Section 27-546. F-1a places of assembly

F-1a places of assembly shall comply
  with  all of the requirements of article two of subchapter eight of this
  chapter, and with the following:
    (a) Construction in seating areas.
    (1) Scenery or scenic elements may be placed in  seating  sections  of
  F-1a assembly spaces if such elements:
    a.  Are  noncombustible,  or  of  materials  that  have  been rendered
  flameproof in accordance with the provisions of  chapter  four  of  this
  title, or have a flame spread rating of twenty-five or less.
    b. Are adequately braced or secured.
    c.  Do not obstruct the required visibility of, or paths of travel to,
  exit openings.
    (2)  Platforms  or  runways  for  performances,  to  accommodate   the
  operation of cameras, electronic equipment, or motion picture projection
  machines not using carbon-arc or other light source that emits a gaseous
  discharge   may  be  constructed  in  seating  sections,  provided  such
  platforms or runways comply with the requirements of  paragraph  one  of
  subdivision (a) of this section.
    (b) Stage requirements.
    (1)  DEFINITION. For the purposes of this section the stage in an F-1a
  place of assembly shall  include  the  performing  area  and  all  other
  nonaudience areas that are used in the presentation of a performance and
  that  are open to the performing area. The performing area shall be that
  area between the outer edge of  the  stage  apron  and  the  furthermost
  up-stage  acting  boundary, the width being the maximum stage opening to
  the audience.
    (2) STAGE FLOOR CONSTRUCTION. The floor construction of  stages  shall
  provide  fire-resistance  ratings  complying  with  the  requirements of
  section 27-240 of article two of subchapter three of  this  chapter  and
  table 3-4 except as follows:
    a.  Any portion of the stage floor used for passing scenery and scenic
  elements to a lower level  may  consist  of  heavy  timber  construction
  supporting tight fitting traps of at least three inch nominal solid wood
  or  of  equivalent  materials in terms of fire-resistance, strength, and
  stiffness properties.
    b. Stage lifts shall comply with the provisions of subchapter eighteen
  of this chapter. Any portion of the stage floor that  is  equipped  with
  stage lifts shall be of noncombustible construction. Joints between lift
  platforms and adjacent floors shall be tightly fitted.
    c.  Finish flooring shall comply with the provisions of section 27-351
  of article five of subchapter five of this chapter.
    (3) AREAS BELOW THE STAGE. When the stage floor is equipped with traps
  or stage lifts, the room or space below the stage into which  the  traps
  or  lifts  open  shall  be completely enclosed by construction having at
  least the fire-resistance rating required for the stage floor, and  such
  room  or  space shall not be used as a workshop or storage area. Storage
  shall not be deemed to include the location in this area of  scenery  or
  scenic  elements  used  during  a  performance.  However, no combustible
  material that has a flamespread rating greater than twenty-five or  that
  has not been rendered flameproof in accordance with chapter four of this
  title  may  be  stored  in  this location at any time. Under-stage areas
  shall  comply  with  the  requirements  of  paragraph  eleven  of   this
  subdivision.
    (4)  EXITS FROM THE STAGE. At least two exits, remote from each other,
  shall be available from every point on a stage,  each  within  a  travel
  distance  limitation  of one hundred twenty-five feet. The occupant load
  of the stage shall be based upon one person per fifteen square feet  for
  the  performing  area  and  on  one person per fifty square feet for the

  remaining area. When any portion of a stage is used for audience seating
  at any time, exits of adequate  capacity  shall  be  provided  for  that
  portion,  within  the  travel  distance  limitations  for assembly space
  seating. Exit openings serving a stage directly shall have a capacity of
  seventy-five persons per unit of exit width.
    (5)  SCENERY AND SCENIC ELEMENTS. All scenery or scenic elements shall
  be of noncombustible materials, or of materials  having  a  flame-spread
  rating  not  exceeding  twenty-five,  or  of  materials  that  have been
  rendered flameproof in compliance with the provisions of chapter four of
  this title. Scenery and scenic elements not  complying  with  the  above
  requirements  may  be  used  ony  when  expressly  permitted by the fire
  department.
