1. Except as permitted by Sentences (2) and (3), each suite in other than business and personal services occupancies shall be separated from adjoining suites by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h. (See also Subsection 3.3.3. for care, treatment or detention occupancies, Article 3.3.4.2. for residential occupancies, and Article 3.1.8.7. for fire dampers.)
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
   1. the floor assembly above the floor area, or
   2. the floor assembly below the floor area, if there is no floor assembly above.
3. Occupancies that are served by public corridors conforming to Clause 3.3.1.4.(4)(b) in a building that is sprinklered throughout, are not required to be separated from one another by fire separations provided the occupancies are
   1. suites of business and personal services occupancy,
   2. fast food vending operations that do not provide seating for customers,
   3. suites of mercantile occupancy, or
   4. any combination of these occupancies.

1. Except as provided in Subsections 3.3.5. and 3.3.6., the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances shall be in conformance with
   1. provincial or territorial regulations or municipal bylaws, or
   2. in the absence of the regulations or bylaws referred to in Clause (a), the NFC. (See Note A-3.3.1.2.(1).)
2. Systems for the ventilation of cooking equipment that is not within a dwelling unit and is used in processes producing grease-laden vapours shall be designed and installed in conformance with Articles 3.6.3.5., 6.3.1.7. and 6.9.1.3. (See Note A-3.3.1.2.(2).)
3. A fuel-fired appliance shall not be installed in a corridor serving as an access to exit.

1. Access to exit within floor areas shall conform to Subsections 3.3.2. to 3.3.5., in addition to the requirements of this Subsection.
2. If a podium, terrace, platform or contained open space is provided, egress requirements shall conform to the appropriate requirements of Sentence 3.3.1.5.(1) for rooms and suites.
3. Means of egress shall be provided from every roof which is intended for occupancy, and from every podium, terrace, platform or contained open space.
4. At least two separate means of egress shall be provided from a roof, used or intended for an occupant load more than 60, to stairs designed in conformance with the requirements regarding exit stairs stated in Section 3.4.
5. A rooftop enclosure shall be provided with an access to exit that leads to an exit
   1. at the roof level, or
   2. on the storey immediately below the roof.
6. A rooftop enclosure which is more than 200 m2 in area shall be provided with at least 2 means of egress.
7. Two points of egress shall be provided for a service space referred to in Sentence 3.2.1.1.(8) if
   1. the area is more than 200m2, or
   2. the travel distance measured from any point in the service space to a point of egress is more than 25 m.
8. Except as permitted by Sentences 3.3.4.4.(5) and (6), each suite in a floor area that contains more than one suite shall have
   1. an exterior exit doorway, or
   2. a doorway
      1. into a public corridor, or
      2. to an exterior passageway.
9. Except as permitted by this Section and by Sentence 3.4.2.1.(2), at the point where a doorway referred to in Sentence (8) opens onto a public corridor or exterior passageway, it shall be possible to go in opposite directions to each of 2 separate exits.

1. Except as otherwise required by this Part or as permitted by Sentence (4), a public corridor shall be separated from the remainder of the storey by a fire separation.
2. Except as permitted by Sentence (3) and Clauses (4)(a) and (b), the fire separation between a public corridor and the remainder of the storey shall have a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min.
3. If a storey is sprinklered throughout, no fire-resistance rating is required for a fire separation between a public corridor and the remainder of the storey, provided the corridor does not serve a care, treatment or detention occupancy or a residential occupancy. (See Note A-3.1.8.1.(1)(b).)
4. No fire separation is required in a sprinklered floor area between a public corridor and
   1. except as required by Sentences 3.3.3.5.(8) and 3.3.4.2.(1), and notwithstanding Sentence 3.4.2.4.(2), the remainder of a storey, provided the travel distance from any part of the floor area to an exit is not more than 45 m,
   2. a room or a suite, provided the public corridor complies with Sentence 3.3.1.9.(6) and Clause 3.4.2.5.(1)(d), or
   3. a space containing plumbing fixtures required by Subsection 3.7.2., provided the space and the public corridor are separated from the remainder of the storey by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than that required between the public corridor and the remainder of the storey.

