CALCULATION PACKAGE

OCCUPANT LOAD CALCULATIONS

FOR ASSEMBLY OCCUPANCIES AND LICENSED BEVERAGE ESTABLISHMENTS

Please keep the first three pages for your information.

This guideline is set up pursuant to Vancouver Fire Bylaw Sentence [Link]., on determining
occupant loads for assembly occupancies and licensed beverage establishments.

Any assembly space more than 60 persons, including a licensed beverage establishment,
will be required to comply with the following procedure. A “Licensed Beverage
Establishment” is defined to be:

"An assembly occupancy or part thereof, including Class 2 restaurants as defined in

the Zoning and Development Bylaw, where alcohol may be consumed and may
include lounges, pubs, recreational centers, community halls, cabarets,
neighborhood public houses, marine public houses, and similar facilities.”

Applicants requiring an occupant load permit can apply directly to the Captain Plans Review
at:

Fire Prevention Office – Suite 306, 456 West Broadway, Vancouver V5Y 1R3 (604-
871-6261)

Applicants are required to make their first determination of the maximum occupant load with
the enclosed procedure. The submission must include:

 Scaled drawings (1 full size + 1 reduced copy) to the Fire Department for
verification of accuracy, and a stamp of acceptance. Where applicable, the drawings
must show the seating layout of the floor area or room in question. If the room is on
a floor other than the ground floor, other drawings must be submitted to indicate
where the discharge locations of the exits are from that floor area. The drawings
must be dimensioned and should include the building's fire safety system such as
locations of exit signs, pull stations, fire alarm panel and emergency lighting.

 A cheque made out to "City of Vancouver" for $300 for an occupant load of 150 or
less, and $500 for an occupant load of 151 or more. This permit fee includes an on-
site inspection to determine conformance with the plans.

 Worksheet on Page 4 of this package. Please return the work sheet with your plans
to our office and you will be contacted when they have been completed. The
turnaround time for processing will depend on the work load, with a minimum five
working days for processing.

Upon acceptance and inspection, an Occupant Load Permit and placard indicating the
maximum capacity will be issued by the Fire Department. Either the permit or the placard
must be displayed in a conspicuous location in your establishment.

A site visit will take place sometime before or after the permit is issued. If the Plans and
Form 1 submitted are not accurate, the Permit and Stamped Plans may be revoked, with no
refund of costs.

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Calculation Package (Occupant Load Calculations) – Revised August, 2013
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 PLAN VERIFICATION INFORMATION FORM
FOR MAXIMUM OCCUPANT LOAD DETERMINATION

A. DETERMINING NET FLOOR AREA

“Net Floor Area” is defined in the Fire By-law as:

Net floor area means the floor area of a room intended for occupancy, excluding ancillary areas such
as kitchens, washrooms, service rooms, janitor closets, cloakrooms, vestibules adjacent to designated
entry or exit doors, structural elements and partitions, and fixtures permanently attached to the floor.

In general, “net floor area” in an assembly space is where the public is expected to or can assemble.
Areas that are generally deducted from the gross floor area of a room include:

 circulation spaces in front of the washrooms or exits;

 areas behind the bar and including the bar fixtures;
 structural elements;
 fixtures, either permanently attached to the floor, or deemed by their nature to be not easily
moved (e.g. pool and gaming tables);
 music booths, stages and platforms which, are intended for performances and fixed counter
tops; and
 hallways to exiting.

Do not deduct seating, either fixed or unattached or tables incidental to such seating.

B. DETERMINING TOTAL EXIT WIDTH

Measure the actual opening size of each designated exit and express the combined total in _mm_, to
determine the total exit width. The exits must comply with the Vancouver Building By-law. Here are a
few Building By-law requirements that are applicable:

1. Where there is only one (1) exit, the maximum occupant load for the room is limited to 60
persons [VBBL [Link].(2)]

2. If there is more than one (1) exit, every exit shall be considered as contributing not more than
½ the required exit width, i.e. the exit capacity is limited to 2 x the capacity as determined by
the more restricted exit. [VBBL [Link].(3)]

Also Note:

1. Doors must open in the direction of exit travel to be considered exit doors.
2. Access through an open kitchen cannot be deemed as public access to exit.
3. All exits, particularly for existing buildings, must comply with all requirements in the Building
Bylaw for exits (e.g. flame spread rating, emergency lights, exit lights, door hardware, etc.) in
order to be considered as contributing in exit widths.

