The following is a compilation
of suggestions and recommendations that best describe the
process of planning a successful and safe Halloween Attraction.
SafeCoat Products are available
at Cloverdale Paints 6950 King George Highway, Surrey
and at
Scope:
Fire and Building Code regulations shall apply to temporary
Haunted Houses, Ghost Walks, or similar amusement buildings
where decorative material and confusing sounds and/or
visual effects are present.
Definitions:
Haunted House: A temporary or permanent building or structure,
or portion thereof, which contains a system that transports
passengers or provides a walkway through a course so arranged
that the means of egress are not apparent due to theatrical
distractions, not visible due to low illumination, are
disguised or are not readily available to the method of
transportation through the building or structure.
Ghost Walks: Similar to a Haunted House
and may include both indoor and outdoor areas where egress
to a public way is similarly not readily identifiable.
Permits
TIP: Establish a relationship with your city early in
the process so they know ahead of time what your plans
are. Explain your goals and point out that both of you
have the same goals; to provide a safe and fun activity
for the community. Use their knowledge and expertise to
help you solve any issues or concerns you have.
A permit application should be submitted in the form of
a Permit Application Packet no later than two (2) weeks
prior to the event but starting 6 months before the event
is recommended in order to navigate the inevitable bureaucracies.
An inspection is usually required for approval prior to
operation. Additional permits may be required from the
local Planning and/or Building Departments. Those agencies
should be contacted for requirements.
Note: Interpretation of Buildings
Codes is at the discretion of the appropriate city officials
and Building permits are definitely required if the attraction
is designated a "Building" but if your attraction
can be declared as a "Display", it will not
require a building permit.
Special considerations may also be
applied to "Temporary Occupancies"
Permit
Application Packet
Permit Application Packet should include the following:
- A Dimensioned site plan shall indicate proximity of
the event building(s) to other structures or hazardous
areas, and path of travel from event building or area
to the public way.
- A floor plan showing the following:
:Dimensions (total square footage, width of exits, aisles
or interior exit pathways, etc.)
:Location of exits, exit signs, and emergency lighting
units
:Location of fire extinguishers
:Location of electrical panel(s) and light switches
:Location of smoke detectors and/or fire alarm panel
:Normal use of any structure(s) (i.e.: auditorium, school,
church, etc.)
:Staff positions.
:A written emergency procedure (see "Emergency Planning"
section below).
Some Municipalities may require Certification from a Certified
Registered Professional
of conformance to the BC Building Code
Getting
Approval
The process of securing approval for your attraction will
require you to communicate your intentions with the following
individuals:
City Council / City Manager
Permission to operate a temporary business and to establish
Building code requirements
Zoning Board
Zoning exception to use land for purpose not zoned for
which may take 1-2 months from variance submittal until
you can get on zoning board agenda
Fire Marshall
Your attraction will HAVE to meet city fire/safety/building
codes, including handicap accessibility.
The Fire Marshall can shut down an event at any time if
they feel the building does not meet code or is unsafe
Police Chief
Discuss any safety issues such traffic, parking, pedestrian
movement, security requirements. You should have parking
attendant(s) for traffic control
Insurance Broker
You must have, in addition to any existing policies, liability
insurance for your attraction, usually 5 to 10 million
dollars but can be more depending on the type of attraction
and length and hour of operation. A representative for
the insurance company will do a walk-through inspection
and will look for Public Safety issues such as trip hazards,
egress route obstructions, aisle widths, emergency exits,
exposed nails and screws, and many other potential risks.
Your attraction will have to be close to completion and
the inspection process may take several hours.
The project manager, property owner, and the Emergency
Planner should be in attendance.
Emergency
Planning
- Maximum occupant load (which shall include staff) shall
be determined during plan review. A sign stating maximum
occupant capacity shall be posted in a visible location
near the entrance, and staff shall control the flow of
patrons so as not to exceed this limit.
- A written emergency procedure plan shall be provided
with a Permit Application Packet.
