codes regarding chairs on stage during event

[Jfisher2008]

Hello,

i was just informed about few hours ago that per Fire Marshal's Regulation (Washington, DC).

That Chairs with wheels are not allowed at all, this caught me off guard as i have been doing it for last several years, only when the renter people requested it.

been checking several websites last few hours, couldn't find any information on it.

was wondering if it has happened to anyone else in good ole U.S.A...or have thought on it?

should i remove the options of having chairs with wheels at all?

(Mods: feel free to move this post in to proper section, thanks)

 

[Van]

That's a new one on me. Do they mean on Risers on stage? seems a silly rule if you have kick rails in place, but then again, codes are often silly and it's best not to argue with an AHJ.

 

[Jfisher2008]

not risers. Chairs with wheels.

i have put in a email to AHJ for confirmation. it was told to me via the event coordinator.

 

[SteveB]

How would a person in a wheelchair otherwise be on stage ?.

 

[Footer]

I've done rolling "club chairs" onstage before and have never had an issue... but it has never been more than 5 for a panel discussion.

Big question though... do you have audience onstage sitting in these chairs? How many chairs? I can see if they are able to get in the way of egress then you need to have them locked down. We are required to have all audience seating interlocked or zip tied together to prevent chairs from moving to block egress.

 

[Jfisher2008]

you have a point, Footer.

the chair with wheels are for the panelists, (max of 3-4 per sessions today/tomorrow) no Audience seating on stage.

we have pulled chairs from the Office of the President of my University(no wheels), as the event started few hours ago.

just pondering about the chair with wheels situation.
no word from my AHJ yet.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

This seems like a local regulation, not in any of the national model codes like Life Safety Code or International Fire Code. Does this mean if doing a play in an office setting, office chairs on wheels would not be allowed? Very strange I think. On the other hand, falls off a stage - first row, orchestra pit, or trap room - are all too common. The official may be reacting to something that has happened on his watch.

 

[Footer]

This seems like a local regulation, not in any of the national model codes like Life Safety Code or International Fire Code. Does this mean if doing a play in an office setting, office chairs on wheels would not be allowed? Very strange I think. On the other hand, falls off a stage - first row, orchestra pit, or trap room - are all too common. The official may be reacting to something that has happened on his watch.

This being a corporate gig I assume the event planner was told "all chairs have to be permanent and locked in place" and took that to mean onstage as well. Rarely if ever is egress considered by an AHJ for people onstage unless you have a VIP who has security issues... but that is another story. Without the general public onstage my view has always been anything goes as far as layout and seating type is concerned.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Well, building and fire codes do apply to occupancy of the stage, including egress. Whether the regs are uniformly enforced is a whole other issue, but please don't encourage disregarding them.

 

[porkchop]

The Authority having Jurisdiction always has the final say in the US. Doesn't have to be written down in the code and the reasoning doesn't need to be explained. If it's really a problem for you, you can talk to the AHJ about the specifics of the situation to see if you can convince them that what you'd like to do is safe, but in the end it's their call. It's bad to be in violation, it's much worse to be willfully negligent.

 

[gafftaper]

The Authority having Jurisdiction always has the final say in the US. Doesn't have to be written down in the code and the reasoning doesn't need to be explained. If it's really a problem for you, you can talk to the AHJ about the specifics of the situation to see if you can convince them that what you'd like to do is safe, but in the end it's their call. It's bad to be in violation, it's much worse to be willfully negligent.

Yeah, Catch the AHJ on a bad day and you can be screwed! On the other hand be nice to the AHJ and you can possibly change their mind.

 

[Jfisher2008]

this is a Event by US. Dept of Edu. "The President's Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge" event. i would assume the same thing that Footer assumed, was told by someone in other Venue.

no word back from AHJ yet. 95% of my renter usually request chairs without wheels.

odd thing is that the event coordinator is the one who requested chair with wheels.

Thanks everyone, i now know it's not part of any National/International Code, part of local AHJ.