MAXIMUM OCCUPANT LOAD CALCULATION

The maximum occupant load of a room or floor area for an assembly occupancy, or licensed
beverage establishment, shall be the lesser number derived by:

(a) Dividing the net floor area by the pertinent factor in Table A and,
(b) Determining the number of persons for whom there is sufficient exit capacity using the factors
in Table B.

The number of persons permitted to occupy a room shall not exceed the maximum occupant load
calculated.

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Calculation Package (Occupant Load Calculations) – Revised August, 2013
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 TABLE A

TYPE OF USE OF ROOM OR FLOOR AREA AREA PER PERSON m2

Assembly uses:
Space with non-fixed seats 0.75
Stages for theatrical performances 0.75
Space with non-fixed seats and tables 0.95
Standing space 0.40
Stadium and grandstands 0.60
Bowling alleys, pool and billiard rooms 9.30
Classrooms 1.85
School shops and vocational rooms 9.30
Reading or writing rooms or lounges 1.85
Laboratories in schools 4.60
Dining and cafeteria space 1.20
Licensed beverage establishment 1.20
Behind Kitchen/Bar Area 9.30

TABLE B
EXIT CAPACITY

Assembly Hall (1) Except as permitted by Sentence (3) and required by Sentence (4), the
Aggregate required width of exits serving floor areas intended for assembly
occupancies, residential occupancies, business and personal services
occupancies, mercantile occupancies, and industrial occupancies shall be
determined by multiplying the occupant load of the area served by:
a) 6.1 mm per person for ramps with a slope not more than 1 in 8,
doorways, corridors and passageways, or
b) 8 mm per person for a stair consisting of steps whose rise is not more
than 180 mm and whose run is not less than 280 mm, or
c) 9.2 mm per person for:
i) ramps with a slope more than 1 in 8, or
ii) stairs, other than stairs conforming to Clause (b).

Licensed (2) For a licensed beverage establishment the exit capacity shall be twice
Beverage the capacity calculated pursuant to sentence 1, or the occupant load shall
Establishment be ½ of that number calculated for a non-licensed assembly use, if exits
are the governing factor.

MAXIMUM OCCUPANT LOAD CALCULATION:

2
#1 Net floor area (m ) = no. of persons
Appropriate figure from Table A

#2 Total exit width (mm) = no. of persons

Appropriate figure from Table B

Therefore, the maximum occupant load capacity will be the lowest number of persons calculated
above. Place this figure on Form 1.

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Calculation Package (Occupant Load Calculations) – Revised August, 2013
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 FORM FOR MAXIMUM OCCUPANT LOAD DETERMINATION

City of Vancouver
Fire & Rescue Services
1 set of drawings
back to applicant _
for LCB process
Building Address: ____________ _
Business Name: Business Phone:
Previously Known As:
Occupancy (restaurant, pub, etc.):

Applicant Premise Owner

Name: Name:
Title: Address:
Address: City: Postal Code:
City: Postal Code:
Phone: (day) Phone:
Fax: Cell:

Associated Permit: DE BU

Previously Approved Occupant Load: Yes No

By: (office) Date:

For L.C.B.C. Approval: Yes No Class License

Room/Area #1 (name)

Gross Floor Area: m2 Net Floor Area: m2 @ m2/person =

# of Exits: Total Exit Width: mm @ mm/person = _ *

Occupant Load =

Room/Area #2 (name)

Gross Floor Area: m2 Net Floor Area: m2 @ m2/person =

# of Exits: Total Exit Width: mm @ mm/person = _*

Occupant Load =

* Assuming both exits are equal in width.

I hereby certify that the figures entered above represent a true and accurate calculation of the
premises in question.
Reinspections for work not completed in conformance with accepted drawings will require an additional fee
at the approved hourly rate.

Signature: _________________ Date:

Return completed form with your scale drawings of the specific areas along with a cheque made payable
to the City of Vancouver, in the amount of $300 (up to 150) or $500 (151 and over) to the Fire Prevention
Office:
Suite #306- 456 West Broadway, Vancouver, V5Y 1R3

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Calculation Package (Occupant Load Calculations) – Revised August, 2013
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