2021 Assembly Occupancy Correction List

This list is be used in conjunction with the attached General Correction List.  This list is not all inclusive.  See additional items on the General Correction List.

Items listed require amended construction documents such as revised plans, supplemental instructions, addenda, field orders, or change orders before plans approval will be issued.  Answers in letter form shall be provided to explain the changes to the construction documents. All drawing revisions should be clouded with a corresponding revision number tag.

This review does not authorize construction to begin. Starting construction before plans approval may result in a Stop Work Order. Rule 0780-02-03-.02(1)

General

1. Places of public gathering, such as sports and entertainment arenas, musical amphitheaters, stadiums, community and convention halls, amusement facilities, zoos, and specialty event centers in public parks must comply with the Tennessee Equitable Restroom Act. TCA 68-120-501, et. seq.  The edition of the building construction standard(s) adopted in Rule 0780-02-02(1)(a) & (d), IBC & IPC will determine the minimum number of water closets and plumbing fixtures required for restrooms facilities in public places. Rule 0780-2-18-.03(1)
2. A building or tenant space used for assembly purposes with an occupant load of less than 50 persons shall be classified as a Group B occupancy.  IBC 303.1.1
3. A room or space used for assembly purposes with an occupant load of less than 50 persons and accessory to another occupancy shall be classified as a Group B occupancy or as part of that occupancy. IBC 303.1.2 (1.)
4. A room or space used for assembly purposes that is less than 750 square feet (70 m2) in area and accessory to another occupancy shall be classified as a Group B occupancy or as part of that occupancy. IBC 303.1.2 (2.)
5.  Accessory religious educational rooms and religious auditoriums with occupant loads of less than 100 per room or space are not considered separate occupancies.  IBC 303.1.4, 305.1.1
6. The commercial kitchen associated with restaurants, cafeterias and similar dining facilities is also considered an A-2 occupancy. IBC 303.3
7. The rooms and spaces within places of religious worship providing such day care during religious functions shall be classified as part of the primary A-3 occupancy. IBC 305.2.1

Construction

1. Spaces under grandstands must be separated by fire barriers and horizontal assemblies when used for any purpose other than ticket booths less than 100 square feet and toilet rooms.  IBC 1030.1.1.1
   1030.1.1.1  Spaces under grandstands and bleachers.
   Spaces under grandstands or bleachers shall be separated by fire barriers complying with Section 707 and horizontal assemblies complying with Section 711 with not less than 1-hour fire-resistance-rated construction.
   Exceptions:
   1. Ticket booths less than 100 square feet in area.
   2. Toilet rooms.
   3. Other accessory use areas 1,000 square feet or less in area and equipped with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
2. Assembly occupancies separated into different fire areas must be by 2-hour fire barriers and horizontal assemblies.  IBC Table 707.3.10
3. Fire walls shall have a fire-resistance rating of not less than that required by Table 706.4:

Table 706.4
Fire Wall Fire-Resistance Ratings

^{a. In Type II or V construction, walls shall be permitted to have a 2-hour fire-resistance rating.}

^{b. For Group H-1, H-2, or H-3 buildings, also see Sections 415.7 and 415.8.}

1. Spaces such as furnace rooms, boiler rooms, refrigerant machinery rooms, and incinerator rooms must comply with the separation or protection requirements of IBC Table 509. TABLE 509.1 Incidental USES
2. Portable unvented fuel-fired heating equipment is prohibited in Group A occupancies.  IFC 603.4 605.5