- The emergency procedure plan shall include training
of staff and familiarization with fire alarm tone. Specific
personnel shall be designated to turn off all distracting
noises (i.e.: sound system) and turn on lights when alerted
by either fire alarm or otherwise notified of an emergency
condition.
- The event shall be adequately staffed to control the
occupant load and assist patrons in exiting should an
evacuation become necessary. Staffing level shall be determined
upon review of plans and may be increased at the discretion
of the Fire Department.
- All employees shall carry flashlights and know the location
of all exits, fire extinguishers, light switches, electrical
panels, and emergency phones.
- A fire drill demonstrating the implementation of the
emergency plan may be required at the time of inspection.
- Establish and maintain a first aid station
Phone communication must be readily available for the
purpose of calling 911 in the event of an emergency.
Public
Safety & Security
It is important that you have a qualified and adequately
trained and equipped security and emergency response team
in position at your attraction. This includes Security,
Fire Watch, and First Aid Responders. This team must be
familiar with the Emergency Planning procedures and the
physical layout of the attraction. They must also know
how to professionally respond to a variety of situations
that may include mischievousness, rowdiness, intoxication,
violence, vandalism, panic, medical situations, and emergency
evacuations.
- Post a very obvious, clearly marked sign stating the
"Safety Rules"
(See Safety Rules below)
- Have a staging area where the rules are read to the
customers prior to entering
- Have a "spotter" in the staging area looking
for signs of potential trouble such as drunks
- Hire certified Security Guards
- Hire additional staff to perform "Fire Watch"
duties
- Have certified First Aid attendants on site at all times
- Security Personnel must look the part and be physically
fit
- Security Personnel should wear highly visible vests
or uniforms clearly marked "Security"
- Submit a request for volunteer Fire Fighter and off
duty Police Officers participation
- Have all safety and operational personnel on wireless
headsets
- At least one safety and operational personnel should
be equipped with a cell phone
- Make sure that all workers know the locations of the
exits & Fire Extinguishers
- Safety issues must be covered every night before the
performance to insure
both the customers and the volunteers have a safe and
entertaining show
- Make sure you provide "Scare Training" techniques
for the actors (See Scare Training below)
Exits
& Pathways
- Exits must be spaced in accordance to Fire and Building
Codes
- Any exit doors must swing in the direction of egress.
- Exits must be identified by approved self-luminous or
electrically illuminated exit signs.
- Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES can an exit be part of a mirrored
wall
- Any doorway or passageway that is not an exit or a way
to reach an exit, but
could be mistaken as an exit, must be clearly identified
with a "NO EXIT" sign
- Exit doors should not be provided with a latch or lock
unless it is specifically
designed "panic hardware".
- Emergency lighting must be provided in exit pathways.
- Exit pathways and aisles must be a minimum 36"
wide
- Exhibits and decorative materials must not obstruct,
confuse, or obscure exits, exit pathways, exit signs,
or emergency lighting units.
- Secondary means of egress may be an approved "Means
of Escape" such as a window or escape hatch leading
outside the building.
-Additional pathway markings, including low level marking
and signs, may be required at time of site inspection.
-Every effort must be made to prevent occupants mistakenly
traveling into dead-end spaces.
Fire
Protection
- Hire additional staff to perform "Fire Watch"
duties
- Invite volunteer Fire Fighters on site during hours
of operation
- An automatic fire sprinkler system must be provided
in accordance to the City Building Code.
- Provide an approved automatic smoke/heat detection and
alarm system in accordance with the City Building Code
as required for your location
- Use of battery operated smoke alarms may be considered
on a temporary basis if approved
- Manually activated device(s) suitable for sounding an
alarm can be provided as approved by the local fire authority.
- Storage or use of flammable or combustible liquids,
gasses and solids is prohibited on site.
- Open flame must be prohibited.
- Decorative materials must not obstruct fire sprinklers,
fire extinguishers, or any other fire protection equipment.
- Adequate "Fire Lanes" and emergency access
to the premises must be provided
- The fire alarm must be distinctive in tone and audible
throughout the haunted house area.