1. 1) Except for dwelling units, a minimum of 2 egress doorways located so that one doorway could provide egress from the room or suite as required by Article 3.3.1.3. if the other doorway becomes inaccessible to the occupants due to a fire which originates in the room or suite, shall be provided for every room and every suite
   1. that is used for a high-hazard industrial occupancy and whose area is more than 15 m2,
   2. intended for an occupant load more than 60,
   3. in a floor area that is not sprinklered throughout, and
      1. the area of a room or suite is more than the value in Table 3.3.1.5.-A, or
      2. the travel distance within the room or suite to the nearest egress doorway is more than the value in Table 3.3.1.5.-A, or
   4. in a floor area that is sprinklered throughout and does not contain a high-hazard industrial occupancy and
      1. the travel distance to an egress doorway is more than 25 m, or
      2. the area of the room or suite is more than the value in Table 3.3.1.5.-B.
2. Where 2 egress doorways are required by Sentence (1), they shall be placed at a distance from one another equal to or greater than one third of the maximum overall diagonal dimension of the area to be served, measured as the shortest distance that smoke would have to travel between the nearest required egress doors.

Table 3.3.1.5.-A
Egress in Floor Area not Sprinklered Throughout
Forming Part of Sentence 3.3.1.5.(1)

Notes to Table 3.3.1.5.-A:
(1) See Article 3.3.4.4. for dwelling units.

Notes to Table 3.3.1.5.-B:
(1) See Article 3.3.4.4. for dwelling units.

1. If more than one egress doorway is required from a room or suite referred to in Article 3.3.1.5., the travel distance within the room or suite to the nearest egress doorway shall not exceed the maximum travel distances specified in Clauses 3.4.2.5.(1)(a), (b), (c) and (f) for exits.

1. Every floor area above or below the first storey that is not sprinklered throughout and that has a barrier-free path of travel shall
   1. be served by an elevator
      1. conforming to Sentences 3.2.6.5.(4) to (6),
      2. protected against fire in conformance with Clauses 3.2.6.5.(3)(b) or (c), and
      3. in a building over 3 storeys in building height, protected against smoke movement so that the hoistway will not contain more than 1% by volume of contaminated air from a fire floor during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire, assuming an outdoor temperature equal to the January design temperature on a 2.5% basis determined in conformance with Subsection 1.1.3.,
   2. be divided into at least 2 zones by fire separations conforming to Sentences (2), (3) and 3.1.8.5.(6) so that (see Note A-3.3.1.7.(1)(b))
      1. persons with physical disabilities can be accommodated in each zone, and
      2. the travel distance from any point in one zone to a doorway leading to another zone shall be not more than the value for travel distance permitted by Sentence 3.4.2.5.(1) for the occupancy classification of the zone,
   3. in the case of residential occupancies, be provided with balconies conforming to Sentence (4), except on the storey containing the barrier-free entrance required by Article 3.8.2.2.,
   4. have an exterior exit at ground level, or
   5. have a ramp leading to ground level. (See Note A-3.3.1.7.(1).)
2. Except as permitted by Sentence (3), the fire separations referred to in Clause (1)(b) shall have a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h.
3. The fire-resistance rating of the fire separations referred to in Clause (1)(b) 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
   1. the floor assembly above the floor area, or
   2. the floor assembly below the floor area, if there is no floor assembly above.
4. A balcony required by Clause (1)(c) shall
   1. have direct barrier-free access from the suite or floor area
   2. be not less than 1.5 m deep from the outside face of the exterior wall to the inside edge of the balcony, and
   3. provide not less than 1.5 m2 of balcony space for each non-ambulatory occupant and 0.5 m2 for each ambulatory occupant.

1. Except within the floor area of a storage garage, the minimum headroom clearance in every access to exit shall conform to the requirements of Article 3.4.3.4. for exits. (See also Sentence 3.3.5.4.(5).)

