1) Stairways, handrails and guards in a means of egress shall conform to the requirements in Section 9.8. as well as to the requirements in this Section.
1) In addition to the fire protection requirements
provided in Subsection 9.9.4., flame-spread ratings, fire-resistance ratings and fire-protection ratings for means of egress shall conform to Section 9.10.
1) Except for dwelling units, the occupant load of a floor area or part of a floor area shall be the number of persons for which such areas are designed, but not
fewer than that determined from Table 3.1.17.1., unless it can be shown that the area will be occupied by fewer
persons.
2) The occupant load for dwelling units shall be based on 2 persons per bedroom or
sleeping area.
1) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, an exit from any floor area shall be one of the following used singly or in combination:
a)an exterior doorway,
b)an exterior passageway,
c)an exterior ramp,
d)an exterior stairway,
e)a fire escape,
f)a horizontal exit,
g)an interior passageway,
h)an interior ramp, or
i)an interior stairway.
2) Fire escapes shall only be used as exits on existing buildings and shall be designed and installed in conformance with Subsection 3.4.7.
3) Where a horizontal exit is used, it shall conform to Sentence 3.4.1.6.(1) and Article 3.4.6.9.
1) An exit shall be designed for no purpose other than for exiting except
that an exit may also serve as an access to a floor area.
1) Elevators, slide escapes and windows shall not be
considered as part of a required means of egress.
1) Except for doors serving a single dwelling unit, at least one door at every principal entrance to a building providing access from the exterior at ground level shall be designed
in accordance with the requirements for exits.
1) This Subsection applies to every means of egress except exits that serve not more than one dwelling unit and access to exits within dwelling units.
1) Except for doors and corridors, the width of every
exit facility shall be not less than 900 mm. (See Article 9.9.6.3. for doors and Article 9.8.2.1. for stairs.)
1) The width of every public corridor, corridor used by the public, and exit corridor shall be not less than 1 100 mm. (See also Subsection 9.9.5. for obstructions in corridors.)
1) Except for stairways, doorways and storage garages, the minimum clear height in exits and access to exits shall be 2.1 m. (See Article 9.8.2.2. for stairs, Article 9.8.5.3. for ramps, Article 9.8.6.4. for landings and Article 9.9.6.2. for doorways.)
2) The clear height in exits and access to exits in storage garages shall be not less than 2 m.
1) Except as provided in Article 9.9.4.4., this Subsection applies to the fire
protection of all exits except exits serving not more than one dwelling unit.
1) Except as provided in Sentence (5) and Article 9.9.8.5., every exit other than an exterior doorway shall be separated from each adjacent floor area or from another exit by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than that required for the floor
assembly above the floor area. (See Article 9.10.9.10.)
2) Where there is no floor assembly above, the fire-resistance rating required in Sentence (1) shall not be less than that required by Subsection 9.10.8. for the floor assembly below, but in no case
shall the fire-resistance rating be less than 45 min.
3) A fire separation common to 2 exits shall be smoke-tight and not be pierced by doorways, duct work, piping or
any other opening that may affect the continuity of the
separation.
4) A fire separation that separates an exit from the remainder of the building shall have no openings except those for electrical wiring, noncombustible conduit and noncombustible piping that serve only the exit, and for standpipes, sprinkler piping, exit doorways and wired glass and glass block permitted in Article 9.9.4.3.
5) The requirements in Sentence (1) do not apply to an exterior exit passageway provided the passageway has not less than 50% of its exterior sides open to the outdoors and is
served by an exit stair at each end of the passageway.
1) This Article applies to wired glass in doors, and
wired glass or glass block in sidelights, where these are
installed in fire separations between exit enclosures and floor areas.
2) Except as provided in Sentence (3), the combined area of glazing in doors and sidelights shall not
exceed 0.8 m2.
3) Where an exit enclosure connects with a floor area through an enclosed vestibule or corridor separated from the floor area by fire separations having not less than a 45 min fire-resistance rating, the glazed areas described in Sentence (1) need not be limited as required in Sentence (2).
