply with general 12/13 requirements, and specifically those of 12/13.4.10

Requirements include seating, guards and railings