    (6) RIGGING LOFTS, FLY GALLERIES, AND GRIDIRONS.  Girders,  beams,  or
  slats  of  galleries or gridirons over the stage floor or in the rigging
  loft need not be fire protected but shall be of noncombustible materials
  designed in accordance with the provisions of subchapters nine  and  ten
  of this chapter.
    (7)  AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER PROTECTION. Stages in F-1a places of assembly
  shall be provided with automatic sprinkler protection complying with the
  construction provisions of subchapter  seventeen  of  this  chapter,  as
  follows:
    a.  Automatic  sprinklers shall be placed above all rigging lofts; and
  above all  stage  areas,  other  than  those  portions  of  stage  areas
  specifically  designated  on approved plans as performing areas which do
  not have rigging lofts above and that are  not  at  any  time  used  for
  storage  purposes.  Sprinklers  above  rigging lofts shall be located so
  that no gridiron or other obstruction intervenes between  the  sprinkler
  heads and the scenery or scenic elements.
    b.  When  any  part  of  a stage is sprinklered in accordance with the
  provisions of subparagraph a of this paragraph, or  when  rigging  lofts
  are  provided,  such  stage  areas and rigging lofts shall be completely
  separated from audience areas by a deluge sprinkler system  designed  to
  form  a  vertical  water  curtain,  with heads spaced to provide a water
  density of at least three gpm per linear foot. The water curtain  system
  shall  be  controlled  by  a  deluge  valve  actuated by a "rate of rise
  system" and " fixed temperature  system."  The  heat  actuating  devices
  shall  be located on not more than ten foot centers around the perimeter
  of the sprinklered area or as otherwise required for the type of  device
  used  to  assure  operation  of the system. In addition to the automatic
  controls, manual operating devices shall be  located  at  the  emergency
  control  station  as  required by paragraph ten of this subdivision, and
  adjacent to at least one exit from the stage. Such exit shall be  remote
  from the emergency control panel.
    c. When openings are provided in the stage floor for stage lifts, trap
  doors  or  stairs,  sprinklers  spaced  five  feet  on  centers shall be
  provided around the opening at the ceiling below the stage, and  baffles
  at  least twelve inches in depth shall be installed around the perimeter
  of the opening.
    d. All valves controlling sprinkler supplies shall  be  provided  with
  tamper  switches  wired to an annunciator panel located at the emergency
  control panel.
    e. The operation of any section of the sprinkler system and the deluge
  system shall activate the emergency ventilating  equipment  required  in
  paragraph eight of this subdivision.
    f.  The  water flow alarm, tamper switches and deluge system equipment
  shall be provided with central station supervision in  addition  to  the
  required local alarm.

    g.   Existing   premises  shall  be  required  to  conform  with  this
  requirement on or  before  January  twelfth,  nineteen  hundred  eighty.
  However,  existing sprinkler systems which have been previously accepted
  by the  department  or  by  the  fire  department  shall  be  deemed  in
  compliance with this requirement.
    (8) EMERGENCY VENTILATION. Emergency ventilation shall be provided for
  all  stages  in  F-1a  places of assembly to provide a means of removing
  smoke and combustion gases to the outdoors in the event of  a  fire,  as
  follows:
    a.  A  mechanical  exhaust  system  shall  be  provided  of sufficient
  capacity to exhaust an amount of air at least equal to the  sum  of  the
  following:
    (1) two cfm per square foot of the performing area.
    (2) four cfm per square foot of that portion of stage area that is not
  designated as performing area.
    (3) four cfm per square foot of rigging loft area.
    b.  The  exhaust  system  shall  be  designated  to  be activated both
  manually and automatically, manual operation shall  be  by  means  of  a
  manually  operated  switch  located  at  the  emergency control panel as
  required by paragraph ten of this subdivision and adjacent to  at  least
  one  exit  from  the stage. Such exit shall be remote from the emergency
  control panel.  Automatic activation shall be by means  of  the  sensing
  devices that start the operation of the sprinklers. Exhaust air openings
  of ducts shall be located so as to provide the most effective removal of
  smoke and combustion gases.
