316.060. Places of public amusement--construction--exit defined.
Places of public amusement--construction--exit defined.
316.060. 1. In every building used as a place of assemblyfor public amusement in which seats in rows are providedindividual seats shall be provided for all persons congregatingtherein. The width of seats or chairs shall not be less thaneighteen inches measured from center to center. Seats in rows,whether fixed or movable, except in boxes or loges not exceedingsixty square feet in area and in existing balconies of concreteconstruction having fixed seats, shall not be less thantwenty-eight inches apart from back to back. The number of seatsin any row, extending from one longitudinal aisle to another,shall not exceed eighteen, so that no seat shall have more thaneight seats intervening between it and an aisle, and the numberof seats extending from a wall to a longitudinal aisle shall notexceed nine; provided, however, that if the seats are fixedchairs with self-raising seats, so spaced that when the seats areraised there is an unobstructed space of not less than eighteeninches horizontal projection between the rows of seats, and ifdoorways leading directly to exit corridors are provided not morethan five feet apart along the sides of the auditorium, thenumber of seats in a row may be not more than twenty-five. Inbuildings regularly used as places of assembly for theatrical,operatic or similar performances or for the display of motionpictures, the seats, except in boxes or loges not exceeding sixtysquare feet in area, shall be fixed and shall be separated byarms. In boxes or loges, not exceeding sixty square feet inarea, and in other locations where loose chairs are permitted,not more than one chair shall be provided for each six squarefeet of floor space.
2. Every aisle shall lead to an exit door or to a crossaisle; that is, an aisle running parallel with the seat rows andleading to an exit door. No main floor longitudinal aisle ofexpanding width shall be less than twenty-seven inches wide atany point and where such means of exit accommodates more than onehundred and eighty persons the width thereof shall be increased.Main floor longitudinal aisles increasing gradually in width inthe direction of exit travel shall be of such width that thenumber of persons to be accommodated at any point does not exceedone hundred and twenty persons per eighteen inches of width. Ifmain floor aisles are of a constant width, in theaters having acapacity of four hundred and fifty seats or less on the mainfloor, the width of the aisles shall be not less than thirty-twoinches; in theaters having a capacity of more than four hundredand fifty seats but less than seven hundred and fifty seats onthe main floor, the width of the aisle shall be not less thanthirty-six inches; and in theaters having a capacity of more thanseven hundred and fifty seats on the main floor, the width of theaisle shall be not less than forty-two inches. Main floor aisleshaving seats on one side only shall be not less than twenty-eightinches wide in theaters having a capacity of four hundred andfifty seats or less on the main floor; not less than thirtyinches in theaters having a capacity of more than four hundredand fifty seats and less than seven hundred and fifty seats onthe main floor; not less than thirty-two inches in theatershaving a capacity of more than seven hundred and fifty seats onthe main floor. Main floor cross aisles shall not be less inwidth than the widest aisle with which they connect. Everyauxiliary floor longitudinal aisle shall be at least twenty-eightinches wide. Steps shall not be placed in aisles unless thegradient would exceed one-foot rise in each ten-feet run. Steps,when necessary, shall be grouped, and, so far as practicable,isolated steps shall be avoided. Such steps shall extend acrossthe full width of the aisles. No riser shall be more than eightinches in height, and no tread shall be less than nine inches inwidth, and whenever the riser of seat platforms is four inches orless, the floor of the aisles shall be made as a gradient. Allaisles shall be illuminated. Aisles shall be used only forpassage to and from seats and shall be kept unobstructed at alltimes.
3. "Exit" or "exit way" means the exit doorway or doorways,or such doorways together with connecting hallways, passageways,or stairways, to which persons may pass safely from a room orspace to a street or to any open space which provides safe accessto a street. Exits or exit ways from any room may lead throughother rooms of the same or other tenancies. There shall be aminimum of two exits on the main floor of every such building,one being located at the front and the other being located at therear of the building. Side exits easily accessible may beinstalled in place of rear exits. Such exits shall have aminimum width of thirty-six inches and shall have a combined oraggregate width of not less than twenty-two inches for each onehundred seats or major fraction thereof up to and including onethousand seats with one foot additional width for each additionalone hundred seats or major fraction thereof, up to and includingtwo thousand seats, and an additional six inches for eachadditional one hundred seats or major fraction thereof over twothousand seats. All exit doors shall be arranged to swingoutward and be so constructed that they can be readily openedfrom the inside with pressure, and shall never be locked orfastened when the room is open to the public. All such exitdoors shall be open upon a well-lighted street, alley, or privatepassageway having unobstructed access to a street or anotheralley. Each exit door must have a light above each doorway with"EXIT" in letters large enough to be read from any part of theroom, and, where electricity is used for the illumination ofthese signs, the current shall be on a circuit separate fromgeneral house lights. Balconies, galleries, tiers, or otherspaces having a capacity of more than two hundred persons each,shall have at least two exit ways and, where the capacity is morethan six hundred persons, at least three exit ways, and, wherethe capacity is more than one thousand persons, at least fourexit ways. Such required exit ways may use communicatinghallways, corridors, or passageways.
4. All scenery and curtains shall be made as secure againstbecoming inflamed as reasonably practicable, and also allreasonably practicable arrangements shall be made for theconstant supply of water or other means for the extinguishment offires, and they shall be kept constantly effective during thepresence of an audience; provided, however, that any building orstructure coming under the provisions of sections 316.060 to316.100 that has, or may be required to have under the provisionsof this section, only one center aisle, such aisle shall be ofconstant width, and that width shall not be less than the widestminimum width of such aisle provided in this section; andprovided further, that any provision of this section relating tothe type of seats required shall not apply to any building orstructure to which sections 316.060 to 316.100 are applicablewhere the seating capacity is less than one hundred and eightypersons.
(RSMo 1939 § 14958, A.L. 1949 p. 564)Prior revisions: 1929 § 13765; 1919 § 10969; 1909 § 10674
CROSS REFERENCES:
Doors to public buildings to open outward, RSMo 320.070
Public buildings, fire escapes required, how constructed, number, Chap. 320, RSMo
Wheelchair accessibility signs, display of required, when, RSMo 8.655