Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Scott Carneval]

We are working with a local public library to upgrade the existing A/V systems in their public meeting spaces. I'm trying to put together a spec for ALS but I'm getting conflicting info regarding room capacity vs. number of receivers required.

Is the capacity driven by the 'official' fire-marshall rated capacity of the room, or driven by the number of seats in the room?

In the ADA code the terminology is 'Capacity of Seating in Assembly Area'. This leads me to believe it's determined by the number of seats, but I need to be sure.

On the facility's website they list the capacity of the largest room at 162, but the room is about 60' by 40' and could potentially fit far more people in a 'classroom' or standing-room configuration. I asked the client for the rated fire-marshall capacity but he hasn't gotten back to me.  He did confirm that 162 is the max number of chairs they have for the room, which is how they determined the 'capacity' number for their website.

[Cailen Waddell]

Without calling the AHJ to ask what they will look for the rest of us would be speculating.   In my municipality I had one inspector check against the number of seats and one check against posted occupancy.  yMMV.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Hal Bissinger/COMSYSTEC]

Without calling the AHJ to ask what they will look for the rest of us would be speculating.   In my municipality I had one inspector check against the number of seats and one check against posted occupancy.  yMMV.

I can't see how there would be any argument against using the maximum legal capacity of the room.  They can have all the seats they want, but if they allow more than the posted number of people they will be shut down.

If an AHJ says otherwise ask the fire marshal to correct him.

-Hal

[Scott Carneval]

Without calling the AHJ to ask what they will look for the rest of us would be speculating.   In my municipality I had one inspector check against the number of seats and one check against posted occupancy.  yMMV.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When they inspector used posted occupancy, was that because the posted occupancy was greater than the number of seats in the room?

Who was the AHJ in your case? Is there a specific ADA person, or does it fall on the Fire Marshall or Building Inspector, etc.?

This is in Chapel Hill.

[Scott Carneval]

I can't see how there would be any argument against using the maximum legal capacity of the room.  They can have all the seats they want, but if they allow more than the posted number of people they will be shut down.

If an AHJ says otherwise ask the fire marshal to correct him.

-Hal

You're probably right. But in my case the number of seats in the room is 162, but the room is physically much larger than that. I'm still waiting for an answer to the actual legal capacity, but the room has double doors, several fire exits, sprinklers, and large bathrooms and water fountains close by, all of which contribute to the rated 'fire-marshall' capacity, so I expect it will be several hundred.

So if we go by the 'max' capacity I would need roughly double the receivers vs. the 'seated' capacity.

[Cailen Waddell]

Yes posted occupancy was greater than number of seats.  This was the general building inspector who provides the certificate of occupancy. 

The Fire Marshall did test the sound shutoff when the fire alarm went off, so we had to get sign off on sound from both of them   

This is in Cary


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ProSoundWeb Community]