    c.  The  exhaust  system shall be provided with an automatic emergency
  by-pass damper in the exhaust duct on the suction side of the fan.  Such
  damper shall close to the fan in the event of a power failure to the fan
  motor  and  shall  open  directly  to the outdoors if the fan is located
  outside the building, or shall open to a duct leading  directly  to  the
  outdoors  if the fan is located inside the building. When located inside
  the building, the fan shall be insulated with  a  minimum  of  one  inch
  magnesia  block  or  the  equivalent  in  insulating  and fire-resistive
  qualities. Exhaust fans shall have drive and bearings located outside of
  the fan impeller housing. The exhaust system shall not be  connected  to
  exhaust openings in any space other than the stage and rigging loft, and
  shall  be  constructed  to  comply  with  the  provisions  of subchapter
  thirteen of this chapter switches shall be clearly  labelled  "emergency
  stage ventilation" and shall be painted red.
    d.  The  emergency  ventilation  system shall be connected to both the
  normal and emergency light and power circuits.
    (9) CURTAINS. No curtain shall be located between  the  audience  area
  and  the  stage  unless  it  is  designated  to  permit the air movement
  required  for  emergency  ventilation  in  paragraph   eight   of   this
  subdivision  to  bypass  or  pass  through the curtain without excessive
  billowing, and be made of noncombustible fabrics, as  specified  in  the
  appendix of reference standard RS 7-3.
    (10)  EMERGENCY  CONTROL  PANEL.  An  emergency control panel shall be
  provided, as follows:
    a. It shall be located on or adjoining the stage,  except  that  where
  the  stage is surrounded by seating, it shall be located so as to permit
  a view of the audience and stage areas. It shall be manned in accordance
  with the requirements of the fire department at  all  times  during  the
  presentation of a performance to an audience.
    b. It shall be equipped with tell-tale lights to indicate when feeders
  and  sub-feeders  of emergency light and power circuits are in operation
  in assembly spaces and all exits, including safe areas.

    c. It shall, when a deluge  type  sprinkler  system  is  provided,  be
  equipped with manual operating devices to activate the sprinkler system.
  It  shall also be provided with a signal system to show when any portion
  of the sprinkler system has been deactivated.
    d.  It shall be provided with switches to provide for operation of the
  emergency ventilating system. Controls for the ventilating system  shall
  be  electrically  supervised.  The supervisory circuit shall be provided
  with a trouble bell and light, both of which shall be activated  in  the
  event  of a failure in the ventilation system. A silencing switch may be
  provided, and where provided, shall have either an  automatic  reset  or
  shall ring again when the trouble is corrected.
    e.  It  shall  be  equipped  with  a  public  address  system  serving
  loudspeakers in the assembly space. The public address system  shall  be
  connected to both the normal and emergency light and power circuits.
    f. It shall be equipped with an alarm system and intercom connected to
  the  manager's  office, the dressing rooms, and to a supervisory central
  fire station.
    (11) AUXILIARY STAGE SPACES. Auxiliary stage spaces such as understage
  areas, dressing rooms, green  rooms,  storage  rooms,  work  shops,  and
  similar  spaces  associated  with the use of the stage shall comply with
  the following:
    a. No point within any auxiliary stage space shall be more than  fifty
  feet from a door providing access to an exit.
    b.  There  shall  be at least two exits available from every auxiliary
  space, one of which shall be  available  within  a  travel  distance  of
  seventy-five  feet.  A  common  path of travel of twenty feet to the two
  exits shall be permitted.
    c. The occupant load of dressing rooms shall be based  on  one  person
  per fifty square feet of area.
    d.  Auxiliary stage spaces shall be equipped with automatic sprinklers
  when required by the provisions of subchapter seventeen of this chapter.
    e. No workshop involving the use of combustible or inflammable  paint,
  liquids, or gases or their storage shall open directly upon a stage.
    f. The interior finish of auxiliary stage spaces shall comply with the
  requirements of table 5-4.
    (12) STAGE LIGHTING. No stage lights shall be placed so that they will
  develop temperatures on the surface of any material that will cause that
  material to ignite, or smoke, or cause its flameproofing to deteriorate.