1) Where an unenclosed exterior exit stair or ramp provides the only means of egress from a suite, and is exposed to fire from openings in the exterior walls of another fire compartment, the openings in the exterior walls
of the building shall be protected with wired glass in fixed steel frames or glass block
conforming to Articles 9.10.13.5. and 9.10.13.7. when the openings in the exterior walls of the building are within 3 m horizontally and less than 10 m below or less than 5 m above
the exit stair or ramp.
1) Either openings in exterior walls of an exit or openings in adjacent exterior walls of the building the exit serves shall be protected with wired glass in fixed steel frames or glass block installed in accordance with
Articles 9.10.13.5. and 9.10.13.7., where
a)the exit enclosure has exterior walls that intersect the exterior walls of the building at an angle of less than 135° measured on the outside of the building, and
b)the openings in the exterior walls of the building are within 3 m horizontally and less than 2 m above the openings in the exterior walls of the exit.
(See Appendix A.)1) Where an exterior exit door in one fire compartment is within 3 m horizontally of an unprotected opening in another fire compartment and the exterior walls of these fire compartments intersect at an exterior angle of less than 135°, the
opening shall be protected with wired glass in fixed steel
frames or glass block conforming to Articles 9.10.13.5. and 9.10.13.7.
1) Where a suite of Group D or E occupancy is located partly on the first storey and partly on the second storey, stairways serving the second storey of that suite need not be constructed as exit stairs provided,
a)the building is not greater than 2 storeys in building height,
b)the suite is separated from other occupancies by at least a 45 min fire separation,
c)the area occupied by the suite is not greater than 100 m2 per storey,
d)the maximum travel distance from any point in the suite to an exterior exit is not greater than 25 m,
e)the floor assemblies have a fire-resistance rating of not less than 45 min or are of noncombustible construction, and
f)the basement and first storey are separated by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating of not less than 45 min.
1) This Subsection applies to obstructions and hazards in
every means of egress except those within a dwelling unit or serving not more than one dwelling unit.
1) Where a corridor contains an occupancy, the occupancy shall not reduce the unobstructed width of the corridor to less than the required
width of the corridor.
1) Except as permitted in Sentence (2), obstructions located within 1 980 mm of the floor shall not
project horizontally more than 100 mm into exit passageways, corridors used by the public or public corridors in a manner that would create a hazard for
visually impaired persons travelling adjacent to walls.
2) The horizontal projection of an obstruction referred
to in Sentence (1) is permitted to exceed 100 mm where the obstruction
extends to less than 680 mm above the floor. (See
A-3.3.1.9.(4) in Appendix A.)
1) Except as permitted in Subsection 9.9.6. and Article 9.8.7.6., no fixture, turnstile or construction shall project within the required width of an exit.
1) No obstructions such as posts or turnstiles shall be
placed so as to restrict the width of a required means of egress from a floor area or part of a floor area to less than 750 mm unless an alternate unobstructed means of egress is provided adjacent to and plainly visible from the restricted
egress.
2) Except as provided in Sentence (3), no obstructions, such as counter gates, that do not meet the
requirements for exit doors, shall be placed in a required means of egress from a floor area or part of a floor area unless an alternate unobstructed means of egress is provided adjacent to and plainly visible
from the restricted egress.
3) Obstructions, such as counter gates, that do not
satisfy Sentence (2), are permitted to be placed in a required means of egress from a part of a floor area in mercantile occupancies and business and personal services occupancies, provided that the part of the floor area served by the obstructed means of egress is not generally accessible to the public.
1) No mirror shall be placed in or adjacent to any exit so as to confuse the direction of exit, and no mirror or draperies shall be placed on or over exit doors.
1) Fuel-fired appliances shall not be installed in an exit or corridor serving as an access to exit.
1) Service rooms containing equipment subject to possible explosion, such as boilers designed to operate at a pressure in excess of 100 kPa, and certain types of
refrigerating and transformer equipment, shall not be located
under required exits.
1) Ancillary rooms such as storage rooms, washrooms,
toilet rooms, laundry rooms and service rooms shall not open directly into an exit.
