This checklist accompanies the full article The Life Safety Evaluation: What It Is, What It Requires, and How to Use It. Use it when preparing, updating, or reviewing a Life Safety Evaluation for a venue or event. Each section corresponds to one of the ten conditions that must be assessed under NFPA 101, Chapters 12 and 13.

Print the checklist and work through it before submitting the evaluation to the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Items are written as actions, not descriptions. Check each box only when you have a documented, verifiable answer.

Section 1: Nature of Events and Participants

• ☐  Document the event type and anticipated audience profile
• ☐  Note audience characteristics affecting life safety: children, elderly, mobility impairments, alcohol service
• ☐  List all production elements that could affect crowd behavior or sightlines (pyrotechnics, strobe effects, theatrical fog, lasers)
• ☐  Record the maximum occupant load for each event type
• ☐  Confirm general-admission standing areas do not exceed 5 persons per net square meter (NFPA 101)
• ☐  Identify programming features that create unusual crowd movement (simultaneous dismissal, very short intermissions, concurrent events)
• ☐  Confirm whether this event type differs materially from the venue’s normally permitted occupancy use
• ☐  Notify the AHJ of any event type that differs from the venue’s normal occupancy class

Section 2: Access and Egress

• ☐  Count and record the number, location, and clear-width of every exit door
• ☐  Calculate egress capacity using NFPA 101 egress capacity factors for the design occupant load
• ☐  Measure and record travel distance to the nearest exit from every occupied area
• ☐  Verify all exit doors swing in the direction of egress travel
• ☐  Verify all exit doors are unobstructed and can be opened without a key or special knowledge
• ☐  Confirm all exit signs are illuminated and visible from all occupied areas
• ☐  Confirm emergency lighting is operational along every egress path
• ☐  Identify crowd density chokepoints and document crowd management measures at each point
• ☐  Confirm accessible egress routes exist for persons with mobility impairments, including Areas of Rescue Assistance where required
• ☐  Confirm no egress route passes through backstage, production, or otherwise secured areas
• ☐  Calculate estimated evacuation time at design occupant load and confirm it is acceptable to the AHJ

Section 3: Medical Emergencies

• ☐  Document medical staffing level: first aid, EMT, paramedic, or physician
• ☐  Record the number of medical personnel on duty relative to anticipated occupant load
• ☐  Confirm staffing level meets applicable mass gathering guidelines or your jurisdiction’s standards
• ☐  Document the location of every first aid station
• ☐  Confirm AED placement ensures any device can be retrieved and applied within 3 to 5 minutes of collapse
• ☐  Record the last inspection and battery-check date for every AED on site
• ☐  Document the radio channel or phone number used to contact EMS during the event
• ☐  Confirm EMS vehicle access routes are identified, marked, and will not be blocked during the event
• ☐  Document the patient staging area and transport route to the ambulance loading point
• ☐  Notify the receiving hospital in advance for high-occupancy or high-risk events
• ☐  Confirm the medical team knows who initiates the mass-casualty escalation call and how

Section 4: Fire Hazards

• ☐  Record the last inspection date of the fire suppression system and note any impaired zones
• ☐  Record the last inspection date of the fire detection and alarm system
• ☐  Test all manual pull stations; confirm alarm audibility throughout the venue
• ☐  Confirm all portable fire extinguishers are current on annual inspection
• ☐  Verify flame resistance of all drapes, soft goods, and scenic materials (FR certificates or field test documentation)
• ☐  Obtain AHJ approval for every open-flame element on stage or in the audience area
• ☐  Confirm NFPA 160 compliance documentation is on file for any flame effect
• ☐  Confirm NFPA 1126 compliance documentation is on file for any proximate pyrotechnic effect
• ☐  Inspect backstage areas: no combustible accumulation, no obstructed exits, no improperly stored flammables
• ☐  Document all fire protection system impairments and confirm a fire watch is in place for each
• ☐  Document the fire emergency communication procedure: who calls 911, who announces evacuation, what signal is used

Section 5: Permanent and Temporary Structural Systems

• ☐  Record the date and result of the most recent structural inspection of the venue
• ☐  Confirm floor and seating loads are within rated capacity for the design occupant load
• ☐  Obtain current engineering drawings and load ratings for all temporary stages and performance platforms
• ☐  Obtain current engineering drawings, wind load ratings, stake and anchor documentation, and fire treatment certificate for all tents
• ☐  Confirm manufacturer documentation and current inspection status for all temporary bleacher and riser systems
• ☐  Confirm the rated capacity, inspection history, and certification status of all overhead rigging infrastructure
• ☐  Confirm the qualifications and license status of the lead rigger
• ☐  Confirm all temporary structures were erected per engineering specifications; document any deviations reviewed and approved by the engineer of record
• ☐  Document the strike plan and confirm dismantling procedures are as controlled as erection procedures

