Good find. Section 17.1.1.5 of NFPA 5000 refers instructional laboratories in educational occupancies to the business occupancy classification (paralleling the treatment in the International Fire Code) . Table 11.3.1.2 specifies an occupancy factor of 100 sq. feet per person gross (inside exterior walls). This also lines up with the IFC.

Tom

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

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!

 

Ray Cook, CIH, CSP

ApexHSE.com

832-477-4454

 

I Cor 1:18

Sent from my iPhone

 

On Dec 4, 2014, at 9:58 PM, Samuella Sigmann <sigmannsb**At_Symbol_Here**APPSTATE.EDU> wrote:

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."

 

 

 

 

From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU] On Behalf Of Melissa Charlton-Smith
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2014 6:11 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] lab occupancies and fire codes

 

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

 

 

--

********************************************************************************************
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