1) Except as provided in Sentence (4), obstructions created by doors shall be limited in accordance
with Sentences (2) and (3)
a)at exit doors,
b)at doors that open into or are located within a public corridor, and
c)at doors that open into or are located within another facility that provides access to exit from a suite.
2) When fully open, doors described in Sentence (1) shall not decrease the required exit width by more than
a)100 mm in exit corridors, and
b)50 mm for other exit facilities.
3) The swing of doors described in Sentence (1) shall not reduce the width of the path of travel to less than
a)the required exit width in exit corridors and passageways, and
b)750 mm on exit stairs or landings.
4) Doors serving a single dwelling unit need not comply with Sentences (2) and (3).
1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3), the clear opening height of doorways shall be not less than 2 030 mm high
at
a) exit doors,
b)doors that open into or are located within a public corridor, and
c)doors that open into or are located within another facility that provides access to exit from a suite.
2) The clear opening height under door closers and other
devices in doorways described in Sentence (1) shall be not less than 1 980 mm.
3) Doorways serving a single dwelling unit need not comply with Sentences (1) and (2).
1) Except as provided in Sentence (4), the clear opening width of doorways shall comply with Sentence (2) at
a)exit doors, and
b)doors that open into or are located within a public corridor or other facility that provides access to exit from a suite.
2) Doorways described in Sentence (1) shall be
a)not less than 800 mm wide where there is only one door leaf,
b)not less than 800 mm wide where multiple-leaf doors are installed with only one active leaf having a latching mechanism described in Article 9.9.6.7., and
c)not less than 1 210 mm wide where mutiple-leaf doors are installed with two active leaves.
3) In doorways described in Sentence (1) that have multiple-leaf doors installed,
a)no active leaf shall be less than 810 mm wide where only one leaf is active, and
b)no single leaf shall be less than 610 mm wide where two leaves are active.
4) Doorways serving a single dwelling unit need not comply with Sentence (2).
1) Except as provided in Sentences (4) and (5), required exit doors and doors in required means of egress, except doors in means of egress within dwelling units, shall swing on the vertical axis.
2) Except as provided in Sentence (5), breakaway sliding doors, installed as required
exit doors or required doors in means of egress, shall be identified as swinging doors
by means of a label or decal affixed to the door.
3) Revolving doors shall comply with Article 3.4.6.14.
4) Movable partitions used to separate a public corridor from an adjacent business and personal services occupancy or a mercantile occupancy need not conform to Sentence (1), provided the partitions are not located in the
only means of egress. (See A-3.3.1.12.(3) in Appendix A.)
5) Exit doors need not conform to Sentences (1) or (2), where
a)the doors serve accessory buildings where life safety is not adversely affected,
b)the doors serve storage garages or other accessory buildings serving not more than one dwelling unit, or
c) the doors
i) serve storage suites of not more than 20 m2 in gross area that are in warehousing buildings of not more than one storey, and
ii) open directly to the exterior at ground level.
1) Except for doors serving a single dwelling unit, exit doors that are required to swing shall swing in the direction of exit travel.
2) Doors that open onto a corridor or other facility that
provides access to exit from a room or suite having an occupant load of more than 60 persons shall swing on the vertical axis in the direction of exit travel.
3) Doors that divide a corridor that is not wholly
contained within a suite shall swing in the direction of exit travel.
4) Where a pair of doors is installed in a corridor
that provides access to exit in both directions, the doors shall
a)swing in opposite directions, with the door on the right-hand side swinging in the direction of exit travel, or
b)swing in both directions.
5) Principal entrance doors opening to an acceptable open space at ground level are not required to swing in the direction of exit travel provided
a)the suite is located at ground level, and
b)the occupant load is not more than 60 persons.
1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), the distance between a stair riser and the leading edge of a
door during its swing, except for doors serving a single dwelling unit, shall be not less than 300 mm.
2) Where there is a danger of blockage from ice or snow,
an exit door, including doors serving a single dwelling unit, may open onto not more than one step, provided the riser of such a step
does not exceed 150 mm.
