Ordinance on Places of Assembly
According to the Ordinance on Places of Assembly (VStättVO), certain minimum requirements must be observed at all events in order to avert risks to public safety!
Background information on the VStättVO:
The Ordinance on Places of Assembly is actually well over 100 years old and is regulated by the individual federal states on the basis of the state building code. It therefore also varies from state to state.
Especially in the case of fire safety regulations, the requirements are different.
In the meantime, the German Conference of Building Ministers (ARGEBAU) has drawn up a model ordinance on places of assembly, abbreviated MVStättV. This is intended to serve as the basis for a nationwide standardization of these state regulations, but is implemented by many federal states only hesitantly or not at all, and is therefore legally binding neither for the citizens nor for the state governments.
The VStättVO is always outdated here and there, so that there is always a need for action here to revise and modernize the ordinance in order to adapt it to current requirements and technical possibilities and conditions.
Politicians should continue to be called upon to bring about a regulation at German – or, even better, European – level so that the regulation becomes uniform and manageable for organizers and operators of meeting venues.
Since, as mentioned –, the Venue of Assembly Ordinance is regulated by the individual federal states, venue operators and event organizers should inform themselves in advance about the regulations in the respective federal state in which the event is to be held.
The VStättVO regulates the following points, among others:
- at which facility the VStättVO is applied
- from which size of the event the VStättVO applies
- Use of technical specialists
- Requirement for the podium/stage
- Fire alarms and fire extinguishers, fire safety watches
- Curtains and other decorations
- Barriers
- Lighting technology
- Seating
- Escape routes inside and outside buildings
- Flying structures, rigging
- Use of lasers and pyrotechnics
- Noise protection, light immission control and others
- Accessibility
- Sustainability
In the event of non-compliance or infringements, an event may be cancelled or the event may not be rented again. Furthermore, corresponding fines and penalties are to be expected.
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