3.3.1.4 — Public Corridor Separations

(1) Electrical supervision shall be provided for a fire alarm system. (2) If a fire alarm system in a building is required by Sentence 3.2.4.9. (1) to have an annunciator, each valve controlling water supplies in a standpipe system, except for hose valves, shall be equipped with an electrically supervised switch for transmitting a trouble signal to the annunciator in the event of movement of the valve handle. (3) If a fire alarm system is installed in a building, an automatic sprinkler system shall be electrically supervised to indicate a supervisory signal on the building fire alarm system annunciator for each of the following, (a) movement of a valve handle that controls the supply of water to sprinklers, (b) loss of excess water pressure required to prevent false alarms in a wet pipe system, (c) loss of air pressure in a dry pipe system, (d) loss of air pressure in a pressure tank, (e) a significant change in water level in any water storage container used for firefighting purposes, (f) loss of power to any automatically starting fire pump, and (g) a temperature approaching the freezing point in any dry pipe valve enclosure or water storage container used for firefighting purposes. (4) If a fire alarm system is installed in a building, a fire pump shall be electrically supervised in accordance with NFPA 20, “Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection”. (5) If a fire alarm system is required in a building, electrical supervision shall be provided to indicate, on the fire alarm system annunciator, a loss of power to a heat tracing cable that is installed to heat, (a) a standpipe riser, (b) a sprinkler line as part of a fire suppression system, or (c) an exit or means of egress to keep it free of ice and snow. (6) In a building regulated by the provisions of Subsection 3.2.6., the indication of a supervisory signal in accordance with Sentence (3) shall be transmitted to a proprietary control centre or to an independent central station.

(1) If a fire alarm system is required to be installed and a single stage system is provided, the system shall be designed to notify the fire department in conformance with Sentence (4) that an alarm signal has been initiated in, (a) a Group A occupancy having an occupant load more than 300, (b) a Group B occupancy, (c) a Group F, Division 1 occupancy, (d) a building regulated by the provisions of Subsection 3.2.6., (e) a building containing interconnected floor space required to conform to Articles 3.2.8.3. to 3.2.8.11., or (f) a retirement home. (2) A fire alarm system that includes waterflow indicating devices shall be designed to notify the fire department, in conformance with Sentence (4), that an alarm has been initiated. (3) If a fire alarm system is required to be installed and a two stage system is provided, the system shall be designed to notify the fire department, in conformance with Sentence (4), that an alert signal has been initiated. (4) Notification of the fire department required by Sentences (1) to (3) shall be by way of, (a) signals to a central station conforming to CAN/ULC-S561, “Installation and Services for Fire Signal Receiving Centres and Systems”, or (b) the municipal fire alarm system. (5) Where a single stage fire alarm system is installed in a building that is not sprinklered, and Sentence (1) does not apply, a legible notice, that is not easily removed, shall be affixed to the wall near each manual pull station stating, (a) that the fire department is to be notified in the event of a fire emergency, and (b) the emergency telephone number for the municipality or the telephone number of the fire department.

(1) The minimum width of a public corridor shall be 1 100 mm. (2) Except as required by Sentences 3.3.3.3. (2) and (3), the minimum unobstructed width shall be 1 100 mm for every, (a) corridor used by the public, (b) corridor serving classrooms, and (c) corridor in a Group B, Division 2 or 3 occupancy where the corridor, (i) serves a service room, (ii) serves an administrative area, (iii) will not be used by non-ambulatory outpatients, or (iv) will not be used by non-ambulatory residents. (3) Except as permitted by Sentence (4), obstructions located within 1 980 mm of the floor shall not project more than 100 mm horizontally in a manner that would create a hazard for a person with a visual disability traveling adjacent to the walls in, (a) an exit passageway, (b) a public corridor, (c) a corridor used by the public, (d) a corridor serving classrooms, or (e) a corridor serving patients’ or residents’ sleeping rooms in a Group B, Division 2 or Division 3 occupancy. (4) The horizontal projection of an obstruction referred to in Sentence (3) is permitted to be more than 100 mm provided the clearance between the obstruction and the floor is less than 680 mm. (5) If a corridor contains an occupancy, the occupancy shall not reduce the unobstructed width of the corridor to less than its required width. (6) If a public corridor conforming to Clause 3.4.2.5. (1)(d) contains an occupancy, (a) the occupancy shall be located so that for pedestrian travel there is an unobstructed width not less than 3 m at all times adjacent and parallel to all rooms and suites that front onto the public corridor, and (b) the combined area of all occupancies in the