Seating Capacity

[Bigal]

I am involved in event/conference seating, when I hire an empty hall I am sometimes advised that the capacity of the hall is 120 or 250 etc..I guess this is for fire safety. Who sets this standard? What are the implications if more attendees arrive than capacity. If the event is free admission does this change anything? I am in Scotland if that has any bearing.

[kurnal]

The number of attendees is related to two factors:
1-  the available floor area and
2- the capacity of the exit routes- how many people can pass through the doors, assuming that one of the routes ( the widest) is unavailable due to the fire. The general target time to complete safe evacuation is within 2.5minutes of a fire alarm sounding though it can range from 2-3 minutes depending on how quickly a fire is expected to grow in the building.

1- For general purposes usually allow 0.5 sq m floor area per person so a room of 100 sq m could accommodate 200 persons if the exits are wide enough. For a crush bar are 0.3 sq m is allowed per person, for mixed tables and seating 1 sq m is appropriate.
Any room for more than 60 persons needs at least 2 exits.

2- The wider the exit door the greater the number of persons who can pass through in the target evacuation time. Studies have shown that a door of 850mm can pass 110 persons in 2.5 minutes, a door 1050mm can pass 200 persons.

Tables showing floor space factors and door exit capacities can be found in Building Regulations Approved Document B ( England) and in its Scottish Equivalent. At building design stage these matters are controlled and approved by the Building Inspector. After occupation its enforced by the Fire Authority under the new Fire Safety Order 2005. The calculation of the safe capacity is the duty of the "Responsible Person" for the premises- eg the owner or the occupier, or even if the Hall is let for hire the " Temporary Responsible Person" - the person hiring the Hall.

This calculation is a part of the fire risk assessment that they are required to carry out under the Fire Safety Order 2005. In the past the numbers were assessed by the Fire Authority and the Licensing Authority ( If the premises needed a licence). From 1st October it all comes under the new Fire safety Order.

The implications of overcrowding are that in a fire persons may not have time to pass through the exits or crush/ panic conditions may arise. Exceeding the safe capacity identified in the risk assessment would constitute a failure to manage the basic fire precautions and would be an offence. The Fire Authority may prosecute in serious cases.

[John Webb]

Additional to kurnal's summary, I would add that it now makes no difference if admission is free; it is a 'public assembly' which covers a much wider range of gatherings than the previous public entertainments licencing system. In my own area of concern, for example, only churches and church halls which held public entertainment licences for concerts and the like were compelled to fully apply fire safety legislation, plus in some cases reqirements under the 'Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations. But now even a church service is a 'public assembly' and all 400+ churches and halls in my diocese are legally obliged to carry out their risk assessments.

If too many people turn up they will either have to be accomodated in additional accomodation or turned away. If you exceed the number that the Responsible Person for the premises has set, both you and they are liable to answer for it in court.

[Martin Burford]

jsw

a very good point.. and rather proves what I have been saying through this medium for months this RRO has not been thought through ptoperly........anyone whio attended the seminar, omn Bristol, last January must know that !!
Conqueror

[jokar]

The new guidance documents that Bigal has to comply with give numbers for specific exit widths which are the guidance.  They are slightly different to those in ADB. Don't forget that DDA has an impact as well on the exit widths.  As a good piece of guidance the LDSA technical guide (the yellow one) in table C has exit widths and numbers which have already calculated the loss of an exit.

[messy]

. But now even a church service is a 'public assembly' and all 400+ churches and halls in my diocese are legally obliged to carry out their risk assessments.

If too many people turn up they will either have to be accomodated in additional accomodation or turned away. If you exceed the number that the Responsible Person for the premises has set, both you and they are liable to answer for it in court.

John

Do you experience problems with older churches with regards to capacity/MOE?

I am dealing with a building consultation job at present involving the sub letting of a church basement with MOE through the church, which is causing the developers some problems. This is a fairly modern building 1910/1920. I'd imagine the older buildings must be a nightmare

[John Webb]

So far I have little to go on; the churches in my area are now, I hope, getting their teeth into the new legislation, and so far I've only had one query about the 'Responsible Person' which I've had to pass on to the legal bods.

Most churches, particularly the older ones, tend to have the smaller congregations, so both capacity and MoE are not usuallly challenged. There is the occasional wedding, funeral or other special service where large numbers may turn up, but this is often known about in advance and the necessary arrangements for overflow accomodation with Audio/visual relay can be made in advance. The 'younger' well-attended churches tend to be in the more modern buildings and so far I've not heard of any problems.

Because of the new nature of the regulations we have asked churches to send the diocese a copy of their FRA so we can check on how they are coping, and if there are common areas of difficulties, be ready to offer more advice.

[wee brian]

Back to the original question. Fire Safety is not the only factor in detemining a max number of people.

Sanitary facilities and genral safety also need to be considered.