1) Principal entrance doors, exitdoors and doors to suites, including exterior doors of dwelling units, and other doors in an access to exit shall
a)be openable from the inside or in travelling to an exit without requiring keys, special devices or specialized knowledge of the door-opening mechanism, or
b) in the case of exit doors, be controlled by electromagnetic locking mechanisms in accordance with Sentence 3.4.6.15.(4).
2) Except for doors serving a single dwelling unit and doors to accessory buildings and to garages serving a single dwelling unit, door release hardware on doors in a means of egress shall be operable with one hand and the door shall be openable with not
more than one releasing operation. (See also Sentence 3.8.3.3.(3) and A-3.3.1.13.(4) in Appendix A.)
3) Door release hardware on doors in a means of egress shall be installed not more than 1 200 mm above the finished
floor.
4) Except for hotels and motels, a door opening onto a
public corridor that provides access to exit from suites shall be designed not to lock automatically if it is equipped with an
automatic self-closing device. (See A-3.3.4.5.(1) in Appendix A.)
1) Every exit door, except doors serving a single dwelling unit, shall be designed and installed so that
when the latch is released the door will open in the direction
of exit travel under a force of not more than 90 N applied to the door release
hardware. (See Sentence 3.8.3.3.(7) for door opening forces in a barrier-free path of travel.)
1) An access to exit shall be provided from every roof intended for occupancy and from every podium, terrace, platform or contained open space.
2) Where a roof is intended for an occupant load of more than 60 persons, at least 2 separate means of egress shall be provided from the roof to stairs designed in conformance with
the requirements for exit stairs and located remote from each other.
3) Where a podium, terrace, platform or contained open
space is provided, egress requirements shall conform to the
appropriate requirements for rooms or suites in Article 9.9.7.4.
1) Except as required in Sentence 9.9.9.3.(1), each suite in a floor area occupied by more than one suite shall have
a)an exterior exit doorway,
b)a doorway to a public corridor, or
c)a doorway to an exterior passageway.
2) Except as provided in Sentences 9.9.7.3.(1) and 9.9.8.2.(2), from the point where a doorway described in Clauses (1)(b) or (c) enters the public corridor or exterior passageway, it shall be possible to
go in opposite directions to each of 2 separate exits.
1) Except for a dead-end corridor that is entirely within
a suite and except as permitted in Sentence 9.9.9.2.(1), a dead-end corridor is
permitted provided it is not more than 6 m long.
1) Except for dwelling units, at least 2 egress doors shall be provided when the area of a room or suite, or the distance measured from any point within the room or suite to the nearest egress door, exceeds the values in Table 9.9.7.4.
2) Doors required in Sentence (1) shall be spaced so that in the event that one door is made
inaccessible by a fire within such room or suite, the other door will provide safe egress.
3) The travel distance required in Sentence (1) may be increased to 25 m for sprinklered buildings.
| Table 9.9.7.4. Maximum Areas and Travel Distances for Rooms, Suites and Mezzanines with a Single Means of Egress Forming Part of Sentences 9.9.7.4.(1) and 9.9.8.6.(2) | ||
| Occupancy of Room, Suite or Floor Area | Maximum Area of Room, Suite or Floor Area, m2 | Maximum Distance to Egress Door, m |
|---|---|---|
| Group C (except dwelling units) | 100 | 15 |
| Group D | 200 | 25 |
| Group E | 150 | 15 |
| Group F, Division 2 | 150 | 10 |
| Group F, Division 3 | 200 | 15 |
1) Required access to exit from suites shall not be through any other dwelling unit, service room or other occupancy.
1) Except for dwelling units, the travel distance from any point within the room or suite to the nearest egress door shall not exceed the maximum travel distance in Article 9.9.8.2.
1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3), for the purposes of this Subsection, travel distance means the distance
from any point in the floor area to an exit measured along the path of exit travel.
2) Where a room or suite is separated from the remainder of the floor area by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating of at least 45 min or, in a sprinklered building, by a fire separation which is not required to have a fire-resistance rating, the travel distance may be measured from an egress door of the
room or suite to the nearest exit.
