The occupant load for a building or room should be established:

• A. Only when there is a change in the occupancy classification.
• B. During the plans review process.
• C. During the highest occupancies of the area.
• D. When construction on the building nears completion.

Answer: (B)

Establishing occupant load early in the design process is essential because it directly informs the size and arrangement of exits, travel paths, and safety systems. By calculating how many people a space is designed to accommodate, the design can be sized to ensure safe egress and appropriate life-safety provisions from the outset.

This determination is checked during plans review by the authority having jurisdiction, ensuring the layout, means of egress, occupancy classifications, and safety features meet the applicable code requirements for the expected number of occupants. If you wait until construction is nearly complete or change the use later, you risk having to redo or retrofit exits, corridors, or protection systems, which is often impractical or unsafe.

So, the occupancy load should be established during the plans review to verify the design will safely handle the anticipated number of people from the outset.