The most restrictive component of an egress system is determined by which factor?

The most restrictive component of an egress system is determined by the lowest egress capacity. This is because the egress capacity reflects the number of occupants that can safely exit a space within a given timeframe. If a particular area within the egress path can only accommodate a limited number of occupants (due to factors such as size, configuration, or obstruction), it effectively sets a cap on how many people can exit safely at once.

In an egress system, the goal is to ensure that all components work together efficiently to allow for the rapid evacuation of occupants. If one segment of the system cannot handle the flow of occupants to the same level as the others – particularly if it is the bottleneck – the overall egress system is limited by this segment. Therefore, understanding the lowest egress capacity is crucial for evaluating and assessing the overall safety and functionality of an egress system in both design and in practice.

Other factors like width or capacity factors might influence design considerations, but ultimately, it is the lowest egress capacity that dictates the maximum feasible outflow of people during an emergency, making it a key consideration in egress planning and evaluation.