1. The minimum width of a public corridor shall be 1 100 mm.
2. Except as required by Sentence 3.3.3.3.(3), the minimum unobstructed width of a corridor used by the public or a corridor serving classrooms or patients' sleeping rooms shall be 1 100 mm.
3. Except as permitted by Sentence (4), obstructions located within 1 980 mm of the floor shall not project more than 100 mm horizontally into an exit passageway, a public corridor, a corridor used by the public or a corridor serving classrooms or patients' sleeping rooms in a manner that would create a hazard for a person with a visual disability traveling adjacent to the walls.
4. The horizontal projection of an obstruction referred to in Sentence (3) is permitted to be more than 100mmprovided the clearance between the obstruction and the floor is less than 680 mm. (See Note A-3.3.1.9.(4).)
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,
   1. 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
   2. 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 for a dead-end corridor that is entirely within a suite or as permitted by Sentences 3.3.3.3.(1) and 3.3.4.4.(6), a dead-end corridor is permitted provided it is not more than 6 m long.

1. 1) Except as otherwise stated in this Section, aisles shall be provided in conformance with the NFC.

1. Except as permitted by Sentence (5) and Article 3.3.1.12., a door that opens into a corridor or other facility providing access to exit from a suite or room not located within a suite shall swing on a vertical axis.
2. Except as permitted by Article 3.3.1.12., a door that opens into a corridor or other facility providing access to exit from a room or suite that is used or intended for an occupant load more than 60 or for a high-hazard industrial occupancy shall swing in the direction of travel to the exit.
3. Every door that divides a corridor that is not wholly contained within a suite shall swing on a vertical axis in the direction of travel to the exit.
4. If a pair of doors is installed in a corridor that provides access to exit in both directions, the doors shall swing in opposite directions, with the door on the right hand side swinging in the direction of travel to the exit.
5. Doors that serve storage suites not more than 28 m2 in area in warehousing buildings need not conform to Sentence (1).

1. Except as permitted by Sentences (2) and 3.3.1.11.(5), a sliding door provided in the locations described in Article 3.3.1.11. shall
   1. be designed and installed to swing on the vertical axis in the direction of travel to the exit when pressure is applied, and
   2. be identified as a swinging door by means of a label or decal affixed to it.
2. In a Group B, Division 1 occupancy, or in an impeded egress zone in other occupancies, sliding doors used in an access to exit need not conform to Sentence (1) and Article 3.3.1.11.
3. 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) and Sentences 3.3.1.11.(1) and (2), provided the partitions are not located in the only means of egress. (See Note A-3.3.1.12.(3).)

1. Except as required by Article 3.3.3.4., a door that opens into or is located within a public corridor or other facility that provides access to exit from a suite shall
   1. provide a clear opening of not less than 800 mm if there is only one door leaf,
   2. in a doorway with multiple leaves, have the active leaf providing a clear opening of not less than 800 mm,
   3. not open onto a step, and
   4. have a threshold not more than 13 mm higher than the surrounding finished floor surface, except where it
      1. is used to confine the spillage of flammable liquids within a service room or within a room in an industrial occupancy, or
      2. provides access to an exterior balcony, unless the balcony is required by Clause 3.3.1.7.(1)(c).
2. Except as provided in Sentences (6) and (7), a door in an access to exit shall be readily openable in travelling to an exit without requiring keys, special devices or specialized knowledge of the door-opening mechanism.
3. Except as permitted by Sentence (4), door release hardware shall comply with Clause 3.8.3.8.(1)(b) and the door shall be openable with not more than one releasing operation. (See also Sentence 3.8.3.6.(4).)
4. An egress door from an individual dwelling unit or from a suite of residential occupancy is permitted to be provided with additional devices that require a releasing operation additional to the main door release hardware, provided the devices are readily operable from the inside without the use of keys, special devices or specialized knowledge. (See Note A-3.3.1.13.(4).)
5. Door release hardware shall be installed not more than 1 200 mm above the finished floor.
6. An egress door in an access to exit serving a contained use area or an impeded egress zone is permitted to be equipped with locking devices, provided they can be released either locally or remotely in conformance with Sentence (8) or (9). (See Note A-3.3.1.13.(6).)
7. A door in an access to exit is permitted to be equipped with an electromagnetic lock conforming to Sentence 3.4.6.16.(4) or (5).
8. Local locking devices permitted by Sentence (6) shall be operable by a key from both sides of the door.
9. Controls for the remote release of door locking devices permitted by Sentence (6) shall be located in an area readily available to security personnel.
10. Locking devices permitted by Sentence (6) that are electrically operated shall be
    1. designed to operate on emergency power, and
    2. capable of manual release by security personnel.