3) Where a public corridor is not less than 9 m wide and conforms to Subclauses 3.4.2.5.(1)(d)(i) to (d)(iv), the travel distance may be determined in accordance with those
Subclauses.
1) Except as provided in Sentence (2) and Subsection 9.9.9., at least 2 exits shall be provided from every floor area, spaced so that the travel distance to the nearest exit is not more than
a)40 m in the case of business and personal services occupancies,
b)45 m for all occupancies where the floor area is sprinklered, and
c)30 m for all other occupancies.
2) Except as provided in Subsection 9.9.9., a single exit is permitted from each storey in buildings of 1 and 2 storeys in building height provided the floor area and travel distance requirements conform to those required in
Article 9.9.7.4. and the total occupant load served by an exit facility does not exceed 60 persons.
1) Where more than one exit is required from a floor area, each exit shall be considered as contributing not more than half the required exit width.
1) Where more than one exit is required from a floor area, at least 2 exits shall be independent of each other and be placed remote from each other
along the path of travel between them. (See Appendix A.)
1) Not more than one exit from a floor area above or below the first storey is permitted to lead through a lobby.
2) The lobby referred to in Sentence (1) shall be not more than 4.5 m above grade, and the path of travel through the lobby to the outdoors shall not exceed 15 m.
3) The lobby referred to in Sentence (1) shall conform in all respects to the requirements for exits, except that rooms other than service rooms, storage rooms and rooms of residential or industrial occupancy are permitted to open directly onto such lobby.
4) Where the lobby referred to in Sentence (1) and adjacent occupancies that are permitted to open into the lobby are sprinklered, the fire separation between such occupancies and the lobby need not have a fire-resistance rating. (See A-3.4.4.2.(2)(e) in Appendix A.)
5) Passenger elevators are permitted to open onto the
lobby referred to in Sentence (1) provided the elevator doors are designed to
remain closed except while loading and unloading passengers.
1) Except as permitted by Sentences (2) and (3), the space above a mezzanine shall be served by means of egress leading to exits accessible at the mezzanine level, on the same basis as floor areas.
2) The means of egress from a mezzanine need not conform to Sentence (1), provided
a)the mezzanine is not required to terminate at a vertical fire separation, as permitted by Sentence 9.10.12.1.(2),
b)the occupant load of the mezzanine is not more than 60,
c)the area of the mezzanine does not exceed the area limits stated in Table 9.9.7.4., and
d)the distance limits stated in Table 9.9.7.4., measured along the path of travel, are not exceeded from any point on the mezzanine to
i)an egress door serving the space that the mezzanine overlooks if the space is served by a single egress door, or
ii)an egress stairway leading to an access to exit in the space below if that space is required to be served by 2 or more egress doorways in conformance with Sentence 9.9.7.4.(1).
3) One of the means of egress from a mezzanine that is not required to terminate at a fire separation, as permitted by Sentence 9.10.12.1.(2), and that exceeds the limits of
Sentence (2) is permitted to lead through the room in which
the mezzanine is located, provided all other means of egress from that mezzanine lead to exits accessible at the mezzanine level.
4) Except as provided in Sentence (2), the maximum travel distance from any point on
a mezzanine to the nearest exit shall be not more than
a)40 m in a business and personal services occupancy,
b)45 m in a floor area that is sprinklered throughout, provided it does not contain a high-hazard industrial occupancy, or
c)30 m in any floor area not referred to in Clauses (a) or (b).
1) Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3), every dwelling unit containing more than 1 storey shall have exits or egress doors located so that it shall not be necessary to travel up or down more than 1 storey, or not more than 2 storeys in a sprinklered building, to reach a level served by
a)an egress door to a public corridor, enclosed exit stair or exterior passageway, or
b)an exit doorway near adjacent ground level. (See Appendix A)
2) Where a dwelling unit is not located above or below another suite, the travel limit from a floor level in the dwelling unit to an exit or egress door may exceed 1 storey where that floor level is served by an openable window
a)providing an unobstructed opening of not less than 1 m in height and 0.55 m in width, and
b)located so that the sill is not more than
i)1 m above the floor, and
ii)7 m above adjacent ground level.
