Section 50.23. Means of egress capacity

(a) A unit of width is the required width for one person or a single line of persons to exit from a building.

(b) The units of width table shall be as follows:

Units	Doorways (Width in inches)	Stairs & Corridors (Width in inches)
1 1/2	32	36
2	40	44
2 1/2	50	50

An additional 10 inches shall be required for each 1/2 unit of width above 2 1/2 units. Credit for units of width shall not be given for a fractional part other than 1/2 unit.

(c) Doorways shall have a minimum clear opening of 32 inches except as indicated in § § 50.25(q) (relating to stair towers) and 50.26(q) (relating to intercommunicating stairways).

(d) The capacity in number of persons per unit of width for approved components of means of egress shall be 60 persons. Buildings protected by automatic sprinkler systems shall be allowed 90 persons per unit of width.

(e) The following table lists the maximum permissible square feet per person for the purpose of determining the minimum number of units of exit:

Occupants Based on Net Floor Area

	Square Feet Per Person
All purpose rooms	10
Bowling alleys (exclusive of area occupied by the alleys)	10
Classrooms	28
Court rooms and other public rooms in public buildings (exclusive of seating)	40
Dance halls, lodge halls and similar occupancies	7
Dining areas	15
Dormitories and wards	75
Drafting rooms and engineering rooms	60
Factories for heavy manufacturing, garages, warehouses, etc.	300
Factories for light manufacturing	80
Hotels and apartments (the actual capacity of sleeping areas)	125
Laboratories	100
Libraries, reading rooms and museums	30
Main exercise rooms of gymnasiums	10
Markets and showrooms and mercantile establishments	50
Offices up to 400 square feet in area	100
Offices more than 400 square feet in area	60
Power houses, boiler rooms, and the like	500
Recreation rooms	10
Vocational shops and similar occupancies in schools	100
Rooms or areas with fixed seats—One occupant per seat

1. Net floor area shall be taken to mean all usable floor space, including all areas occupied by equipment or furnishings, but not including corridors, toilet rooms, and such other accessory rooms as may be provided.

2. Bleachers or benches without arms between seats shall be computed on the basis of not more than one person for every 18 inches in length of the bleachers or bench.

Notation

Cross References

This section cited in 34 Pa. Code § 51.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 52.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 53.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 54.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 55.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 56.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 57.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); 34 Pa. Code § 58.23 (relating to means of egress capacity); and 34 Pa. Code § 59.23 (relating to means of egress capacity).