3.2.6.

(1) This Subsection applies to a building,

(a) of Group A, D, E or F major occupancy classification that is more than,

(i) 36 m high, measured between grade and the floor level of the top storey, or

(ii) 18 m high, measured between grade and the floor level of the top storey, and in which the cumulative or total occupant load on or above any storey above grade, other than the first storey, divided by 1.8 times the width in metres of all exit stairs at that storey, exceeds 300,

(b) containing a Group B major occupancy in which the floor level of the highest storey of that major occupancy is more than 18 m above grade,

(c) containing a floor area or part of a floor area located above the third storey designed or intended as a Group B, Division 2 or 3 occupancy, and

(d) containing a Group C major occupancy whose floor level is more than 18 m above grade.

(1) Except as permitted in Sentence 3.2.6.6.(2)v1, a building to which this Subsection applies shall be designed in accordance with Sentences (2) to (4) and Articles 3.2.6.3.v1 to 3.2.6.7.v1 to limit the danger to occupants and fire fighters from exposure to smoke in a building fire.

(2) Except as provided in Articles 3.2.6.4.v1 to 3.2.6.6.v1, a building referred to in Sentence (1), shall be designed so that, during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire, all floor areas that are above the lowest exit storey will not contain more than 1% by volume of contaminated air from the fire floor, assuming an outdoor temperature equal to the January design temperature on a 2.5% basis determined in conformance with Supplementary Standard SB-1.

(3) Except as provided in Articles 3.2.6.4v1 and 3.2.6.6.v1, a building referred to in Sentence (1), shall be designed so that during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire, the limit described in Sentence (2) on the movement of contaminated air into other floor areas is not exceeded in,

(a) each exit stair serving storeys above the lowest exit level, and

(b) each exit stair serving storeys below the lowest exit level.

(4) Except as provided in Articles 3.2.6.4.v1 and 3.2.6.6.v1, a building referred to in Sentence (1), shall be designed so that during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire, the limit described in Sentence (2) on the movement of contaminated air into other floor areas is not exceeded in a shaft that contains an elevator for use by fire fighters required by Article 3.2.6.9.v1

(1) In a building of Group C major occupancy classification, the requirements of Sentence 3.2.6.2.(2)v1 are waived in buildings where occupants above the first storey can enter and be safely accommodated in floor areas or parts of floor areas that are designated as areas of refuge on the plans and are identified as such in the building.

(2) Except as required in Sentence (3), the areas of refuge referred to in Sentence (1) shall be located on every fifth storey.

(3) The areas of refuge referred to in Sentence (1) shall be located on every storey if the building is more than 75 m high, measured between grade and the floor level of the top storey.

(4) The areas of refuge referred to in Sentence (1) shall,

(a) provide not less than 0.5 m² of floor space per ambulatory occupant and 1.5 m² of floor space per non-ambulatory occupant,

(b) have access corridors and doors leading to each designated part of a floor area on the same storey sufficient to provide 3.67 mm of width for every person who may have to use these passages to reach the designated part of a floor area,

(c) have access stairs from intervening storeys leading to each designated part of a floor area sufficient to provide 5.5 mm of width for every person who may have to use these stairs to reach the designated part of a floor area, and

(d) not contain more than 1% by volume of contaminated air from the 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 Supplementary Standard SB-1.

(1) The requirements of Sentences 3.2.6.2.(2)v1 and (4), and Clause 3.2.6.2.(3)(a)v1 are waived when a building is sprinklered and,

(a) the sprinkler system is equipped with a water flow and supervisory signal system that will,

(i) transmit automatically a waterflow signal directly to the fire department, or through an independent central station,

(ii) transmit automatically other supervisory signals to a proprietary control centre or to an independent central station, and

(iii) actuate a signal at the central alarm and control facility described in Article 3.2.6.12.v1,

(b) each stairway that serves storeys above the lowest exit level is vented to the outdoors at or near the bottom of the stair shaft,

(c) measures are taken to limit movement of smoke from a fire in a floor area below the lowest exit storey into upper storeys, and

(d) except for exhaust fans in kitchens, washrooms and bathrooms in dwelling units, and except for fans used for smoke venting in Article 3.2.6.10.v1, air moving fans in a system that serves more than 2 storeys shall be designed and installed so that in the event of a fire these fans can be stopped by means of a manually operated switch at the central alarm and control facility.

