New York Codes, Rules and Regulations
Title 12 - DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Chapter I - Industrial Board Of Appeals
Subchapter A - The Industrial Code
Part 36 - State Standard Building Code For Places Of Public Assembly
Subpart 36-3 - Special Requirements For Particular Occupancies
Section 36-3.2 - Theatres with stages-new

(i) The principal entrance shall constitute one required means of exit but, regardless of its width, shall not be credited as providing more than one half the required exit capacity of the main floor.

(ii) The total required capacity of exit doorways other than the principal entrance, shall be divided between them approximately equally.

(iii) Where two means of exit are required, one shall be located not more than 25 feet back of the front row of seats. Where three means of exit are required, two shall be similarly located on opposite sides. Where five or more means of exit are required, two shall be similarly located on opposite sides and the remaining pair or pairs shall be located on opposite sides so as to divide the distance between the exit nearest the front row and the rear wall of the auditorium approximately equally.

(iv) Where any main floor exit doorway other than the doorway to the lobby does not open directly on a lobby, court, street or public way, the passageway connecting with the street shall be without openings other than those for entrance and exit.

(i) Every tier above the main floor shall have its required interior stairways located on opposite sides of the tier. Entrance to such stairways shall be direct from a crossaisle or from a corridor leading from a crossaisle.

(ii) Such stairways, when serving only the balcony and terminating within the auditorium, lobby or foyer, may be unenclosed. If not terminating within the auditorium, lobby or foyer, such stairways shall be enclosed below the balcony level served.

(iii) Such stairways serving only the balcony, may discharge to the main floor within the auditorium only if subsequent exit facilities are of the aggregate width required, and the discharge from such stairways is not at a greater angle than 90 degrees with exit travel from the main floor within the auditorium.

(iv) Such stairways serving one or more galleries, shall be enclosed except at the uppermost level served, and shall lead directly to a ground floor lobby or foyer, a street, or an open area leading to a street.

(v) When any stairway from a higher tier or level discharges to a lobby, foyer, mezzanine or other similar area, such area shall be separated from the auditorium by self-closing doors.

(i) In addition to the stairways required by the previous paragraph each balcony or gallery having a capacity, exceeding 750 persons shall be provided with at least two supplementary exit stairways not less than 42 inches wide. When the capacity exceeds 1,500, four such supplementary exit stairways shall be provided. Supplementary interior exit stairways shall be provided with self- closing fire doors, and shall lead directly to the street, or to a passageway independent of other exits, or to an open court leading to a street. There shall be no communication from any portion of the building to any supplementary exit stairway enclosure except from the tier for which the stairway is exclusively intended.

(ii) Such supplementary exit stairways, when serving only the balcony and not exceeding 35 feet in height, may be exterior stairways.

(i) Seats, except those in boxes accommodating not more than 16 persons, shall be at least 32 inches from back to back and firmly secured to the floor.

(ii) There shall be at least five and one-half inches between the back of a seat and the front of the seat immediately behind it as measured between plumb lines with the seat in the down or extended position. The minimum clearance between a seat back and the front of the seat immediately behind it with the seat in the down, or extended position, shall be 10 inches for any orchestra seat and seven inches for any balcony or gallery seat.

(iii) Seats designed to be turned to the up position shall be constructed and maintained so as to remain up when turned up. "Push-back" type sliding seats shall be constructed and maintained so as to retract automatically when unoccupied.

(iv) The maximum number of seats in any row with egress at both ends shall be 15, and the maximum number of seats in any row with egress at one end only shall be eight.

(v) Platforms formed to receive seats in balconies or galleries shall be not less than 32 inches wide, nor more than 21 inches high, except immediately above or below a crossaisle, at which level steps may be recessed into the platform. No such platform shall be nearer than eight feet to the ceiling. Such platform shall be continuous across the aisle except when the rise between seat platforms is four inches or less and except at the first platform above a crossaisle.

(i) Aisles with seats on one side only shall be at least 30 inches wide. Aisles with seats on both sides shall be at least 36 inches wide.

(ii) Every longitudinal aisle with exits at only one end shall have at least the minimum prescribed width where the aisle begins and shall increase in width toward the exits at the rate of one and one-half inches for each five feet of such aisle. If exits or crossaisles are provided at both ends, such aisle may be of uniform width throughout. This uniform width shall be not less than the average of the minimum width prescribed and the increased width as calculated for the length of aisle between crossaisles or exits.