Means of Egress

1. The occupant load for fixed bench seating without dividing arms shall not be less than the number of seats based on one person for each 18” seating length. IBC 1004.4 1004.6
2. Occupant load factor for concentrated assembly and multi-use rooms with non-fixed chairs only shall be 1 occupant per 7 sq. ft. net.  IBC Table 1004.5
3. The occupant load for tables and chairs not permanently secured to the floor shall not be less than 15 sq. ft. net.  IBC 1004.5 
4. For areas having fixed seats and aisles, the occupant load shall be determined by the number of fixed seats installed therein. The occupant load for areas in which fixed seating is not installed, such as waiting spaces, shall be determined in accordance with Section 1004.1.2 1004.6 and added to the number of fixed seats.  IBC 1004.7      1004.6
5. Bleachers, grandstands and folding and telescopic seating, that are not building elements, shall comply with ICC 300.  IBC 1030.1.1
6. Three exits or exit access doorways shall be provided from any space with an occupant load of 501 to 1,000.  Four exits or exit access doorways shall be provided from any space with an occupant load greater than 1,000.  IBC 1006.2.1.1
7. In a building, room or space used for assembly purposes that has an occupant load of greater than 300 and is provided with a main exit, the main exit shall be of sufficient capacity (width) to accommodate not less than one-half of the occupant load, but such capacity (width) shall not be less than the total required capacity (width) of all means of egress leading to the exit. Where the building is classified as a Group A occupancy, the main exit shall front on at least one street or an unoccupied space of not less than 10 feet in width that adjoins a street or public way. In a building, room or space used for assembly purposes where there is no well-defined main exit or where multiple main exits are provided, exits shall be permitted to be distributed around the perimeter of the building provided that the total capacity (width) of egress is not less than 100 percent of the required capacity (width). 1030.2
8. In addition to having access to a main exit, each level in a building used for assembly purposes having an occupant load greater than 300 and provided with a main exit, shall be provided with additional means of egress that shall provide an egress capacity for not less than one-half of the total occupant load served by that level and shall comply with Section 1007.1. In a building used for assembly purposes where there is not a well-defined main exit or where multiple main exits are provided, exits for each level shall be permitted to be distributed around the perimeter of the building, provided that the total width of egress is not less than 100 percent of the required width.  IBC 1030.3
9. The maximum exit access travel distance in Assemblies shall be 250 ft. in buildings sprinkled throughout with a NFPA 13 or 13 R system and 200 ft. when unsprinkled.  TABLE 1017.2
10. The common path of egress travel shall be 75 ft. or less in Assembly occupancies in accordance with.  IBC TABLE 1006.2.1 SPACES WITH ONE EXIT OR EXIT ACCESS DOORWAY for spaces with a maximum occupant load of 49.  (c) For a room or space used for assembly purposes having fixed seating, see Section 1030.8.
11. The common path of egress travel shall not exceed 30 feet from any seat to a point where an occupant has a choice of two paths of egress travel to two exits.  1030.8
    Exceptions:
    1. For areas serving less than 50 occupants, the common path of egress travel shall not exceed 75 feet.
    2. For smoke-protected or open-air assembly seating, the common path of egress travel shall not exceed 50 feet.
       Note: Common Path of Travel is that portion of exit access travel distance measured from the most remote point of each room, area, or space to that point where the occupants have separate and distinct access to two exits or exit access doorways. IBC Section 202 Definitions
12. Corridors serving more than 30 occupants in an assembly shall be 1 hour fire-rated unless equipped with automatic fire-sprinkler system. IBC TABLE 1020.2
13. Provide dimensions of the width of the aisle accessways, aisles, and other means of egress for assembly areas in accordance with IBC 1030.9, 1030.9.1, 1030.9.2, 1030.9.3 & 1030.9.4
    1030.9.1 Minimum aisle width.
    The minimum clear width for aisles shall comply with one of the following:
    1. Forty-eight inches for stepped aisles having seating on both sides.
       Exception: Thirty-six inches where the stepped aisles serve less than 50 seats.
    2. Thirty-six inches for stepped aisles having seating on only one side.
       Exception: Twenty-three inches between a stepped aisle handrail and seating where a stepped aisle does not serve more than five rows on one side.
    3. Twenty-three inches between a stepped aisle handrail or guard and seating where the stepped aisle is subdivided by a mid-aisle handrail.
    4. Forty-two inches for level or ramped aisles having seating on both sides.
       Exceptions:
       1. Thirty-six inches where the aisle serves less than 50 seats.
       2. Thirty inches where the aisle serves less than 15 seats and does not serve as part of an accessible route.
    5. Thirty-six inches for level or ramped aisles having seating on only one side.
    6. Exception: Thirty inches where the aisle serves fewer than 15 seats and does not serve as part of an accessible route.
14. Ramped aisles having a slope exceeding one unit vertical in 15 units horizontal (6.7-percent slope) and stepped aisles shall be provided with handrails in compliance with Section 1014 located either at one or both sides of the aisle or within the aisle width. Where stepped aisles have seating on one side and the aisle width is 74 inches (1880 mm) or greater, two handrails are required. Where two handrails are required, one of the handrails shall be within 30 inches (762 mm) horizontally of the stepped aisle. IBC 1030.16