Section 6: Severe Weather

• ☐  Identify all severe weather hazard types relevant to the venue’s location: lightning, high wind, tornado, hurricane, extreme heat, flooding
• ☐  Document the weather monitoring source: National Weather Service, commercial weather service, or on-site sensor
• ☐  Set and document decision thresholds for each hazard type: at what condition is the event suspended, shelter-in-place initiated, or evacuation ordered?
• ☐  Confirm the lightning policy: suspend when lightning is within 6 miles (30 seconds of audible thunder); resume no sooner than 30 minutes after the last strike
• ☐  Identify all shelter-in-place locations and confirm combined capacity covers the maximum occupant load
• ☐  Document how weather alerts will be communicated to attendees: PA announcement, SMS, visual signage
• ☐  Assign weather decision authority to a specific named role with confirmed access to real-time weather data during the event
• ☐  Communicate the weather policy to attendees before and during the event for outdoor events

Section 7: Earthquakes

• ☐  Identify the seismic design category for the venue’s location (available from the local building department or USGS seismic hazard maps)
• ☐  Confirm the building was designed and constructed to the seismic code applicable at the time of construction
• ☐  Identify nonstructural hazards that could become life-threatening during shaking: overhead fixtures, suspended ceilings, scenic elements, stored materials at height
• ☐  Confirm all event staff have been trained in the drop-cover-hold-on procedure
• ☐  Document the post-earthquake inspection procedure and confirm no re-occupancy occurs before clearance

Section 8: Civil or Other Disturbances

• ☐  Document the security staffing plan: number of personnel, position assignments, and supervision structure
• ☐  Confirm all security personnel hold current licenses as required by state and local law
• ☐  Confirm security staff have completed crowd management training appropriate to the event type
• ☐  Document the threshold and procedure for requesting law enforcement assistance
• ☐  Record the law enforcement point of contact, radio channel, and emergency phone number for the event
• ☐  Document the criteria that would trigger event suspension or evacuation due to a security incident
• ☐  For events with an elevated threat profile, document the specific threat assessment and the enhanced mitigation measures in place

Section 9: Hazardous Materials

• ☐  Create an inventory of all hazardous materials present as part of normal venue operations (cleaning agents, compressed gases, maintenance chemicals)
• ☐  Create an inventory of all hazardous materials brought in for this specific event (pyrotechnic materials, flame fuels, fog fluids, generator fuel)
• ☐  Confirm all hazardous materials are stored in appropriate containers, properly labeled, and within code-permitted quantities
• ☐  Document the spill response procedure for each category of hazardous material on the inventory
• ☐  Identify nearby external hazard sources using the local Hazard Vulnerability Assessment (available from the local emergency management agency)
• ☐  Document the shelter-in-place procedure for an external hazardous materials release: which spaces, who notifies occupants, what HVAC actions are required
• ☐  Confirm local emergency management agency contact information is current and accessible during the event

Section 10: Relationships and Coordination

• ☐  Document all pre-event coordination meetings held with fire, police, EMS, and emergency management
• ☐  Confirm that venue maps and utility shutoff locations have been provided to the local fire department
• ☐  Confirm that hazardous materials inventories have been provided to the fire department
• ☐  Confirm the on-site safety coordinator’s name and contact information has been shared with all public safety agencies
• ☐  Document the agreed-upon radio channels and phone contacts for reaching each public safety agency during the event
• ☐  Confirm that venue and event staff understand the procedure for transitioning incident command to a responding public safety IC
• ☐  Document the post-event debrief protocol, including how safety incidents will be recorded and shared
• ☐  Confirm the completed Life Safety Evaluation has been submitted to the AHJ
• ☐  Record the AHJ’s approval date and note the next annual review date
• ☐  Document any conditions under which the AHJ requires an interim update before the annual renewal date

For the full explanation of each section, qualifying thresholds, NFPA 101 code references, and guidance on connecting this evaluation to your Event Safety Management Plan, see the companion article: The Life Safety Evaluation: What It Is, What It Requires, and How to Use It.

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