(iii) Whenever an aisle borders on a means of exit, the aisle shall have a width of at least four feet along the width of the means of exit.

(iv) There shall be no steps in any main floor aisle, except at the rear of the main floor in a stadium type theatre.

(v) The maximum slope in aisles on the main floor shall be one in six for the first, second and third rows of seats from the rear; one in seven for the fourth, fifth and sixth rows; one in eight for the seventh, eighth and ninth; one in ten for the remaining rows.

(vi) In balcony and gallery aisles, when the rise between the seat platforms is four inches or less, the aisle shall be in the form of ramps with slopes not exceeding one in eight.

(vii) In balcony and gallery aisles, the steps if any shall be the full width of the aisles with treads not less than 10 inches wide and risers not more than seven and one-half inches high.

(i) Crossaisles at least 44 inches wide shall connect either two longitudinal aisles or one such aisle and an exit door. They need not extend through a side block of seats where neither a side aisle nor an exit door is required or provided.

(ii) Where there are less than 27 rows and less than four blocks of seats, a crossaisle shall extend to each sidewall exit not served by a side aisle, but such crossaisle is not required to extend through the central block of seats when a crossaisle is provided in front of the central block of seats.

(iii) Where there are 27 or more rows or four or more blocks of seats, crossaisles shall be provided dividing the number of rows approximately equally and so that no block of seats shall have more than 22 rows.

(i) One or more crossaisles at least 44 inches wide shall be provided in every balcony or gallery having more than 10 rows of seats. Such crossaisles shall be so arranged that no more than seven rows of seats intervene between any row and the nearer crossaisle above or below.

(ii) Crossaisles shall be separated from the seating spaces by railings at least 26 inches high except where the adjoining seat platform is on the same level as the crossaisle.

(iii) No step is permitted in any crossaisle.

(i) In a stadium-type theatre, the rearmost crossaisle of the main floor may serve not more than 10 rows of seats behind it. The width of such crossaisle shall be 44 inches minimum and shall be increased by eight inches for each 100 persons or major fraction thereof in the first 10 rows of seats behind such crossaisle. Intermediate exits from such crossaisle shall be provided so that the distance between such exits shall not exceed 75 feet.

(ii) If a secondary crossaisle is provided at the rear of the stadium section, such section shall have not to exceed 20 rows of seats. One or more stairways complying with the pertinent requirements for balcony stairs shall be provided at each end of the secondary crossaisle. Each such stairway shall have an aggregate capacity adequate for all persons seated behind the 10th row and need not be enclosed.

(iii) The requirements for railings along crossaisles in balconies apply to stadium sections.

(i) All longitudinal aisles, and the paths of egress leading from them to the outer doors, shall be kept unobstructed. No persons except employees shall be allowed to remain in them during a public assemblage.

(ii) Part of the rear crossaisle on the main floor only may be used for standing room provided a space at least seven feet wide inside the rear auditorium wall is kept clear and unobstructed. No seats shall be provided in the standing room space.

(iii) The aggregate width of the main floor exits shall be increased to include the occupants of standing room areas.

(i) The stage shall be separated from the auditorium by a wall having a fire-resistance rating of at least two hours and extending from the foundation to at least four feet above the stage roof, or the auditorium roof if the latter be the higher.

(ii) Any windows in the structure above the auditorium which face over the roof of the stage section must, when within 100 feet of the stage roof, be provided with stationary or automatic fire windows.

(i) Openings between the stage and auditorium, other than the stage opening, shall not be larger than 21 square feet each and shall be limited to two at the approximate stage level, and two below the stage level. Openings below the stage level, including doors from under the stage to pipetunnels, plenum chambers and other spaces to which access must be provided, shall be provided with fire doors having a rating of at least one hour, except that no door shall lead directly through the proscenium wall to a plenum chamber.

(ii) In openings whose greatest dimension does not exceed 18 inches three-eighths inch automatic incombustible damper plates may be used in lieu of fire doors.

(i) The proscenium opening shall be provided with a fire curtain so designed and constructed as to close the opening completely and prevent the passage of hot gases, flame and smoke.

(ii) Such curtain shall be so arranged and maintained that in case of fire it will be released automatically by an approved heat actuated device and will then descend at a rate of at least one foot per second and settle on the stage floor without shock. It shall also be equipped with effective devices on each side of the stage which will permit prompt release by manual means.

