Which type of building occupancy typically poses the most risk and requires stricter fire safety measures?

Assembly occupancy refers to buildings where large numbers of people gather for purposes such as entertainment, education, or worship. The unique characteristic of assembly occupancies is the high occupant load, which significantly increases the potential for fire hazards and the risk of injury during an evacuation. This necessitates stricter fire safety measures.

In these environments, factors such as rapid evacuation, the presence of exits, fire detection systems, and fire suppression measures become critical. The higher risk stems from the potential for crowd panic during an emergency and the need for quick and safe egress routes for large groups of people.

While other types of occupancies, such as residential, office, and industrial, have their own fire hazards and associated safety measures, assembly occupancies unite the elements of high occupancy density and the complexity of managing people in a potentially hazardous situation, warranting heightened fire safety protocols.