Means of egress

(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, Article 9.8.2.1. for stairs, and Article 9.8.5.2. for ramps.)

(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 a storage garage shall be not less than 2 m.

(1)Except as provided in Articles 9.9.4.4. and 9.9.4.6., this Subsection applies to the fire protection of all exits except exits serving not more than one dwelling unit.

(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, or another dwelling unit, ancillary space or common space in a house with a secondary suite, 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)Except as provided in Sentence (5) and Article 9.9.8.5., every exit other than an exit 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.

(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 at least 50% of its exterior sides open to the outdoors and is served by an exit stair at each end of the passageway.

(1)Fuel-fired appliances shall not be installed in an exit or corridor serving as an access to exits.

(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)Except in houses with a secondary suite, ancillary rooms such as storage rooms, washrooms, toilet rooms, laundry rooms and service rooms shall not open directly into an exit.

(1)Principal entrance doors, exit doors 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)be controlled by electromagnetic locking mechanisms in accordance with Sentence 3.4.6.16.(5).

(2)Except for doors serving a single dwelling unit or a house with a secondary suite, 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 3.8.3.6.(4) and Note A-3.3.1.13.(4))

(3)Door release hardware on doors in a means of egress shall be installed 900 mm to 1,100 mm above the finished floor.

(4)Except for hotels, a door opening onto a public corridor that provides access to exit from suites shall be designed not to lock automatically when such doors are equipped with an automatic self-closing device. (See Note A-3.3.4.5.(1))

(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 or a house with a secondary suite, 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)Required access to exit from suites shall not be through any other dwelling unit, service room or other occupancy.

(1)Except for dwelling units, at least two egress doors shall be provided where

(a)the area of a room or suite exceeds 200 m² in a Group D, E, F2 and F3 occupancy, or 150 m² in a Group C occupancy, or

(b)the distance measured from any point within a room or suite to the nearest egress door exceeds 25 m.

(2)Doors required in Sentence (1) shall be spaced so that in the event one door is made inaccessible by a fire within such a room or suite, the other door will provide safe egress.

(1)Except as provided in Sentences (2) and (3) 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.

(3)In boarding, lodging or rooming houses,

(a)where sleeping accommodation is provided for not more than eight persons, a single exit is permitted from each floor area, or

(b)where sleeping accommodation is not provided in the basement, a single exit is permitted from the basement floor area.

(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 Note A-9.9.8.4.(1))

(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 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 not more than 1.5 m above adjacent ground level.

(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 or door

(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 for dwelling units in a house with a secondary suite, 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

(i)serving more than one suite, and

(ii)served by a single exit,

(c)an exterior passageway

(i)serving more than one suite,

(ii)served by a single exit stairway or ramp, and

(iii)more than 1.5 m above adjacent ground level, or

(d)a balcony

(i)serving more than one suite,

(ii)served by a single exit stairway or ramp, and

(iii)more than 1.5 m above adjacent ground level.

(2)Where a dwelling unit is located above another dwelling unit or common space in a house with a secondary suite, the upper dwelling unit shall be provided with as second and separate means of egress where an egress door from that dwelling unit opens onto an exterior passageway that

(a)has a floor assembly with a fire-resistance rating less than 45 min,

(b)is served by a single exit stairway or ramp, and

(c)is located more than 1.5 m above adjacent ground level.

(1)Except where a door on the same floor level as the bedroom provides direct access to the exterior, every floor level containing a bedroom in a suite shall be provided with at least one outside window that

(a)is openable from the inside without the use of tools,

(b)provides an individual, unobstructed open portion having a minimum area of 0.35 m² with no dimension less than 380 mm, and

(c)maintains the required opening described in Clause (b) without the need for additional support. (See Note A-9.9.10.1.(1))

(2)Except for basement areas, the window required in Sentence (1) shall have a maximum sill height of 1,000 mm above the floor. (See Note A-9.9.10.1.(2))

(3)Where a window required in Sentence (1) opens into a window well, a clearance of not less than 550 mm shall be provided in front of the window. (See Note A-9.9.10.1.(3))

(4)Where the sash of a window referred to in Sentence (3) swings towards the window well, the operation of the sash shall not reduce the clearance in a manner that would restrict escape in an emergency.

(5)Where a protective enclosure is installed over the window well referred to in Sentence (3), the enclosure shall be openable from the inside without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge of the opening mechanism.

(6)When sliding windows are used, the minimum dimension described in Sentence (1) shall apply to the openable portion of the window.

(7)Where the sleeping area within a live/work unit is on a mezzanine with no obstructions more than 1,070 mm above the floor, the window required in Sentence (1) may be provided on the main level of the live/work unit provided the mezzanine is not more than 25% of the area of the live/work unit or 20 m², whichever is less, and an unobstructed direct path of travel is provided from the mezzanine to this window.

(1)This Subsection applies to all exits except those serving not more than one dwelling unit or a house with a secondary suite.

(1)Exits shall be located so as to be clearly visible or their locations shall be clearly indicated.

(2)Where an exit door leading directly to the outside is subject to being obstructed by a parked vehicle or storage because of its location, a visible sign prohibiting such obstructions shall be permanently mounted on the exterior side of the door.

(1)Arabic numerals indicating the assigned floor number shall be

(a)except in hotels, mounted permanently on the stair side of the wall at the latch side of doors to exit stair shafts,

(b)in hotels, mounted permanently on each side of the exit doors to the exit stair shaft,

(c)not less than 60 mm high, raised approximately 0.8 mm above the surface,

(d)located 1,500 mm from the finished floor and not more than 300 mm from the door, and

(e)contrasting in colour with the surface on which they are applied. (See Note A-9.9.11.5.(1) (e))

(1)This Subsection applies to the lighting of all means of egress except those within dwelling units or a house with a secondary suite.

(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.

(2)The minimum value of the illumination required by Sentence (1) shall be not less than 10 lx.

(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)The minimum value of the illumination required by Sentence (4) shall be not less than 1 1x.

(6)Where incandescent lighting is provided, lighting equal to 1 W/m² of floor area shall be considered to meet the requirement in Sentence (4).

(7)Where self-contained emergency lighting units are used, they shall conform to CSA C22.2 No. 141, "Emergency lighting equipment."