1. Except as permitted by Sentence (2), Article 3.3.4.7. and Subsection 3.3.2., ramps and stairways that do not serve as exits shall conform to the requirements for exit ramps and stairways stated in Sentence 3.4.3.2.(8) and Articles 3.4.3.4., and 3.4.6.1. to 3.4.6.9.
2. Ramps and stairways that serve service rooms, service spaces or industrial occupancies need not comply with Sentence (1), provided
   1. they are intended only for occasional use for servicing equipment and machinery, and
   2. they do not serve as exits.

1. An exterior passageway leading to a required exit shall conform to the requirements of Section 3.4. for exterior exit passageways.

1. Flights of stairs shall consist solely of
   1. straight flights, or
   2. curved flights complying with Sentence (2).
2. Tapered treads in a curved flight that is not required as an exit shall have
   1. a minimum run of 150 mm,
   2. a run not less than 280 mm when measured at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the handrail at the narrow end of the tread, and
   3. a riser conforming to Sentence 3.4.6.8.(2).
3. Tapered treads shall have a consistent angle and uniform run and rise dimensions in accordance with the construction tolerances stipulated in Article 3.4.6.8. when measured at a point 300 mm from the centre line of the handrail at the narrow end of the tread.
4. All tapered treads within a flight shall turn in the same direction.

1. The capacity of an access to exit shall be based on the occupant load of the portion of the floor area served.
2. In an access to exit the required width of ramps with a slope not more than 1 in 8, doorways, and corridors shall be based on not less than 6.1 mm per person.
3. In an access to exit the required width of a ramp with a slope more than 1 in 8 shall be based on not less than 9.2 mm per person.
4. In an access to exit from a floor area used or intended to be used for patients in a Group B, Division 2 occupancy or residents in a Group B, Division 3 occupancy, the required width of corridors, doorways, and ramps shall be based on not less than 18.4 mm per person.
5. The capacity of stairs in an access to exit shall conform to the requirements for stairs in Sentences 3.4.3.2.(1) to (3).
6. In a building that is not sprinklered throughout in accordance with Sentence 3.2.5.12.(1), an access to exit that is part of the principal entrance serving a dance hall or a licensed beverage establishment with an occupant load more than 250 shall provide at least one half of the required exit width.

1. Except as provided in Sentence (5) and Article 3.3.2.9., a guard not less than 1 070 mm high shall be provided
   1. around any roof to which access is provided for purposes other than maintenance,
   2. at openings into smoke shafts referred to in Subsection 3.2.6. that are less than 1 070 mm above the floor, and
   3. at each raised floor, mezzanine, balcony, gallery, interior or exterior vehicular ramp, and at other locations where (see Note A-9.8.8.1.)
      1. the difference in elevation is more than 600mm between the walking surface and the adjacent surface, or
      2. the adjacent surface within 1.2 m of the walking surface has a slope of more than 1 in 2.
2. Except as provided in Sentences (3) and 3.3.2.9.(4) and Articles 3.3.4.7. and 3.3.5.10., openings through guards shall be of a size that prevents the passage of a spherical object whose diameter is more than 100 mm.
3. Openings through guards other than those required by Sentence (1) that serve occupancies other than industrial occupancies shall be of a size that
   1. prevents the passage of a spherical object whose diameter is 100 mm, or
   2. permits the passage of a spherical object whose diameter is 200 mm. (See Note A-9.8.8.5.(3).)
4. Except for guards conforming to Article 3.3.5.10., guards that protect a level located more than one storey or 4.2 m above the adjacent level shall be designed so that no member, attachment or opening located between 140 mm and 900 mm above the level protected by the guard facilitates climbing. (See Note A-9.8.8.6.(1).)
5. Sentence (1) does not apply
   1. to the front edges of stages,
   2. to loading docks, or
   3. where access is provided for maintenance purposes only.