public corridor shall be not more than 15% of the area of the public corridor. (7) Except as provided in Sentence 3.3.3.3. (1), a dead end corridor shall conform to Sentences (8) to (14). (8) A dead end corridor is permitted in an assembly occupancy where there is a second and separate egress doorway from each room or suite not leading into a dead end corridor. (9) Except as provided in Sentence 3.3.4.11. (10) and except for corridors served by a single exit as described in Sentence 3.3.4.4. (6), a dead end public corridor is permitted in a residential occupancy provided it is not more than 6 m long. (10) Dead end corridors in Sentence (9) shall contain no door openings to service rooms containing fuel-fired appliances or rooms that may be considered a hazard. (11) A dead end public corridor is permitted in a business and personal services occupancy where, (a) the dead end corridor, (i) serves an occupant load of not more than 30 persons, (ii) is not more than 9 m long, and (iii) is provided with doors having self-closing devices, or (b) there is a second and separate egress doorway from each room or suite not leading into a dead end corridor. (12) A dead end corridor is permitted in a mercantile occupancy where, (a) the dead end corridor, (i) serves an occupant load of not more than 30 persons, (ii) is not more than 9 m long, and (iii) is provided with doors having self-closing devices, or (b) there is a second and separate egress doorway from each room or suite not leading into a dead end corridor. (13) A dead end corridor is permitted in a low or medium hazard industrial occupancy where, (a) the dead end corridor, (i) serves an occupant load of not more than 30 persons, (ii) is not more than 9 m long, and (iii) is provided with doors having self-closing devices, or (b) there is a second and separate egress doorway from each room or suite not leading into a dead end corridor. (14) A dead end corridor is permitted in a high hazard industrial occupancy where there is a second and separate egress doorway from each room or suite not leading into a dead end corridor. (15) Except as otherwise required by this Section, aisles shall be provided in conformance with the Fire Code made under the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997.

(1) Floor areas containing patients’ or residents’ sleeping rooms in a hospital or long-term care home shall conform to Sentences (2) to (12). (2) Except as permitted by Sentence (3), a floor area containing patients’ or residents’ sleeping rooms in a hospital or long-term care home shall be divided into no fewer than two fire compartments, each not more than 1 000 m2 in area. (3) The floor area on either side of a horizontal exit conforming to Article 3.4.6.10. is permitted to be considered as a fire compartment in applying the requirements of this Article. (4) Except as permitted by Sentence (5), fire separations separating fire compartments required by Sentence (2) shall have a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h. (5) The fire-resistance rating of a fire separation referred to in Sentence (4) is permitted to be less than 1 h but not less than 45 min provided the fire-resistance rating required by Subsection 3.2.2. is permitted to be less than 1 h for, (a) the floor assembly above the floor area, or (b) the floor assembly below the floor area, if there is no floor assembly above. (6) Reserved (7) The travel distance from any point within each fire compartment referred to in Sentence (2) to a door to an adjoining fire compartment shall be not more than 45 m. (8) Each fire compartment referred to in Sentence (2) shall be capable of accommodating, in addition to its own occupants, the occupants of the largest adjacent fire compartment based on a clear floor space of 2.5 m2 per patient or resident in the adjacent fire compartment. (9) Except as permitted by Sentences (10) and (11), walls between patients’ or residents’ sleeping rooms and the remainder of the floor area shall be constructed as fire separations but are not required to have a fire-resistance rating unless a fire-resistance rating is required by other provisions in this Part. (10) The fire separation requirements of Sentence (9) do not apply to walls within a group of intercommunicating patients’ or residents’ rooms, provided the group of rooms does not (a) contain more than five patients or residents, or (b) include storage, bathing or toilet facilities serving persons not occupying the group of rooms. (11) A door in a fire separation required by Sentence (9) is permitted to be equipped with a roller latch. (12) A fire separation required by Sentence (9) shall not contain any grilles, louvres or other openings.