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Prior Chicago Building Code
BUILDING CODE AND RELATED EXCERPTS OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO
DIVISION 1 - ADMINISTRATION
DIVISION 2 - DEFINITIONS
DIVISION 3 - USE AND OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS
Subdivision 302 - Classification
Subdivision 303 - Assembly
CHAPTER 13-84 ASSEMBLY UNITS
13-84-010 General requirements.
13-84-020 Capacity of schools.
13-84-030 Frontage requirements.
13-84-040 Special height limitations.
13-84-050 Special enclosures and separations.
13-84-060 Special fire-resistive requirements.
13-84-070 Definitions.
13-84-080 Construction requirements - Type 1 stages.
13-84-090 Construction requirements - Type 2 stages.
13-84-100 Stage vents - Type 1 stages.
13-84-110 Proscenium opening - Type 1 stages.
13-84-120 Projection rooms.
13-84-130 Bowling alleys.
13-84-140 Planning requirements for Type I schools.
13-84-150 Planning requirements for Type III schools.
13-84-160 Special exit requirements.
13-84-170 Minimum number of exits.
13-84-180 Width of exits.
13-84-190 Location of exits.
13-84-200 Exit connections.
13-84-210 Exit courts and exit passageways.
13-84-220 Waiting spaces.
13-84-230 Aisles and seating.
13-84-240 Railings.
13-84-250 Ramps and steps.
13-84-260 Exits from stage block.
13-84-270 Fixed seating.
13-84-280 Schools for handicapped children - Elevator requirements.
13-84-290 Accessibility for handicapped.
13-84-300 Exhibition areas in excess of 10,000 square feet.
13-84-310 Automatic smoke and heat vents - Requirements for topmost occupied levels.
13-84-320 Noncombustible draft curtains - Where required.
13-84-330 Automatic smoke and heat vents - Requirements for lower floor levels.
13-84-331 Special requirement for nightclubs and restaurants.
13-84-340 Exhibition area minimum aisle width.
13-84-350 Smoke detectors.
13-84-351 Temporary display booths.
13-84-360 Storage of combustible containers.
13-84-370 Open plan schools - Individual plan floor areas.
13-84-380 Stair enclosures.
13-84-390 Fire guard requirements.
13-84-400 Floor plan diagram to be submitted to department of buildings.
13-84-410 Building capacity - Signs to be posted.
13-84-420 Building capacity - Approval required.
13-84-430 Exit and aisle regulations.
CHAPTER 13-88 OPEN AIR ASSEMBLY UNITS
Subdivision 304 - Business
Subdivision 306 - Factory
Subdivision 307 - High-Hazard
Subdivision 308 - Institutional
Subdivision 309 - Mercantile
Subdivision 310 - Residential
Subdivision 311 - Storage
Subdivision 312 - Utility and Miscellaneous
DIVISION 4 - SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON USE AND OCCUPANCY
DIVISION 5 - GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
DIVISION 6 - TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 7 - FIRE-RESISTANCE-RATED CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 8 - INTERIOR FINISHES (NA)
DIVISION 9 - FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS
DIVISION 10 - MEANS OF EGRESS
DIVISION 11 - ACCESSIBILITY
DIVISION 12 - INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION 13 - ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
DIVISION 14 - EXTERIOR WALLS (NA)
DIVISION 15 - ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES (NA)
DIVISION 16 - STRUCTURAL DESIGN
DIVISION 17 - STRUCTURAL TESTS AND SPECIAL INSPECTIONS
DIVISION 18 - SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
DIVISION 19 - CONCRETE
DIVISION 20 - ALUMINUM (NA)
DIVISION 21 - MASONRY
DIVISION 22 - STEEL
DIVISION 23 - WOOD
DIVISION 24 - GLASS AND GLAZING (NA)
DIVISION 25 - GYPSUM BOARD AND PLASTER (NA)
DIVISION 26 - PLASTIC (NA)
DIVISION 27 - ELECTRICAL
DIVISION 28 - MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
DIVISION 29 - PLUMBING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 30 - ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 31 - SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION (NA)
DIVISION 32 - ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
DIVISION 33 - SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 34 - EXISTING STRUCTURES
DIVISION 35 - REFERENCED STANDARDS

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13-84-160  Special exit requirements.
   Every room or space in an assembly unit shall comply with the applicable requirements of Chapter 13-160 and with the special exit requirements of Sections 13-84-170 to 13-84-280, inclusive.
(Prior code § 54-8)
13-84-170  Minimum number of exits.
   The minimum number of exits from every room, space or seating level in assembly units shall be not less than the following:
 
Capacity
Minimum Number of Exits
50 or less
1
51 to 300
2
301 to 1,000
3
More than 1,000
4
 
