Egress

The exit routes from a space, which must remain clear and adequately sized for the occupant load.

How it works in practice

Egress is the route out: from every seat to an exit door, and from that door to safe open space. Code sizes exits for the room’s occupant load, but code only assumes the room is used as designed. Planners then fill it with draping, bars, photo booths, stages and stacks of chair carts. Every one of those can narrow or hide an exit.

Fire inspectors and venue managers look for three things. Exits must be visible, with exit signs not hidden behind pipe and drape or backdrops. Paths to them must be clear, with aisles between rounds wide enough to move through. And the doors themselves must open, not be chained, blocked by a coat rack or used as a storage spot for empty racks.

In Ontario and the GTA

Toronto hotels and convention venues review floor plans before they sign off the room set, and many will reject a plan that blocks an exit or narrows an aisle. Fire services can attend events and order changes or stop an event if egress is compromised. Tents bring their own exit requirements under the Building Code, and tent permits look at exits as part of approval.

How to handle it

1. Get the venue’s floor plan with exits marked before you design the layout.
2. Draw the layout to scale with all furniture, staging, bars and décor in place.
3. Trace a path from the furthest seat to each exit; nothing should block or hide it.
4. Keep draping and backdrops clear of exit signs and door swings.
5. Put queues for bars, photo booths and coat check where they will not back up into exit routes.
6. Send the final plan to the venue for written approval.
7. On the day, walk every exit after setup and again after the room is full.

Questions to ask

• Which exits must stay open, and which can be used for staff or load-in?
• Will the fire authority review this plan, and how far in advance?
• Where can we store empty cases and carts so they are not in the corridors?

The venue tour checklist includes an exits walk-through, and the day-of emergency kit covers what to brief staff on.