After some digging I found code 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code from NFPA which has a nice occupancy load table that lists educational labs at 50sqft net per person. I am not sure if the net means after taking away square footage occupied by fixed furniture, lab benches and cabinetry, though I have sent out feelers for clarification. Will let everybody know what I find out when I find out.
Thanks so much for the feedback!
Mel
Mel Charlton-Smith
Chemistry Lab Coordinator, CHO-NRCC
Coordinator of BS-CHS program, Lecturer
WVWC - Chemistry Dept.
CHS-319
59 College Ave
Buckhannon, WV 26201
charltonsmith**At_Symbol_Here**wvwc.edu
304-473-8355
Fire Marshals may look at it a bit different, as they also have to consider the route of egress, not the square footage between the walls. So 24 students in a room may be OK under one reg, but the FMs need to consider the routes those 24 folks need to take to get out.. Are the aisles, doorways and stairs blocked, too narrow, too twisty or is the distance to travel to get out of the building too great? It is not always comparing apples to apples (UBC to NFPA).
Mark Yanchisin
Coordinator for Clinical and Laboratory Safety Programs
Environmental Health and Safety
University of Florida
POB 112190 Bldg 179 Newell Dr.
Gainesville, Fl 32611-2190
O- 352-392-1591
F- 352-392-3647
Mark**At_Symbol_Here**ehs.ufl.edu
That is interesting.... this information is coming from our university people. I will have to have a conversation with our state fire inspector when he comes this year.
Sammye
On 12/5/2014 8:40 AM, Ray Cook wrote:
The occupant load area is determined by the space within the walls. I think that fire person is mistaken. As a past Fire Marshal, I recognize that the codes take into account the furnishings, which is why occupant load varies by facility usage or type.
Cheers!
Ours is the same in NC. To further clarify, according to our fire person that 50 sq ft/person has to be unobstructed with permanent structures. We can't count the lab bench area - only the open floor space.
I have never measured our floor space - I might be afraid to...
S-
On 12/4/2014 7:29 PM, Debbie M. Decker wrote:
50 square feet per student - our teaching labs are about 1200 square feet and so we accommodate 24 students in lab.
It's in the fire code in California. Your mileage may vary.
Best,
Debbie M. Decker, CCHO
Safety Manager
Department of Chemistry
University of California, Davis
122 Chemistry
1 Shields Ave.
Davis, CA 95616
(530)754-7964
(530)304-6728
dmdecker**At_Symbol_Here**ucdavis.edu
Birkett's hypothesis: "Any chemical reaction
that proceeds smoothly under normal conditions,
can proceed violently in the presence of an idiot."
HI everybody,
This has probably been hashed over before, but it is a situation that may be cropping up at my institution and I need some "ammo". Are there and NFPA codes that anyone is aware of that limits the occupancy of a lab? I believe that 60-70 sq ft per person is recommended, but I am unable to find any code that specifically states that. I don't want our local fire marshal to "have a cow" if the school overloads a lab. I already have all my safety arguments lined out, but I'd like some solid regs and/or codes behind me as well.
You know how these things can crop up-you think you've drilled it into their collective heads that they can or can't do something, but sometimes it seems to fall on deaf ears and then you are forced to be the bad guy and say LOOK at the regs! You CAN'T do this. Look at the liabilities (gotto throw up those $$$ signs).
Thanks all,
Mel
Mel Charlton-Smith
Chemistry Lab Coordinator, CHO-NRCC
Coordinator of BS-CHS program, Lecturer
WVWC - Chemistry Dept.
CHS-319
59 College Ave
Buckhannon, WV 26201
charltonsmith**At_Symbol_Here**wvwc.edu
304-473-8355
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We, the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful.. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do everything with nothing. Teresa Arnold
Samuella B. Sigmann, NRCC-CHO
Lecturer/Safety Committee Chair
A. R. Smith Department of Chemistry
Appalachian State University
525 Rivers Street
Boone, NC 28608
Phone: 828 262 2755
Fax: 828 262 6558
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**appstate.edu
--
********************************************************************************************
We, the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so much, for so long, with so little, we are now qualified to do everything with nothing. Teresa Arnold
Samuella B. Sigmann, NRCC-CHO
Lecturer/Safety Committee Chair
A. R. Smith Department of Chemistry
Appalachian State University
525 Rivers Street
Boone, NC 28608
Phone: 828 262 2755
Fax: 828 262 6558
Email: sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**appstate.edu
