2006 New York Code - Seating In Assembly Spaces.

 
    §  27-531  Seating in assembly spaces.  All seating in assembly spaces
  shall conform to the following:
    (a)    Seating  arrangements.    Except  as otherwise provided in this
  subchapter, all seating shall be arranged in rows to provide for orderly
  egress.
    (1)   CHAIR SEATING.   Seating patterns  employing  individual  chairs
  shall comply with the following:
    a.    Assembly  spaces in which the net floor area, exclusive of stage
  area, is less than eight square feet per person shall be  provided  with
  chairs  that  are rigidly anchored to the construction or fixed in place
  by devices that prevent movement in any direction, except that not  more
  than  twelve movable chairs may be provided in a box or loge if such box
  or loge is separated from the main seating pattern by railings or  other
  permanent  construction and has an area of at least five square feet per
  chair.
    b.  In assembly spaces where the net floor area,  exclusive  of  stage
  area, is between eight and twelve square feet per person, movable chairs
  may  be used provided all chairs in a row between aisles are fastened or
  ganged together to preserve the integrity of the row.    Not  more  than
  twelve chairs shall be used in any row between aisles.
    c.   In assembly spaces where net floor area, exclusive of stage area,
  is more than twelve square feet per person,  individual  movable  chairs
  may  be  used.    Not  more  than twelve chairs shall be used in any row
  between aisles.
    d.  All chairs placed on stepped platforms less than  four  feet  wide
  shall be anchored or fixed in place.
    e.  The minimum distance between centerlines of chairs in the same row
  shall be nineteen inches.
    f.   The spacing between the back of one chair in any row and any part
  of the chair in the row behind it, including arm blocks, when  the  seat
  is  in the lift-up position for automatic operation or in the horizontal
  position  for  nonlift-up  or  nonautomatic  operation,  when   measured
  horizontally  between  plumb lines, shall be at least twelve inches, and
  this spacing shall be increased for any of the following reasons:
    1.  Where a difference in floor level occurs between any two rows, the
  spacing shall be increased as follows:
 
  ========================================================================
                                                           Increase in
            Difference in Level (in.)                      Space (in.)
  ________________________________________________________________________
        6-10, plus any fraction of an inch..............           1
       11-16, plus any fraction of an inch..............           2
       17-22, plus any fraction of an inch..............           3
       23 and over......................................           4
  ========================================================================
 
    2.  Where it is necessary from any location to pass  more  than  seven
  chairs   to   reach  the  nearest  aisle,  spacing  shall  be  increased
  one-quarter of an inch for each chair in excess of seven.
    g.  Not more than eight chairs shall be provided in any row of seating
  having access to only one aisle except as provided  below  for  bleacher
  and platform seating.
    h.    Performance  viewing positions shall be provided for persons who
  use wheel chairs in accordance with the following schedule.


  ========================================================================
              Capacity of                              Number of
            Assembly Space                          Viewing Positions
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
             75 to  100................               minimum 4
            101 to  150................               minimum 5
            151 to  200................               minimum 6
            201 to  300................                       7
            301 to  400................                       8
            401 to  500................                       9
            501 to 1000................               2 percent of total
            Over 1000..... 20 plus 1 for each 100 over 1000
 