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentences (2) and 3.2.2.9. (2), suites of residential occupancy shall be separated from each other and the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h. (2) The fire-resistance rating of the fire separation required by Sentence (1) is permitted to be less than 1 h but not less than 45 min provided the fire-resistance rating required by Subsection 3.2.2. is permitted to be less than 1 h for, (a) the floor assembly above the floor area, or (b) the floor assembly below the floor area, if there is no floor assembly above. (3) Floor assemblies within a dwelling unit need not be constructed as fire separations provided, (a) the distance between the lowest floor level and the uppermost floor level within the dwelling unit is not more than 6 m, and (b) the dwelling unit is separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than, (i) 45 min if the building is sprinklered and is not more than 3 storeys in building height, (ii) 1 h if the building is sprinklered and is more than 3 storeys in building height, (iii) 1 h if the building is not sprinklered and is not more than 6 storeys in building height, or (iv) 2 h if the building is not sprinklered and is more than 6 storeys in building height. (4) Except in a retirement home, the fire-resistance rating of the fire separation located between a dwelling unit and an attached storage garage need not conform to that required by Sentence 3.3.5.6. (1) provided, (a) the storage garage contains not more than five vehicles, (b) the dwelling unit and the attached storage garage are sprinklered, (c) the dwelling unit is separated from the remainder of the building in conformance with Sentences (1) to (3), (d) there are no air duct systems connecting the storage garage and the dwelling unit, (e) the construction between the storage garage and the dwelling unit provides an effective barrier to gas and exhaust fumes, and (f) every door between the storage garage and the dwelling unit is, (i) tight fitting and weather-stripped to provide an effective barrier against the passage of gas and exhaust fumes, (ii) fitted with a self-closing device, and (iii) not located in a room intended for sleeping. (5) Except in a retirement home, the fire separation required by Sentence 3.3.5.6. (1) is not required between a dwelling unit and an attached storage garage, serving that dwelling unit only, provided, (a) the dwelling unit and its attached storage garage are separated from the remainder of the building in conformance with Sentences (1) to (3), (b) there are no air duct systems connecting the storage garage and the dwelling unit, (c) the construction between the storage garage and the dwelling unit provides an effective barrier to gas and exhaust fumes, and (d) every door between the storage garage and the dwelling unit is, (i) tight fitting and weather-stripped to provide an effective barrier against the passage of gas and exhaust fumes, (ii) fitted with a self-closing device, and (iii) not located in a room intended for sleeping.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (2), 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 travel to the exit. (2) The travel distance from a suite or a room not within a suite is permitted to be measured from an egress door of the suite or room to the nearest exit provided, (a) the suite or room is separated from the remainder of the floor area by a fire separation, (i) having a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min in a floor area that is not sprinklered, or (ii) that is not required to have a fire-resistance rating, in a floor area that is sprinklered, and (b) the egress door opens onto, (i) an exterior passageway, (ii) a corridor used by the public that is separated from the remainder of the floor area in conformance with the requirements in Article 3.3.1.4. for the separation of public corridors, or (iii) a public corridor that is separated from the remainder of the floor area in conformance with Article 3.3.1.4. (3) Travel distance to an exit shall be not more than 50 m from any point in a service space referred to in Sentence 3.2.1.1. (9). (4) If there is a firewall in an elementary or secondary school, the travel distance shall not be measured to a door in the firewall, but shall be measured to an exterior exit door or an exit door to a stairway.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentences (2), 3.2.8.4. (4) and 3.3.2.4. (13) to (16), if more than one exit is required from a floor area, the exits shall be located so that the travel distance to at least one exit shall be not more than, (a) 25 m in a high hazard industrial occupancy, (b) 40 m in a business and personal services occupancy, (c) 45 m in a floor area that contains an occupancy other than a high hazard industrial occupancy, provided it is sprinklered, (d) 105 m in any floor area, served by a public corridor, in which rooms and suites are not separated from the remainder of the floor area by a fire separation, provided, (i) the public corridor is not less than 9 m wide, (ii) the ceiling height in the public corridor is not less than 4 m above all floor surfaces, (iii) the building is sprinklered, and (iv) not more than one-half of the required egress doorways from a room or suite open into the public corridor if the room or suite is required to have more than one egress doorway, (e) 60 m in any storage garage that conforms to the requirements of Article 3.2.2.83., and (f) 30 m in any floor area other than those referred to in Clauses (a) to (e). (2) Except for a high hazard industrial occupancy, Sentence (1) need not apply if exits are placed along the perimeter of the floor area and are not more than 60 m apart, measured along the perimeter, provided each main aisle in the floor area leads directly to an exit. (3) Exits shall be located and arranged so that they are clearly visible or their locations are clearly indicated and they are accessible at all times.