    Exceptions:
    1. Handrails are not required for ramped aisles with seating on both sides.
    2. Handrails are not required where, at the side of the aisle, there is a guard with a top surface that complies with the graspability requirements of handrails in accordance with Section 1014.3.
    3. Handrail extensions are not required at the top and bottom of stepped aisles and ramped aisles to permit crossovers within the aisles.
15. Where there is seating on both sides of the aisle, the mid-aisle handrails shall be discontinuous. Where a stepped aisle is required to have two handrails, the mid-aisle handrails shall be discontinuous. Gaps or breaks shall be provided at intervals not exceeding five rows to facilitate access to seating and to permit crossing from one side of the aisle to the other. These gaps or breaks shall have a clear width of not less than 22 inches (559 mm) and not greater than 36 inches (914 mm), measured horizontally, and the mid-aisle handrail shall have rounded terminations or bends. IBC 1030.16.1
16. Handrails located on the side of stepped aisles shall return to a wall, guard or the walking surface or shall be continuous to the handrail of an adjacent stepped aisle flight. IBC 1030.16.2
17. Where seating rows have 14 or fewer seats, the minimum clear aisle accessway width shall not be less than 12 inches measured as the clear horizontal distance from the back of the row ahead and the nearest projection of the row behind. Where chairs have automatic or self-rising seats, the measurement shall be made with seats in the raised position. Where any chair in the row does not have an automatic or self-rising seat, the measurements shall be made with the seat in the down position. For seats with folding tablet arms, row spacing shall be determined with the tablet arm in the used position. IBC 1030.13.2
    Exception: For seats with folding tablet arms, row spacing is permitted to be determined with the tablet arm in the stored position where the tablet arm when raised manually to vertical position in one motion automatically returns to the stored position by force of gravity.
18. Unless it is smoke-protected seating, for rows of seating served by aisles or doorways at both ends, there shall not be more than 100 seats per row. The minimum clear width of 12 inches between rows shall be increased by 0.3 inch for every additional seat beyond 14 seats where seats have backrests or beyond 21 where seats are without backrests.  The minimum clear width is not required to exceed 22 inches.  IBC 1030.13.2.1
19. Each end of an aisle shall be continuous to a cross aisle, foyer, doorway, vomitory, concourse or stairway in accordance with 1030.9.7 having access to an exit. IBC 1030.9.5
    Exceptions:
    1. Dead-end aisles shall not be greater than 20 feet in length.
    2. Dead-end aisles longer than 16 rows are permitted where seats beyond the 16th row dead-end aisle are not more than 24 seats from another aisle, measured along a row of seats having a minimum clear width of 12 inches plus 0.6 inch for each additional seat above seven in the row where seats have backrests or beyond 10 where seats are without backrests in the row.
    3. For smoke-protected or open-air assembly seating, the dead-end aisle length of vertical aisles shall not exceed a distance of 21 rows.
    4. For smoke-protected or open-air assembly seating, a longer dead-end aisle is permitted where seats beyond the 21-row dead-end aisle are not more than 40 seats from another aisle, measured along a row of seats having an aisle accessway with a minimum clear width of 12 inches plus 0.3 inch for each additional seat above seven in the row where seats have backrests or beyond 10 where seats are without backrests in the row.
20. For rows of seating served by an aisle or doorway at only one end of the row, the minimum clear width of 12 inches between rows shall be increased by 0.6 inch for every additional seat beyond seven seats where seats have backrests or beyond 10 where seats are without backrests. The minimum clear width is not required to exceed 22 inches.  IBC 1030.13.2.2
21. Exception: For smoke-protected or open-air assembly seating, the row length limits for a 12-inch-wide (305 mm) aisle accessway, beyond which the aisle accessway minimum clear width shall be increased, are in Table 1030.13.2.1.
22. Swinging Doors serving rooms or spaces with an occupant load of 50 or more in a Group A or E occupancy shall not be provided with a latch or lock other than panic hardware or fire exit hardware.  IBC 1010.2.9
23. Aisle stairs and ramps must meet IBC 1030.14, 1030.14.1 through 1030.14.13 & 1030.14.2 through 1030.4.2.4
24. Balcony, galleries, or press boxes having a seating capacity of over 50 or more located in a building, room or space used for assembly purposes, not less than two means of egress shall be provided, with one from each side of every balcony, gallery or press box. IBC 1030.5
25. Assembly occupancies with an occupant load of 500 or more located within a covered mall shall be so located such that their entrance will be immediately adjacent to a principal entrance to the mall and shall have not less than one-half of their required means of egress opening directly to the exterior of the covered mall building. Assembly occupancies located within the perimeter line of an open mall building shall be permitted to have their main exit open to the open mall. IBC 402.8.4
26. Every assembly area shall have the occupant load posted in a conspicuous place near the main exit of the room.  IBC 1004.9
27. Projection rooms must meet the requirements of IBC Section 409.