    These  positions  shall  be located so as not to interfere with egress
  from any row of seats and shall be reachable by means  of  ramps  and/or
  elevators.    Steps  shall not be allowed in the line of travel from the
  main approach entry to the designated locations.  Size and placement  of
  wheelchair  locations, surfaces, access to performing area and listening
  systems where required, shall comply with the  provisions  of  reference
  standard  RS  4-6. These positions may by utilized by persons who do not
  use wheelchairs provided  that  the  positions  are  delineated  on  the
  approved  seating  plans,  the  seating  is  readily  removable  and the
  positions are unsold one full working day before the performance.
    (2)  BLEACHER SEATING.  Fixed or folding bleachers shall  comply  with
  the following:
    a.    For  the  purpose  of determining occupant load, individual seat
  space width shall be assumed to be eighteen inches.   There shall  be  a
  space  of at least fourteen and one-half inches between the back edge of
  each seat and the front edge of the  seat  immediately  behind  it  when
  measured between plumb lines.
    b.  The width of footboards and seat boards shall be at least nine and
  one-half inches. Where wider seat boards are provided, the space between
  seats may be reduced by an amount equivalent to the increase in width.
    c.    Sections  having  not  more than ten consecutive rows of seating
  shall not require aisles.   Where there are more  than  ten  consecutive
  rows,  aisles  shall  be provided at the ends of seat rows,  the minimum
  spacing between seat rows shall be increased to sixteen inches  and  the
  required space between seat rows shall be increased by one-quarter of an
  inch  for  each  seat in excess of seven that it is necessary to pass to
  reach an aisle.  Cross aisles shall be provided at the  bottom  of  each
  section of seating.
    d.    Bleacher  seating  shall  be  constructed  to  comply  with  the
  requirements of subchapters nine and ten of this chapter.
    (3)  PLATFORM SEATING.   Stepped platforms used  for  seating  without
  chairs shall comply with the following:
    a.    For  the  purpose  of determining occupant load, individual seat
  space width shall be assumed to be eighteen inches.
    b.  Platforms shall be at least twenty-eight inches deep from front to
  back.
    c.  Platform depth shall be increased one-quarter of an inch for  each
  seat in excess of seven that it is necessary to pass to reach an aisle.
    d.    Aisles  complying  with  section 27-532 of this article shall be
  provided when the height between  levels  of  platform  seating  exceeds
  eight inches.
    (4)   BENCH SEATING.  Bench or pew seating, with or without backs, may
  be used when  complying  with  the  applicable  requirements  for  chair
  seating  in  of  paragraph  one of this subdivision.  For the purpose of


  determining occupant load, individual seat space width shall be  assumed
  to be eighteen inches.
    (5)   TABLE AND CHAIR SEATING.  Tables and chairs shall be so arranged
  that the distance from any chair at any table by way of a  path  between
  tables  and chairs is not greater than eighteen feet to an aisle leading
  to an exit.  The width of the path shall be at  least  eighteen  inches,
  except  that  it  may  be reduced by one inch for each one foot that the
  distance to the aisle is less than eighteen feet but may not be  reduced
  to  less than twelve inches.  Chairs, when placed with the front edge of
  the seat on a line with the edge of the table, shall not  protrude  into
  the  path.    Booths  containing up to eight seats may be used, provided
  they open directly on an aisle.
    (6)   COUNTER SEATING.   Counters  at  which  food  or  beverages  are
  consumed  shall  be  attached to the floor.   Fixed or movable chairs or
  stools may be provided.  The number of occupants shall be determined  on
  the  basis  of  one occupant for each eighteen inches of counter length.
  The width of aisles bordering counters shall  be  measured  excluding  a
  depth of eighteen inches for chair or stool spaces.
    (7)    STANDEE AREAS.   Standee areas may be permitted within assembly
  spaces provided each standee space has a  minimum  width  of  twenty-two
  inches  and  a  minimum depth of twenty-one inches.  Standee areas shall
  not encroach on the required exit facilities and shall be separated from
  the space to be left clear for passage by tape, ribbon or  other  easily
  broken  material,  supported  by  lightweight  posts fixed in stationary
  sockets, so constructed and placed as to not constitute  an  obstruction
  in case of panic or emergency.
    (8)    PROTECTIVE  GUARDS.    Protective  guards shall be provided for
  seating and standee areas as follows:
    a.  A protective guard at least thirty inches  high  above  the  floor
  shall  be  provided along the fascia of all balconies, loges, and boxes,
  except that the guard shall be at least thirty-six inches  high  at  the
  bottom  of stepped aisles.  When rails or other parts of such guards are
  designed with ledges more than two and one-half  inches  wide,  the  top
  surface  of  the  ledges  shall slope down toward the seating area at an
  angle of at least thirty degrees from the horizontal.  The guards  shall
  provide  an  unperforated  curb  or toeguard at least twelve inches high
  above the level of the floor of the balcony, loge, or box.
    b.  A protective guard at least thirty inches  high  above  the  floor
  shall be provided at cross aisles where fixed seat backs of any adjacent
  lower  level do not project at least twenty- four inches above the cross
  aisle level.
    c.  A protective guard at least eighteen inches high above  the  floor
  shall  be  provided  along  the front edge of any stepped platform where
  fixed seat backs of the adjacent lower level do  not  project  at  least
  eighteen inches above the stepped platform level.
    d.    A  protective  guard  at least twenty-six inches high above seat
  level shall be provided at the open ends of bleacher seating,  extending
  from  the front of the third row of seats to the back of the highest row
  of seats, and continuously along the rear of the seating,  except  where
  the seating is adjacent to a wall.
    e.    Guards  shall  be  designed  to  meet  the load requirements for
  railings in subchapter nine of this chapter.