All staff must
be specifically instructed to devote their immediate attention
to the safe and orderly evacuation of occupants and notification
of the fire department before attempting to fight a fire,
in order to prevent possible injury. CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY
Fire
extinguishers
- Minimum of one 2A10BC rated extinguisher provided for
every 75 ft. of travel
distance from anywhere in the building in accordance to
code
- Properly mounted (top of unit between 3 and 5 feet from
floor).
- Visible and accessible at all times and clearly illuminated
or marked with reflective tape.
- Decorative materials must not obstruct fire extinguishers,
or any other fire protection equipment.
Electrical
- All wiring and electrical appliances (such has homemade
animatronics) must comply with local Electric Codes (usually
referenced with NFPA 70)
- All electrical wiring and electrical appliances will
be subject to inspection by an approved electrical inspection
agency
-Extension cords shall be of heavy commercial type, UL
listed, in good condition, and shall be appropriate for
the intended use.
- Only UL listed power strips with over-current protection
shall be used when the number of outlets provided is inadequate.
- Power strips shall be plugged directly into provided
outlets, and shall not be plugged into one another in
series.
- All extension cords and power strips shall be adequately
protected from foot traffic ("Bridged") if paths
of travel cannot be avoided.
- All overhead Blacklight fixtures must be "caged"
to prevent removal, damage, or falling bulb and tubes.
- All suspended light fixtures attached to a truss, pipe,
or other support must include a safety cable.
An electrical permit and inspection may be required. See
your local Building Department for requirements.
Construction
& Decorative Materials
- Interior partitions, cubicles, mazes and the like must
be made of noncombustible material
- All decorative materials (decorations, drapes, backdrops
and props) must be inherently flame retardant and labeled
as such
- You may need to provide MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets)
on all decorative and construction materials
- Fire retardant treatments must meet NFPA and Fire and
Building Codes:
See SafeCoat Products
- Interior finish of walls and ceilings need to be Class
"A" throughout (flame spread of 25 or less)
- Use of draperies, cardboard and flammable vinyl materials
for use as interior finish or for display purposes can
not be used unless they are inherently flame resistive,
self-extinguishing or otherwise fire retardant treated
in an approved manner
- Under no circumstances shall the use of exposed urethane
foam, foam rubber or similarly highly combustible "cushion"
or "molded" material be allowed, unless such
material is
Care and consideration must be used with respect to smoke
generators / foggers and smoke detector locations. Use
of smoke generator/fogger may be restricted if determined
to be incompatible with smoke detector(s).
Scare
Training for Actors
“Actors” can make or break the entertainment
value of your Haunted Attraction and the “scare factor”
experience influences the satisfaction level of your patrons.
It therefore, becomes important to provide Scare Training
to your actors, especially the inexperienced "casual
actors" in order to properly, safely, and effectively
scare individuals within your attraction.
There are different intensity levels
of the "scare factor" ranging from subtle, moderate,
and impact which people of all ages will respond differently
to. An actor must therefore know the difference between
how to scaring a child versus scaring a teenager. An actor
must also take into consideration any physical limitations
that may impair the individuals ability to deal with their
startle reflex such as an elderly person using a cane.
One of the most important rules that
all actors must abide by is "DO NOT PHYSICALLY TOUCH
ANYONE!". As tempting as it may be, it is not polite
to "grab and poke" strangers nor do you want
your actors to inadvertently cause pain to an existing
injury, damage or stain clothing, or accidentally touch
someone inappropriately.
"Ghouls For Hire" by Jim
O'Rear is a must-read article about hiring Haunted House
Actors
Click
Here to read it
Never scare a person carrying a baby
or small child in their arms,
the startle reflex may result in the baby being dropped
Safety
Rules
Here is an example of some basic safety rules that all
attractions should list:
" For the safety and enjoyment of everyone, please
observe the following Rules"
- NO SMOKING - THIS WILL BE STRICTLY
ENFORCED.