Interior

1. Interior wall and ceiling finishes materials in assembly areas must comply with IBC TABLE 803.13. Interior wall and ceiling finish materials tested in accordance with NFPA 286 and meeting the acceptance criteria of Section 803.1.1.1, shall be permitted to be used where a Class A classification in accordance with ASTM E 84 or UL 723 is required 803.1.2.  IBC 803.1 & Table 803.13

Table 803.13 Interior Wall and Ceiling Finish Requirements by Occupancy K

^{a.  Class C interior finish materials shall be permitted for wainscotting or paneling of not more than 1,000 square feet of applied surface area in the grade lobby where applied directly to a noncombustible base or over furring strips applied to a noncombustible base and fireblocked as required by Section 803.15.1.}

^{b. In other than Group I-3 occupancies in buildings less than three stories above grade plane, Class B interior finish for nonsprinklered buildings and Class C interior finish for sprinklered buildings shall be permitted in interior exit stairways and ramps.}

^{c.  Requirements for rooms and enclosed spaces shall be based on spaces enclosed by partitions. Where a fire-resistance rating is required for structural elements, the enclosing partitions shall extend from the floor to the ceiling. Partitions that do not comply with this shall be considered to be enclosing spaces and the rooms or spaces on both sides shall be considered to be one room or space. In determining the applicable requirements for rooms and enclosed spaces, the specific occupancy thereof shall be the governing factor regardless of the group classification of the building or structure.}

^{d. Lobby areas in Group A-1, A-2 and A-3 occupancies shall be not less than Class B materials.}

^{e.  Class C interior finish materials shall be permitted in places of assembly with an occupant load of 300 persons or less.}

^{f.   For places of religious worship, wood used for ornamental purposes, trusses, paneling or chancel furnishing shall be permitted.}

^{k.  Finish materials as provided for in other sections of this code.}

1. In Groups A, curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall comply with Section 806.4 and shall not exceed 10 percent of the specific wall or ceiling area to which such materials are attached. Fixed or movable walls and partitions, paneling, wall pads and crash pads applied structurally or for decoration, acoustical correction, surface insulation or other purposes shall be considered to be interior finish, shall comply with Section 803 and shall not be considered to be decorative materials or furnishings.
   Exceptions:
   1. In auditoriums in Group A, the permissible amount of curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall not exceed 75 percent of the aggregate wall area where the building is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1, and where the material is installed in accordance with Section 803.15 of this code.
   2. The 10-percent limit shall not apply to curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar combustible decorative materials used as window coverings.
      IBC 806.2 Combustible decorative materials.

Mechanical

• (See General Checklist)

Fire Suppression

1. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings and portions thereof used as Group A occupancies in accordance with IBC Section 903.2.1.1 through 903.2.1.5.
2. Enclosed areas with walls and ceilings in buildings or structures containing open-air assembly seating shall be protected with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1.
   Exceptions:
   1. The floor area used for contests, performances or entertainment, provided that the roof construction is more than 50 feet (15 240 mm) above the floor level and the use is restricted to low fire hazard uses.
   2. Press boxes and storage facilities less than 1,000 square feet (93 m2) in area.
   3. Open-air assembly seating facilities where seating and the means of egress in the seating area are essentially open to the outside.
      IBC 1030.6.3.1

Electrical

1. A manual fire alarm system that activates the occupant notification system in accordance with Section 907.5 shall be installed in Group A occupancies where the occupant load due to the assembly occupancy is 300 or more, or where the Group A occupant load is more than 100 persons above or below the lowest level of exit discharge.  Group A occupancies not separated from one another in accordance with Section 707.3.10 shall be considered as a single occupancy for the purposes of applying this section.  Portions of Group E occupancies occupied for assembly purposes shall be provided with a fire alarm system as required for the Group E occupancy.  IBC 907.2.1
   Exception: Manual fire alarm boxes are not required where the building is equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1(NFPA 13) and the occupant notification appliances will activate throughout the notification zones upon sprinkler waterflow.
2. Activation of the fire alarm in Group A occupancies with an occupant load of 1,000 or more shall initiate a signal using an emergency voice/alarm communications system in accordance with Section 907.5.2.2. IBC 907.2.1.1
   Exception: Where approved, the prerecorded announcement is allowed to be manually deactivated for a period of time, not to exceed 3 minutes, for the sole purpose of allowing a live voice announcement from an approved, constantly attended location.
3. Stadiums, arenas and grandstands required to caption audible public announcements shall be in accordance with Section 907.5.2.2.4. IBC 907.2.1
4. An approved fire alarm system installed in accordance with the provisions of this code and NFPA 72 shall be provided in new buildings and structures in accordance with Sections 907.2.1 through 907.2.23 and provide occupant notification in accordance with Section 907.5, unless other requirements are provided by another section of this code.  Not fewer than one manual fire alarm box shall be provided in an approved location to initiate a fire alarm signal for fire alarm systems employing automatic fire detectors or waterflow detection devices. Where other sections of this code allow elimination of fire alarm boxes due to sprinklers, a single fire alarm box shall be installed.
   Exceptions:
   1. The manual fire alarm box is not required for fire alarm systems dedicated to elevator recall control and supervisory service.
   2. The manual fire alarm box is not required for Group R-2 occupancies unless required by the fire code official to provide a means for fire watch personnel to initiate an alarm during a sprinkler system impairment event.  Where provided, the manual fire alarm box shall not be located in an area that is accessible to the public.

IBC 907.2