Black Box Egress Questions

Good Afternoon, I just had had a safety inspection walk through for one of our Summer shows. An Egress issue was pointed out and I asked the AHJ for clarification but after the third attempt to understand where the issue is I gave up asking because they were getting upset. This is in Rhode Island if that helps.

It is a black box space flexible seating so there is no published seating plan with the fire dept. We have a seat count and keep with in that. Currently, we are in a Proscenium style seating setup. We are using blacks to act as wings. There are two egress points on opposite ends of the theater. The main entrance which opens to the lobby through double doors. and the second exit goes through a curtain down a flight of stairs to the outside.

So onto the issue. There is an exit sign with an arrow pointing through the curtain, the area behind the curtain is acting as a wing space for one actor. There are running lights for the show.

I was told this was not acceptable because there is a barrier to the exit. That was what I got out of the third press.

Has anyone run into this before. Maybe I got something mixed up in translation. I do not know if I need to just move the curtain so there is a straight path to the door visible or if I need actually build a hard wall with a door in. How do you handle situations like this at other black boxes?

I had a similar problem with a set being designed over a declared egress which also covered the exit sign. It was an actual entrance for patrons and actors being a stone archway with a black masking during the show. We were not questioned about it but we developed a safety plan. First we actually incorporated a exit sign into the set and stayed lit the entire show Monty Python Style. Second step is since it was actually "back stage" we had a stage hand assigned to open the drape and help patrons in case of emergency.

For your situation I know I have encountered AHJ that do view curtains as a obstruction because they do not open like a door. Even as you push through a curtain in a "panic" situation, keep in mind patrons are not all actor or technicians, it will pull over your head not to the side like a egress door thus blinding or confusing a patron. I think your best option is to have a clear path.

A curtain across a means of egress is indeed not permitted by the most fire codes. Having an attendant like Barry describes might be enough for the ahj to accept a variance, but its up the the local person. Simply removing the curtain would make it compliant but I understand the practicalities you are trying to address. Not all ahjs will assume the liability of allowing this. From the 2015 LSC:

7.5.2 Impediments to Egress. See also 7.1.9 and 7.2.1.5.
7.5.2.1* Access to an exit shall not be through kitchens, storerooms
other than as provided in Chapters 36 and 37, restrooms,
closets, bedrooms or similar spaces, or other rooms
or spaces subject to locking, unless passage through such
rooms or spaces is permitted for the occupancy by Chapter 18,
19, 22, or 23.
7.5.2.2* Exit access and exit doors shall be designed and arranged
to be clearly recognizable.
7.5.2.2.1 Hangings or draperies shall not be placed over exit
doors or located so that they conceal or obscure any exit, unless
otherwise provided in 7.5.2.2.2.
7.5.2.2.2 Curtains shall be permitted across means of egress
openings in tent walls, provided that all of the following criteria
are met:
(1) They are distinctly marked in contrast to the tent wall so
as to be recognizable as means of egress.
(2) They are installed across an opening that is at least 6 ft
(1830 mm) in width.
(3) They are hung from slide rings or equivalent hardware so
as to be readily moved to the side to create an unobstructed
opening in the tent wall that is of the minimum
width required for door openings.

7.5.2.2.1 expressly forbids what you are doing but you might try based on limited occupancy and attendant to see if with the provision sof 7.5.2.2.2 you could get away with it. Maybe a little extra aisle light and an announcement pre-show, even someone pulling the curtain aside to demonstrate the clear path.

Thank you for the above information and references.

I caught up with the AHJ outside the confines of the space and had a follow up on neutral ground.

I guess the issue is related to an exit sign that just points the direction to the secondary egress from the middle of the space. Each door has its own exit sign And is clearly marked. The problem is this random attached sign in the middle of the space. The only way to fix it would be to remove the masking flats which would open all the way back to the shop/green room. There are multiple entrances through this area as well. I am willing to switch the down stage masking to a door flat with an exit sign and glow tape or a rope light. I am not sure if this a reasonable suggestion.

It sounds like you are blocking a fire exit, plain and simple and I can understand the AHJ having an issue with that.

Are the exit doors that have exit signs visible from the audience ?, if not, that's going to be an issue.

Some things to consider are what happens if there's a power failure and the alarms trigger ?. Can the audience find the exits ?, is there emergency lighting that clearly indicates where the exits are located ?. Are any supplemental exit signs powered from an emergency source or battery operated ?, etc.... in short what would YOU do if you were sitting in the audience ?.

There are supplemental signs used to direct audiences to the exits. They hang over the break in the curtain. They have a battery backup in each. There are emergency lights in the space and the way the curtains are laid out has some lighting the aisle way.

I'm not one to say it's always been done that way so it should be good enough. I want to follow codes and be correct but I want to understand the issues to make sure I am compromising correctly.

Yep, need a sign OVER the curtain.
While displaced due to flooding we had a nearly exact scenario and that's what our AHJ wanted. Somehow, he never noticed the power came from a power strip... (Yes, we left it on)