(1) The requirements of Sentence 3.2.6.2.(2)v1 are waived in a building of Group C major occupancy classification where,

(a) the building is not more than 75 m high measured between grade and the floor level of the top storey, and

(b) the number of occupants of storeys above grade is not more than 3.6 times the area in square metres of treads and landings in the exit stairs serving these storeys.

(1) The requirements of Sentences 3.2.6.2.(2)v1 and (4) and Clause 3.2.6.2.(3)(a)v1 are waived in a building of Group C major occupancy classification,

(a) where each suite above grade has direct access to an exterior balcony that conforms to the requirements of Sentence 3.3.1.7.(7)v1,

(b) where each stairway that serves storeys above the lowest exit level is vented to the outdoors at or near the bottom of the stair shaft,

(c) where measures are taken to limit movement of smoke from a fire in a floor area below the lowest exit storey into upper storeys, and

(d) where, except for exhaust fans in kitchens, washrooms and bathrooms in dwelling units, air moving fans are designed and installed so that in the event of a fire such fans can be stopped by means of a manually operated switch at the central alarm and control facility where the system serves more than 2 storeys.

(2) The requirements of Sentences 3.2.6.2.(2)v1 and (3) are waived in a Group C major occupancy apartment building.

(1) If a building described in Sentence 3.2.6.1.(1)v1 is connected to any other building, measures shall be taken to limit movement of contaminated air from one building into another during a fire.

(1) Manual emergency recall shall be provided for all elevators serving storeys above the first storey.

(2) Key-operated switches for emergency recall described by Sentence (1) shall be provided in a conspicuous location at,

(a) each elevator lobby on the recall level, and

(b) the central alarm and control facility required in Article 3.2.6.12.v1

(3) In-car emergency service switches shall be provided in all elevator cars.

(4) Keys to operate the switches required by Sentences (2) and (3) shall be,

(a) provided in a suitably identified box conspicuously located on the outside of an elevator hoistway near the central alarm and control facility required by Article 3.2.6.12.v1, and

(b) at the central alarm and control facility.

(5) Automatic emergency recall operation shall be provided for all elevators serving storeys above the first storey in unsprinklered buildings.

(6) The automatic emergency recall feature in Sentence (5) shall be actuated by,

(a) smoke detectors installed in each elevator lobby on each storey, or

(b) the building fire alarm system.

(7) Smoke detectors in Sentence (6) shall be designed as part of the building fire alarm system.

(1) At least one elevator shall be provided for use by fire fighters in conformance with Sentences (2) to (6).

(2) The elevator referred to in Sentence (1) shall have a usable platform area not less than 2.2 m² and shall be capable of carrying a load of 900 kg to the top floor that it serves from a landing on the storey containing the entrance for fire fighter access referred to in Articles 3.2.5.4. and 3.2.5.5. within 1 min.

(3) Except when Measure K of Supplementary Standard SB-4 is used, each elevator for use by fire fighters shall,

(a) be provided with a closure at each shaft opening so that the interlock mechanism remains mechanically engaged and electrical continuity is maintained in the interlock circuits and associated wiring is operational for a period of not less than 1 h when the assembly is subjected to the standard fire exposure described in CAN4-S104-M, “Fire Tests of Door Assemblies”,

(b) be protected with a vestibule containing no occupancy and separated from the remainder of the floor area by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 45 min, or

(c) be protected with a corridor containing no occupancy and separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h.

