New guidelines now available for businesses winterizing outdoor spaces

As the world continues to navigate pandemic restrictions, many businesses have relied on outdoor seating spaces to remain afloat throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of the nuanced and regulated nature of adding outdoor seating, the International Code Council has published considerations and guidelines for business owners leveraging this strategy.

Similar to the structures converted to temporary healthcare facilities at the onset of the pandemic, the new outdoor seating spaces must comply with building codes and safety standards. The guidelines document provides considerations for business owners when working with local code officials and their authority having jurisdiction (AHJ).  Key takeaways from the document include:

• Obtain an approved permit: Businesses looking to set up outdoor seating spaces will likely need to receive pre-approval in the form of a permit from either a state or local building department, as well as factor in any lead or wait times to receive approvals.
• Determine if the space is temporary or permanent: For structures surpassing 180 days’ time, owners, agents and managers would be required to ensure that the structure complies with more in-depth provisions of the codes.
• Ensure proper location: Although the most obvious location choice for an outdoor seating space is in front of one’s own storefront, this may not always be approved by local AHJs due to safety reasons. Therefore, owners need to be able to plan for the proper location.
• Ensure fire safety: When constructing a designated outdoor dining space, the combustibility rating of the materials should always be evaluated and approved for the intended use.

“Throughout the pandemic, outdoor spaces have played a large role in sustaining our economy, especially as many businesses have had to reduce the capacity for their indoor locations, and simply because the weather is turning colder does not mean this should stop,” said Stephen Jones, senior regional manager with government relations for the International Code Council. “However, structures need to continue to be safe and structurally sound, which is where this guide comes into play.”

The full guide — Considerations for Converting Outdoor Spaces into Temporary Seating Spaces — along with other relevant tools and resources, can be found in the Code Council’s Coronavirus Response Center. Acting as an aggregate information hub, the Coronavirus Response Center ensures that building safety professionals are properly equipped with the necessary tools and resources to safely and smartly navigate the pandemic.