(Prior code § 54-8)
13-84-180  Width of exits.
   (a)   Schools. The capacity of exits in schools shall be computed as follows:
      (1)   Stairs and other vertical exits: 100 persons per unit of exit width.
      (2)   Doorways, corridors and horizontal exit connections: 115 persons per unit of exit width.
   When lockers are installed in corridors of schools, the full required clear width of the corridor shall be provided between locker doors when open.
   (b)   Assembly Units Other than Schools. The capacity of exits in assembly units other than schools shall be computed as follows:
      (1)   Stairs and other vertical exits except in buildings of Type III construction: 60 persons per unit of exit width; in buildings of Type III construction, 40 persons per unit of exit width.
      (2)   Doorways, corridors and horizontal exit connections: 90 persons per unit of exit width.
   (c)   Open Plan Schools. The capacity of exits in open plan schools shall be computed as follows:
      (1)   Stairs and other vertical exits: 85 persons per unit of exit width;
      (2)   Doorways and other horizontal exits: 100 persons per unit of exit width.
   Doors located at the end of an aisle and serving only that aisle shall not be required to have a width greater than the width of the aisle as provided in Section 13-84-230.
(Prior code § 54-8.2; Amend Coun. J. 3-30-88, p. 11380)
13-84-190  Location of exits.
   (a)   Exits shall be located as remote from each other as is practicable. In rooms, spaces or seating levels having fixed seats and requiring more than two exits, the exits shall be so located as to serve both sides of the front half and both sides of the rear half of the seating level.
   (b)   All required stairs in Type I schools shall open directly to the outside air or to a public vestibule or lobby leading to the outside. The travel distance from the stairway to the outside exit door of such vestibule or lobby shall not exceed 20 feet.
(Prior code § 54-8.3)
13-84-200  Exit connections.
   (a)   In theaters, the foyer at the main floor level shall connect to a public street or streets either directly or through a straight and unobstructed corridor equal in minimum width to the aggregate required width of exit; except that not more than one-third of the aggregate exit width may lead to alleys, courts or exit passageways complying with the requirements of Section 13-84-210. Foyers and connecting corridors may have ramps having a slope of not more than one in 10.
   (b)   In rooms of assembly units other than theaters, exits may lead to any horizontal or vertical means of exit complying with the requirements of Chapter 13-160.
   (c)   Vertical exits shall be cumulative between floors in case of open multileveled type spaces such as balconies and mezzanines in theaters.
(Prior code § 54-8.4)
13-84-210  Exit courts and exit passageways.
   Every exterior exit of an assembly unit shall open directly to a public way or to an exit court or exit passageway complying with the following requirements:
   (a)   Construction of Exit Courts. The walls of every exit court shall be of construction providing fire resistance of not less than three hours. No door opening shall be permitted in any wall of such court except the exit doors from the assembly unit. Such door openings shall be protected with Class D or Class E fire doors. Every window opening in the walls of an exit court located below a level 30 feet above the top of the highest exit doorway shall be protected with a fire window or other approved opening protective assembly complying with the requirements of Chapter 15-12.
   (b)   Construction of Exit Passageways. Every exit passageway shall be separated from other portions of the building by walls, floors and ceilings providing fire resistance of not less than three hours. There shall be no openings through such separation other than the required exit doors leading thereto.
   (c)   Width of Exit Courts and Exit Passageways. The minimum width of an exit court or exit passageway shall be not less than five feet, six inches. Such width shall be increased where necessary to provide a clear width at every point equal to 22 inches for each 90 persons served. Such increase in width shall be cumulative in the direction of exit.
   (d)   Ramps. Differences in level in exit courts and exit passageways shall be accommodated by ramps having a grade of not more than one in eight.
(Prior code § 54-8.5)
13-84-220  Waiting spaces.
   In theaters and similar assembly units having a capacity of 300 persons or more where persons are admitted to the building at times when seats are not available and are allowed to wait in a lobby or similar space, such use of lobby or similar space shall not encroach upon the required clear width of exits. The total required width of exits from the building shall be based on the total capacity of the building, including waiting spaces. The capacity of waiting spaces shall be computed at one person for each three square feet of waiting area.
(Prior code § 54-8.6)
13-84-230  Aisles and seating.
   All aisles and seating in assembly units shall comply with the requirements of this section.
   (a)   Arrangement of Aisles. Every aisle shall lead to an exit door or to another aisle leading directly to an exit.
   (b)   Seating. No row of seats shall have more than 14 seats between aisles and not more than seven seats abutting an aisle at one end only, with the following exceptions:
      (1)   In assembly units of Type I-A or I-B construction, other than theaters, there may be not more than 20 seats between aisles and not more than ten seats abutting an aisle at one end only.
      (2)   When the distance between rows of seats is increased above that required by Section 13-84-230(e), the number of seats between aisles may be increased by one seat for each inch that such distance is increased; provided, however, that in no case shall there be more than ten seats in a row abutting an aisle on one end only.
      (3)   When the distance between rows of seats is increased above that required in Section 13-84-230(e), by an amount of eight inches, rows not exceeding 48 seats between aisles shall be permitted.
   (c)   Transverse Aisles.
      (1)   Transverse aisles leading to exits shall be provided at the rear of every seating level unless there are exits at the end of each longitudinal aisles.
      (2)   Transverse aisles shall be provided in all seating levels so that in no case shall there be a difference of level exceeding 12 feet between intermediate transverse aisles nor six feet from the lowest seat platform and a transverse aisle; provided, however, that in lieu of such transverse aisles there may be vomitories or other direct exits from each longitudinal aisle located at the same maximum difference of level.
   (d)   Width of Aisles.
      (1)   No aisle shall be less than 36 inches in width except that aisles with seats on one side only, and aisles serving not more than 60 seats, may have a minimum width of 30 inches.
      (2)   Transverse aisles shall have a minimum width of 44 inches.
      (3)   Aisles shall be increased in width where necessary to provide a clear width at every point equal to 18 inches for each 100 persons served. Such increase shall be cumulative in the direction of normal exit.
   (e)   Spacing of Rows.
      (1)   Rows of seats without backs shall be not less than 28 inches apart measured from corresponding points of adjacent rows. Telescoping bleachers without backs shall be not less than 24 inches apart measured from corresponding points of adjacent rows.
      (2)   Rows of seats with backs shall be spaced not less than 34 inches apart, measured back to back except that such distance may be reduced to 32 inches when the thickness of the back does not exceed three- fourths inch.
(Prior code § 54-8.7)
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