3) The travel limit from a floor level in a dwelling unit to an exit or egress door may exceed 1 storey where that floor level has direct access to a balcony.
1) Except as provided in Sentence 9.9.7.3.(1), where an egress door from a dwelling unit opens onto a public corridor or exterior passageway it shall be possible
from the location where the egress door opens onto the corridor
or exterior passageway to go in opposite directions to 2
separate exits unless the dwelling unit has a second and separate means of egress.
1) A dwelling unit shall be provided with a second and separate means of egress where an egress door from the dwelling unit opens onto
a)an exit stairway serving more than one suite,
b)a public corridor serving more than one suite and served by a single exit stairway,
c)an exterior passageway more than 1.5 m above adjacent ground level, serving more than one suite and served by a single exit stairway, or
d)a balcony more than 1.5 m above adjacent ground level, serving more than one suite and served by a single exit stairway.
1) This Subsection applies to all exits except those serving not more than one dwelling unit.
1) Exits shall be located so as to be clearly visible or their locations shall be clearly
indicated.
1) Every exit door in a building that is 3 storeys in building height or in a building having an occupant load greater than 150 shall have an exit sign over it or adjacent to it.
1) Exit direction signs shall be placed in corridors and passageways where necessary to
indicate the direction of exit travel.
1) Exit signs shall be installed so as to be visible from the exit approach and shall be illuminated continuously while the building is occupied.
1) Exit signs shall have the word EXIT in red letters on a contrasting background or a red
background with contrasting letters when the sign is internally
lighted, and white letters on a red background or red letters on
a white background when the sign is externally lighted.
2) Lettering referred to in Sentence (1) shall be made with not less than 19 mm wide strokes and be not
less than 150 mm high when the sign is externally lighted, and
not less than 114 mm high when the sign is internally lighted.
1) Illumination of exit signs required in Article 9.9.10.3. shall conform to Sentences 9.9.11.3.(2) and (3).
2) Where illumination of exit signs required in Article 9.9.10.3. is provided by an electrical circuit,
that circuit shall serve no equipment other than emergency
equipment.
1) In buildings that are 3 storeys in building height, any part of an exit ramp or stairway that continues up or down past the lowest exit level shall be clearly marked to indicate that it does not lead to an
exit, if the portion beyond the exit level may be mistaken as the direction of exit travel.
1) Arabic numerals indicating the assigned floor number
shall be
a)mounted permanently on the stair side of the wall at the latch side of doors to exit stair shafts,
b)not less than 60 mm high, raised approximately 0.7 mm above the surface,
c)located 1 500 mm from the finished floor and not more than 300 mm from the door, and
d)contrasting in colour with the surface on which they are applied. (See A-3.4.6.18.(1)(d) in Appendix A. )
1) This Subsection applies to the lighting of all exits except those serving not more than one dwelling unit.
1) Every exit, public corridor or corridor providing access to exit for the public shall be equipped to provide illumination to an average
level of not less than 50 lx at floor or tread level and at all
points such as angles and intersections at changes of level
where there are stairs or ramps.
1) Emergency lighting shall be provided in
a) exits,
b)principal routes providing access to exit in an open floor area,
c)corridors used by the public,
d)underground walkways, and
e) public corridors.
2) Emergency lighting required in Sentence (1) shall be provided from a source of energy separate from the
electrical supply for the building.
3) Lighting required in Sentence (1) shall be designed to be automatically actuated for a period of
at least 30 min when the electric lighting in the affected area
is interrupted.
4) Illumination from lighting required in Sentence (1) shall be provided to average levels of not less than 10 lx at
floor or tread level.
5) Where incandescent lighting is provided, lighting
equal to 1 W/m2 of floor area shall be considered to meet the requirement in Sentence (4).
6) Where self-contained emergency lighting units are
used, they shall conform to CSA C22.2 No. 141, “Unit
Equipment for Emergency Lighting.”