1. Except as permitted by Sentence (5), a glass or transparent door shall be designed and constructed so that the existence and position of the door is readily apparent, by attaching visually contrasting hardware, bars or other permanent fixtures to it.
2. The visibility of fully glazed transparent doors, sidelights and panels shall be enhanced through the inclusion of mullions, markings or other elements that
   1. are visually contrasting,
   2. are at least 50 mm high,
   3. extend the full width of the door, sidelight or panel, and
   4. are located between 1 350 mm and 1 500 mm above the floor.
3. A glass door shall be constructed of
   1. laminated or tempered safety glass conforming to CAN/CGSB-12.1-M, "Tempered or Laminated Safety Glass," or
   2. wired glass conforming to CAN/CGSB-12.11-M, "Wired Safety Glass."
4. Except as permitted by Sentence (5), transparent panels used in an access to exit that, because of their physical configuration or design, could be mistaken as a means of egress shall be made inaccessible by barriers or railings.
5. Sliding glass partitions that separate a public corridor from an adjacent occupancy and that are open during normal working hours need not conform to Sentences (1) and (4), provided the partitions are suitably marked in conformance with Sentence (2) to indicate their existence and position.
6. Where vision glass is provided in doors or transparent sidelights, the lowest edge of the glass shall be no higher than 900 mm above floor level.
7. Glass in doors and in sidelights that could be mistaken for doors, within or at the entrances to dwelling units and in public areas, shall conform to the requirements of Article 9.6.1.4.
8. A window in a public area that extends to less than 1 000 mm above the floor and is located above the second storey in a building of residential occupancy, shall be protected by a barrier or railing to not less than 1 070 mm above the floor, or the window shall be non-openable and designed to withstand the lateral design loads for balcony guards required by Article 4.1.5.14.

1. Except as provided in Sentence (2), an exhaust ventilation system designed in conformance with the appropriate requirements of Part 6 shall be provided in a building or part of a building in which dust, fumes, gases, vapour or other impurities or contaminants have the potential to create a fire or explosion hazard. (See also Article 4.2.4.13.)
2. Where a fire separation required to have a fire-resistance rating is penetrated by a ventilation system required by Sentence (1) for power-ventilated enclosures in laboratories, the ducts shall be
   1. continuously enclosed from the first penetrated fire separation to any subsequent fire separations or concealed spaces and all the way through to the outdoors so that the highest fire-resistance rating of all the penetrated fire separations is maintained, and
   2. exempted from the requirement to be equipped with a fire damper, smoke damper and fire/smoke damper as stated in Article 3.1.8.7.
3. Explosion relief devices, vents or other protective measures conforming to Subsection 6.3.1. and Article 6.9.1.2. shall be provided for a space in which substances or conditions that have the potential to create an explosion hazard are present as a result of the principal use of a building.

1. Except as permitted by Sentences (2) and (3), a room or space within a floor area for the storage of janitorial supplies shall be separated from 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
   1. the floor assembly above the floor area, or
   2. the floor assembly below the floor area, if there is no floor assembly above.
3. The fire separation required by Sentence (1) is not required to have a fire-resistance rating if the floor area in which the room or space is located is sprinklered throughout.

1. Except as permitted by Sentences (2) and (3), in a building of residential occupancy, a laundry room in a floor area that is not within a dwelling unit shall be separated from 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
   1. the floor assembly above the floor area, or
   2. the floor assembly below the floor area, if there is no floor assembly above.
3. The fire separation required by Sentence (1) is not required to have a fire-resistance rating if the floor area in which the laundry room is located is sprinklered throughout.

1. No obstruction shall be permitted in any occupancy that would restrict the width of a normal means of egress from any part of a floor area to less than 750 mm unless an alternative means of egress is provided adjacent to, accessible from, and plainly visible from the obstructed means of egress. (See Note A-3.3.1.23.(1).)

1. Illuminated signs conforming to Sentences 3.4.5.1.(2) and (6) shall be provided to indicate the direction to egress points in a service space referred to in Sentence 3.2.1.1.(8).

1. Except as provided in Sentence (2), welding and cutting operations shall be carried out in a room
   1. separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h, or
   2. protected by an automatic fire extinguishing system.
2. Sentence (1) shall not apply to industrial occupancies where the welding and cutting operations do not present a fire or explosion hazard to adjacent areas.