Section 1214. Motion Picture Projection Rooms. —

1. General — The provisions of this Section shall apply only where ribbon type motion picture films in excess of 22-millimeters width and electric projection equipment are used. Every motion picture machine using ribbon type film in excess of 22 millimeter width and electric arc projections equipment, together with all electrical devices, rheostats, machines, and all such films present in any Group C, I, or H Occupancy, shall be enclosed in a projection room large enough to permit the operator to walk freely on either side and back of the machine.

2. Construction— Every projection room shall be of not less than one-hour fire-resistive construction throughout and the walls and ceiling shall be finished with incombustible materials. The ceiling shall not be less than 2.40 meters from the finished floor. The room shall have a floor area of not less than 7.00 square meters and 3.50 square meters for each additional machine.

3. Exit — Every projection room shall have at least two doorways separated by not less than one-thirds the perimeter of the room, each at least 750 millimeters wide and 2.00 meters high. All entrances to a projection room shall be protected by a self-closing fire assembly having a three-fourths hour fire-resistive rating. Such doors shall open outward and lead to proper exits as required in this Code and shall not be equipped with any latch. The maximum width of such door shall be 750 millimeters.

4. Ports and Openings — Ports in projection room walls shall be of three kinds: projection ports; observation ports; and combination ports used for both observation and for stereoption, spot or floodlight machines.

   1. Ports Required — There shall be provided for each motion picture projector not more than one projection port, which shall be limited in area to 750 square centimeters, and not more than one observation port, which shall be limited in area to 1,300 square centimeters. There shall be not more than three combination ports, each of which shall not exceed 750 millimeters by 600 millimeters. Each port opening shall be completely covered with a pane of glass; Except, that when acetate safety film is used, projection ports may be increased in size to an area not to exceed 4,500 square centimeters.

   2. Shutters — Each port and every other opening in projection room walls, including, any fresh-air inlets but excluding exit doors and exhaust ducts, shall be provided with a shutter of not less than 2.4 millimeters thick sheet metal or its equivalent large enough to overlap at least 25 millimeters on all sides of such openings. Shutters shall be arranged to slide without binding in gudes constructed or material equal to the shutters in strength and fire-resistance. Each shutter shall be equipped with a 74º fusible link, which when fused by heat will cause closure of the shutter by gravity. Shutters of a size greater than 1,300 square centimeters shall be equipped with a counter-balance. There shall also be a fusible link located over the upper magazine of each projector, which upon operating, will close all the shutters. In addition, there shall be provided suitable means for manually closing all shutters simultaneously from any projector head and from a point within the projection room near each exit door. Shutters may be omitted when only acetate safety film is used.

5. Ventilation —

   1. Inlet — A fresh-air inlet from the exterior of the building not less than 900 square centimeters and protected with wire netting, shall be installed within 50 millimeters of the floor in every projection room, the source of which shall be remote from other outside vents or flues.

   2. Outlets — Ventilation shall be provided by one or more mechanical exhaust systems which shall draw air from each are lamps housing to out-doors either directly or through an incombustible flue used for no other purpose. Exhaust capacity shall not be less than 0.50 cubic meter nor more than 1.40 cubic meter per minute for each arc lamp plus 5.60 cubic meters for the room itself. Systems shall be controlled from within the enclosure and shall have pilot lights to indicate operation. The exhaust systems serving the projection room may be extended to cover rooms associated therewith such as rewind rooms. No dampers shall be installed in such exhaust systems. Ventilation of these rooms, shall not connected in any way with ventilating or air-conditioning systems serving other portions of the building. Exhaust ducts shall be of incombustible material and shall either be kept 25 millimeters from combustible material or covered with 10 millimeters of incombustible heat-insulating material.

6. Regulation of Equipment — All shelves, fixtures, and fixed equipment in a projection room shall be constructed of incombustible materials. All films not in actual use shall be stored in metal cabinets having individual compartments for reels or shall be in generally accepted shipping containers. No solders shall be used in the construction of such cabinets.