Safety First: Maintaining Your Telescopic Seating
By Anne Chapman
September 11, 2020, Updated January, 2025
Keeping things clean and tidy in most facilities is a full time job all on its own. Throw in a broken elevator, a cracked window or a leak from a broken pipe and the job quickly becomes a 24/7 endeavor. Good facility managers know that preventative maintenance and inspections are a good way to keep issues from popping up unexpectedly.
We've all seen the signs in elevators regarding the inspection of that equipment by a state-certified personnel. Did you know that telescopic platforms and bleachers also require annual inspections? Telescopic seating is subject to both International Code Council Standards (ICC-300) and NFPA-102, which require annual inspection and maintenance of telescopic seating by a qualified person. Watching the Cameron Crazies bounce up and down on the bleachers at Duke University and you get a sense of why this is so important.
The venue owner must be able to provide a current certificate of inspection to a code official when asked. Beyond code compliance, it's considered a best practice to inspect a telescopic seating system (all seating for that matter) to keep patrons safe, prevent disruptions to revenue and to help keep the set up crew working efficiently.
Applicable Codes for Retractable Seating Systems
While applicable codes may vary by jurisdiction, the overwhelming standards are ICC-300 and NFPA-102. These have been adopted by many government agencies to achieve uniformity in structural strength and stability while also providing rules for safe egress in and out of the seating areas. These apply to both fixed grandstands and retractable seating systems. It is the responsibility of owners and operators to understand which code jurisdiction they fall under. Requirements for the annual review include:
- Inspection of mechanical fasteners, welds and guides on the system's understructure
- Checkup of motors, drive systems and electrical components
- Operation of the retractable function of a system
- Inspection of the seating components, decking and safety rails
- Staff's knowledge of operation in accordance with manufacturer's instructions
- Certificate of inspection, report with details of the findings and a list of any repairs made
All of these items are to be performed by a certified professional annually. However, it is recommended that owners / operators of high-use facilities inspect the systems on their own more frequently to keep everything in safe working order.
The movement and vibration a retractable seating system undergoes may cause hardware to loosen over time. If a clamp or tie used to secure electrical wiring beneath the system breaks wiring can get damaged, creating a shock hazard. In one of the images below, a cracked link in the drive chain led to a failure of the system. In another, a release rod was damaged and prevented the unit from proper operation. Most of these issues could have been identified and addressed with inspections by a qualified technician.
Best Practices to Insure Saftey
To help alleviate issues only trained personnel should operate retractable seating systems and they should follow the instructions provided to them by the manufacturer. Prior to storing a unit, the floor should be inspected and swept to make sure the wheel paths are clear. The seating area should be inspected and cleared to make sure nothing is hiding in the rows that would impede storage and possibly damage components. Following the storage or extension of a system, a quick check of the floor for hardware will help identify potential issues.
Problems from the normal operation of a system are rare, vandalism and inappropriate use of the system is far more likely to lead to concerns.
Irwin Telescopic Inspections
As mentioned, annual inspections of telescopic systems need to be made by a qualified technician. Some manufacturers like Irwin Seating offer factory-direct inspection services. The benefits to using a service like this include OEM parts and installation.
Take care of your investment, and keep those fans safe. If you have Irwin Telescopic product, take advantage of our Annual Inspection Agreement. Contact us today!
We have compiled information on bleacher inspections into a guide available for download below.
Downloads
Information regarding annual inspections and code compliance for telescopic systems.