- The use of matches and lighters are strictly prohibited
- No weapons of any kind allowed
- No food or beverages allowed within the attraction
- No Running
- No Pushing or Shoving
- No bumping into walls or displays
- No aggressive interaction with actors or displays
- No Pets
- Do not wear a mask or high heel shoes
- No costume accessories such as but not limited to, wands,
brooms, weapons, sticks, staffs
- Do not cross into areas cordoned of by orange caution
tape
- Babies must NOT CARRIED IN THE
ARMS OF A PARENT-strollers or body harness required
-Active Surveillance cameras are
on site
-Violation of these rules will result
in immediate extraction from the attraction.
THEFT and VANDALISM will be subject to local laws.
Operational
and Administrative Procedures
- Have a sign at the ticket booth
and at the entrance. NO REFUNDS!
- You need some form of radio communication at your haunt
for smooth, efficient operation
- Sell tickets rather than just taking cash. It allows
you to track how your sales are going
- Retain a Repair team on site during hours of operation
- Front door operator for initial screening of patrons
- Have pre-sales of tickets if at all possible.
- All key operations personnel must be in radio contact
with each other
- Key operations personnel include Facilities Manager,
Security Lead, Actors Manager
- Good housekeeping needs to be maintained throughout
exhibit and exit pathways at all times
- Provide a "Green Room" for actors with separate
changing areas
- Provide refreshment and breaks
to actors
In the event of trouble call the
police department directly rather than calling 911.
Make sure that you fill out an incident report at the
time of the incident.
Take pictures if possible, get signed witness statements
if possible.
Signage
- "NO SMOKING" signs should be posted at the
main entrance and throughout the attraction.
- "ADVISORY SIGNAGE" warning of the "Frightful"
aspect of the attraction should be posted at the main
entrance and on all publicity material.
- Access "RULES" should be posted at the main
entrance and throughout the attraction.
- Security and Alarm indicators. "These premises
are protected by ..."
Advertising
& Marketing
In order to draw attendance to your attraction, a well
thought out and thorough advertising and marketing plan
must be initiated well in advance of your opening date.
Some forms of advertising can be expensive such a radio
and TV other can be free but with a well written press
releases, the media will usually come to you for a seasonal
interest story.
Here are some other suggestions:
- Establish a Web Site
- Link exchanges with similar web sites
- Online Haunted House Directories
- Cross promotion and poster exchange with similar attractions
in the area
- Invite Local Papers down for a "scoop"
- Send out press releases
- Approach local cable stations
- Have a charitable association
- Circulate Flyers in local businesses, libraries, city
offices, high schools, clubs, etc.
- Attach signs on poles at busy intersections and roads
- Radio advertising, remote broadcast, free passes that
they can give away.
- All staff should promote through Word of mouth
- Pizza toppers (or any fast food)
- Classified Ads
- Canned food drive discount
- Free passes to key community members
- Dress in costume and hang out at shopping malls and
other crowded areas, pass out flyers
- Submit info to Parks and rec newsletter
- Yard signs
- Large lit roadside display
Special
Needs
- Handicap Accessibility in accordance with local building
codes
- Rest room facilities are required (portable toilets
can rented)
- Recommend that parents bring flashlights for young children
- Provide flashlights on site as loaners
Clean
Up
The project is not over until your location is returned
to its original status so treat it like you want to use
that location again next year.
Neglecting this item is the surest way to not get the
same location next year.
So now you know ... a Haunted Halloween
Attraction is complicated process requiring in-depth planning
and an enormous amount of responsibility and resources
to properly and safely build and operate. Failure to comply
with municipal and provincial building and fire code requirements
can get you shut down resulting in a loss of investment
and branding credibility.
But most importantly, adherence to
proper procedures will minimize the risk of injury or
death during your event.
Have a safe and Spooky Halloween!
If you see any errors
or misrepresentations, or if I have forgotten to list
something, please contact me (Robert) at 604-760-0191
or us the form on the contact page.
