N.Y. Comp. Codes R. & Regs. tit. 12, § 45-5.6 – Viewing stands.

(1) Seats secured or designed to be secured to the floor—total of all.
(2) Benches or bleachers—18 inches of bench or bleacher length shall constitute one person unless arms are used between seats, in which case paragraph (1) of this subdivision shall apply.
(3) Portable seats—one person per each six square feet of horizontal surface area.
(4) Standing room—one person per each three square feet of horizontal surface area designated for such use.
(b) Exits.
(1) When the viewing stands are located in tents, the provisions of section 45-5.7(d) of this Subpart shall apply.
(2) The distance of travel from any seat to a public way, an open field, or other adequate open space, shall not exceed 150 feet in open air locations of viewing stands. Open air locations are those locations where the viewing stand is not in a tent or an entirely enclosed building.
(3) The capacity of doorways, gateways, corridors, passageways, ramps and stairways in open air viewing stands shall be at the rate of 50 persons per 12 inches of clear width. The minimum width of any doorway or gateway used by the public shall be three feet, and of any corridor, passageway, ramp, or stairway, four feet (for a capacity of 150 and 200 persons respectively). Every such means of exit shall be increased in width cumulatively towards the outside exit doorways or gateways so that a clear width will be provided at the rate of 12 inches for each 50 persons served.
(4) Stairways in open air viewing stands are not required to be enclosed.
(5) Every crossaisle, corridor, passageway, ramp or stairway shall lead to or be directly connected with an outside exit doorway or gateway on the main exit level, or with an open field or other adequate open space leading to an outside exit.
(6) No turnstiles are permitted in any required means of egress.
(c) Design, construction and maintenance.
(1) Viewing stands shall be designed, constructed and maintained to support a uniformly distributed live load of not less than 100 pounds per square foot of gross horizontal projection of the viewing stand in addition to their own weight. All seats and footboard members shall be designed for live loads of not less than 120 pounds per linear foot.
(2) Viewing stands shall be designed, constructed and maintained to resist, with or without live load, a horizontal wind load of 30 pounds per square foot of all vertical projections of the stand.
(3) Viewing stands shall be designed, constructed and maintained to resist a horizontal swaying force applied to the seats in a direction parallel to the length of the seats, of 24 pounds per linear foot of seats, and in a direction perpendicular to the length of the seats, of 10 pounds per linear foot of seats.
(d) Limit on combustible construction.
(1) Any viewing stand of wood frame construction located in the open air shall be separated from other structures of combustible construction by an open space at least 15 feet wide.
(2) No permanent viewing stand of wood frame construction shall have more than one tier of seats.
(3) The highest level of any seating in a viewing stand of wood frame construction shall not exceed 12 feet above the ground or other surface below it if such viewing stand is within a tent, nor 20 feet above the ground or other surface below it if such viewing stand is otherwise located.
(4) If the space beneath any viewing stand is used for any purpose except exitways, the portion of the space so used shall be fully enclosed by ceilings and partitions having a fire- resistance rating of at least one hour.
(e) Openings in floor or seating space.
Openings in the floor or seating space of any permanent open air place of public assembly which exceed one-half inch in any dimension, and which are above any space occupied by the public, shall have thereunder a protective guard of one-half inch wire mesh.
(f) Seating.
(1) In permanent viewing stands every seat shall be fastened securely in place except in boxes containing not more than 16 portable seats or chairs.
(2) Permanently fixed seats in a viewing stand shall not exceed 20 in any row between aisles, nor 10 in any row between an aisle and a railing or wall.
(3) Seats not permanently fixed in a viewing stand shall be used only when arranged in rigid units of five or more and secured against displacement. Such seats shall not exceed 15 in any row between aisles nor 10 in any row between an aisle and a railing or wall.
(4) Step-type continuous seats with or without backs shall not exceed 30 in any row between aisles nor 15 between an aisle and a railing or wall.
(5) In a viewing stand of wood frame construction, step-type continuous seats with or without backs shall not exceed 20 in any row between aisles nor 10 between an aisle and a railing or wall.
(6) Rows of seats with backs shall be at least 27 inches back to back, if without backs, 22 inches. Clearance between the back of one row and the front of the row behind it shall be at least 12 inches.
(g) Aisles and crossaisles.
(1) The minimum width of longitudinal aisles with seats on both sides shall be 36 inches and with seats on one side only, 30 inches. Such widths shall be considered as having capacities of 150 and 125 persons, respectively. Every such aisle having an exit at only one end shall be increased in width toward the exit to provide a clear width of at least 12 inches for each 50 persons served. When a means of exit is provided at both ends, such aisles may be of average required width throughout subject to the required minimum width. The minimum width of crossaisles shall be 36 inches and in no case less than 12 inches for each 50 persons served.
(2) The number of rows of seats between crossaisles shall not exceed 20 for the first or a single bank of seats, nor 15 for the second bank. When there is only one crossaisle above or below a bank of seats the number of rows of seats exiting to such crossaisle shall not exceed 15 for any first or single bank, nor 10 for the second bank. No crossaisles shall be required between rows of seats located between an aisle and a railing or wall.
(3) Boxes do not constitute banks of seats but their capacity shall be included in the calculation of aisle and exit widths. Boxes shall have direct access to a crossaisle.
(4) The distance between exits from a crossaisle shall not exceed 100 feet, except that where the length of a crossaisle does not exceed 50 feet it may be served by only one exit.
(5) No step is permitted in any crossaisle.
(6) Steps in longitudinal aisles shall be the full width of the aisle. Treads and risers shall be uniform and treads shall be a minimum of 9 ½ inches in width and risers shall be a maximum of 7¾ inches in height.
(7) Aisles shall be used only for passage to and from seats, and shall be kept unobstructed.
(h) Railings.
Every floor level, seat platform, bleacher seat, deck, stairway, ramp, or aisle which is more than two feet above the adjacent ground or floor level, shall have at all open sides or sections thereof a protective railing or guard at least 36 inches high.

(a) Capacity.

The capacity of viewing stands shall be the sum of the capacities listed below which are pertinent.