Occupant Load verses Posted Occupancy

Miscellaneous Inspection Topics AskNACHI.org Questions
1

I apologize if this question has already been asked recently or repeatedly. I am a new visitor to this website.

I am questioning how an architect calculated the posted occupancy for a quick serve restaurant which is 3,000 SF. When I calculate the square footage of each function of space -Waiting area, Fixed and Non-fixed seating, Kitchen, Storage, etc. and remove the Exempt Areas, I divided the square footages by the occupant load factors. I came up with a total occupant load of 115.

On the construction documents, the architect is stating that the posted occupancy is 95 and the calculated occupant load is 115. They are taking the number of seats, which is 75 and then adding 20 or other arbitrary numbers to stay below the 100 magic number which will require the installation of a sprinkler system in the building.

Should the posted occupancy be 115 instead of 95?

Thank you in advance for your help~

2

Ask the architect.

3

This needs to be addressed with the local AHJ, not an International Home Inspector MB, unless you just want a WAG, so then in that case… ‘maybe’!

4

This may not be the best forum to seek the answer that you are looking for. As your question is technical and code related, as well as fire code related, you may want to look for a ICC (International Code Council) or NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) forum that is more suited to building code and occupant load type questions.

here is a forum that may be able to help: http://www.thebuildingcodeforum.com/forum/forum.php

5

Thank you Steve for the link to another forum. I will continue my inquiry there.