(4) Except as permitted in Sentence (5), an elevator referred to in Sentence (1) shall be capable of providing transportation from the storey containing the entrance for fire fighter access referred to in Articles 3.2.5.4. and 3.2.5.5. to every floor that is above grade in the building and that is normally served by the elevator system.

(5) If it is necessary to change elevators to reach any floor referred to in Sentence (4), the system shall be designed so that not more than one change of elevator is required when travelling to any floor in the building from the storey containing the entrance for fire fighter access referred to in Articles 3.2.5.4. and 3.2.5.5.

(6) Electrical conductors for the operation of the elevator referred to in Sentence (1) shall be,

(a) installed in service spaces conforming to Section 3.6. that do not contain other combustible material, or

(b) protected against exposure to fire from the service entrance of the emergency power supply, or the normal service entrance of the normal power supply, to the equipment served, to ensure operation for a period of 1 h when subjected to the standard fire exposure described in CAN4-S101-M, “Fire Endurance Tests of Building Construction and Materials”.

(1) Means of venting each floor area to the outdoors shall be provided by windows, wall panels or smoke shafts, except that in a sprinklered floor area, the floor area is permitted to be vented by the building exhaust system.

(2) Venting described in Sentence (1) shall conform to the requirements in Supplementary Standard SB-4.

(3) Fixed glass windows shall not be used for the venting required by Sentence (1) if the breaking of the windows could endanger pedestrians below.

(4) Openable windows used for the venting required by Sentence (1) shall be permanently marked so that they are easily identifiable.

(5) Elevator hoistways shall not be designed for the venting required by Sentence (1).

(1) A central alarm and control facility shall be provided on the storey containing the entrance for fire fighter access referred to in Articles 3.2.5.4. and 3.2.5.5. in a location that,

(a) is readily accessible to fire fighters entering the building, and

(b) takes into account the effect of background noise likely to occur under fire emergency conditions, so that the facility can properly perform its required function under such conditions.

(2) The central alarm and control facility required in Sentence (1) shall include,

(a) means to control the voice communication system required by Article 3.2.6.13.v1, so that messages can be sent to,

(i) all loudspeakers simultaneously

(ii) to individual floor areas, and

(iii) exit stairwells,

(b) means to indicate audibly and visually alert signals and alarm signals and a switch to,

(i) silence the audible portion of these signals, and

(ii) indicate visually that the audible portion has been silenced,

(c) means to indicate visually that elevators are on emergency recall,

(d) an annunciator conforming to Article 3.2.4.8.,

(e) means to transmit alert signals and alarm signals to the fire department in conformance with Article 3.2.4.7.,

(f) means to release hold-open devices on doors to vestibules,

(g) means to manually actuate alarm signals in the building selectively to any zone or zones,

(h) means to silence the alarm signals referred to in Clause (g) in conformance with Sentences 3.2.4.22.(2) and (3),

(i) means, as appropriate to the measure for fire safety provided in the building, to,

(i) actuate auxiliary equipment, or

(ii) communicate with a continually staffed auxiliary equipment control centre,

(j) means to communicate with telephones in elevator cars, separate from connections to fire fighters’ telephones, if elevator cars are required by the Elevating Devices Act to be equipped with a telephone,

(k) means to indicate visually, individual sprinkler system waterflow signals,

(l) means to indicate audibly and visually, sprinkler system supervisory signals,

(m) a switch to silence the audible portion of a supervisory signal, and

(n) visual indication that the audible portion of a supervisory signal has been silenced.

(1) A voice communication system or systems conforming to Article 3.2.4.22. shall be provided in a building if,

(a) the floor of the top storey, is more than 36 m above grade, or

(b) a floor area or part of a floor area located above the third storey is designed or intended for use as a Group B, Division 2 or 3 occupancy.

(1) The systems for control of smoke movement and mechanical venting required by Articles 3.2.6.2.v1 and 3.2.6.10.v1 shall be tested to ensure satisfactory operation in accordance with the procedures described in Supplementary Standard B-4.