(i) The fire curtain shall consist of a rigid incombustible framework covered on both sides with incombustible material and having all its parts including the means of support made of incombustible material.

(ii) It shall extend past the sides and top of the proscenium opening by at least 12 inches on the stage side when closed.

(iii) The bottom shall have a yielding roll of asbestos or other fire-resistive material attached thereto to form a smoke seal when in contact with the surface of the floor.

(i) Dressing rooms shall be separated from the other portions of the theatre by construction having a fire-resistance rating of at least one hour. Door openings in same shall be provided with self-closing fire doors having a rating of at least one hour.

(ii) Dressing rooms, when used as such, shall be ventilated by fire windows or metal frame and wired glass skylights opening directly to the open air, or shall be mechanically ventilated with at least six air changes per hour.

(iii) Dressing rooms located at or above the stage level shall have a means of exit independent of the stage and leading to a street or court.

(iv) When dressing rooms are located below the stage level at least two exits therefrom shall be provided, one of which shall lead directly to a street or court.

(v) The maximum distance of travel from any dressing room to the nearest grade exit, exit stairway or passageway, shall be 75 feet.

(i) One or more ventilators constructed of metal or other incombustible material shall be placed near the center and above the highest part of the stage roof. The aggregate ventilating area shall not be less than 10 per cent of the floor area within the stage walls. Sills of doors or shutters shall be located at least three feet above the roof. Doors or shutters shall be constructed and maintained to open outward by force of gravity, when released, and shall be weighted sufficiently to overcome the effects of rust, dirt, frost, snow, expansion by heat or warping of the framework. Hinges shall be of wrought or malleable iron with bronze pins at least three-eighths inch in diameter. Glass, used in ventilators, must be protected against falling on the stage. If wire screens are used, they must be at least one-eighth inch galvanized iron with a one-inch mesh and so placed that, if clogged, neither the required vent area will be reduced nor the operating mechanism obstructed.

(ii) The shutters or doors shall be arranged to open instantly by the use of approved heat-actuated devices which shall be located in the ventilator above the roof line. Manual operation shall be provided by a multiple controlling hemp rope accessible from the stage level and a sharp knife shall be chained where it may be used for cutting this rope. While the theatre stage is in use, each ventilator shutter shall be maintained in operating condition.

(i) An automatic wet pipe sprinkler system conforming to the provisions of Industrial Code Part 20 shall be provided for the stage section.

(ii) Sprinkler heads shall be placed under the roof of the stage and under all superstructures above the stage so as to protect every square foot of the stage floor. An additional line of sprinkler heads shall be placed not over six feet apart and not more than two feet from the stage side of the fire curtain.

(iii) Sprinkler heads shall be placed under the stage, and in dressing rooms, scenes docks, workshops, storage rooms and all other enclosed spaces in the stage section.

(iv) Sprinkler heads are not permitted in such positions as to affect the heat-actuated devices controlling the stage ventilators. Switchboards, generators and other important electrical equipment shall be protected against water from the sprinkler system. Wherever there is a liability of damage from moving objects, scenery or other stage settings, sprinkler heads shall be provided with metal shields.

(i) A standpipe system having adequate water supply and installed in accordance with the standards of the National Board of Fire Underwriters shall be located in the stage section.

(ii) Every portion of the stage, every dressing room section, basement, workshop, property room and every other room or space which is appurtenant to the stage and in which combustible material is stored or handled, shall be accessible to a standpipe hoseline so located that it will not require more than 100 feet of hose plus 20 feet to cover any such room or space.

(iii) The standpipes shall have internal diameters sufficient to deliver 50 gallons of water per minute under a pressure of 30 pounds per square inch at the highest outlet. Hose having a diameter of one and one-half inches shall be used.

(i) There shall be provided at each side of the stage and the space under the stage two approved two and one-half gallon soda and acid or loaded stream fire extinguishers. On the stage one six-pound fire axe and one 10-foot fire hook shall be provided on each side. One approved two and one-half gallon soda and acid or loaded stream fire extinguisher shall be placed on each fly gallery, in each tier of dressing rooms, and in every scenery loft, workroom, storeroom or furnace room having an area of more than 1,000 square feet.

(ii) Extinguishers shall be charged annually, as well as immediately after use, and shall be tagged to indicate when this was done and by whom. Fire extinguishers and fire tools shall be securely mounted on walls, in plain sight and readily accessible.