If you’re the owner of a commercial building, it’s likely that you are aware of what the maximum occupant load of the building is. If you’re not, we highly recommend learning what it is. While some business owners would prefer to have as many people in their building as possible, the fact remains that there is a legal limit for how many people can safely occupy a space.
The maximum occupant load number is not determined arbitrarily. It takes into account a number of significant factors, not the least of which is the purpose for which the building is used. That purpose determines the prescribed unit of area per person. For example, a station in a hair salon typically contains two people, but the same square footage could accommodate four to six people in a restaurant. The area of each room is divided by this area per person, and along with considerations for overall building size and number of exits, the occupant load is calculated.
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