3.4.6.

(1) The surfaces of ramps, landings and treads,

(a) shall have a finish that is slip resistant, and

(b) if accessible to the public, shall have either a colour contrast or a distinctive pattern to demarcate the leading edge of the tread and the leading edge of the landing, as well as the beginning and end of a ramp.

(2) Treads and landings of exterior exit stairs shall be designed to be free of ice and snow accumulations if the stairs,

(a) are more than 10 m high, or

(b) serve a hotel.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentence 3.3.2.13.(1), every flight of interior stairs shall have no fewer than 3 risers.

(1) No flight of stairs shall have a vertical rise of more than 3.7 m between floors or landings, except that a flight of stairs serving as an exit in a Group B, Division 2 or 3 occupancy shall have a vertical rise not more than 2 400 mm between floors or landings.

(2) Except as provided in Sentence (6), the length and width of a landing shall be at least the width of the stairway in which it occurs, except that in a straight run the length of the landing need not be more than 1 100 mm.

(3) Where a doorway or stairway empties onto a ramp through a side wall, there shall be a level area extending across the full width of the ramp, and for a distance of 300 mm on either side of the wall opening, or on one side if the opening abuts on an end wall.

(4) Where a doorway or stairway empties onto a ramp through an end wall, there shall be a level area extending across the full width of the ramp and along its length for not less than 900 mm.

(5) A landing shall be provided at the top and bottom of every flight of stairs or section of a ramp.

(6) Where the direction of exit travel changes at a landing, the landing is permitted to be chamfered or curved in plan, provided the required width of the stair is maintained where measured perpendicular to the direction of exit travel across the landing.

(1) A ramp or stairway shall have a handrail on at least one side, and if 1 100 mm or more in width, shall have handrails on both sides.

(2) If the required width of a ramp or flight of stairs is more than 2 200 mm, one or more intermediate handrails continuous between landings shall be provided, and located so that there will be not more than 1 650 mm between handrails.

(3) Handrails shall be continuously graspable along their entire length and shall have,

(a) a circular cross-section with an outside diameter not less than 30 mm and not more than 43 mm, or

(b) any non-circular shape with a graspable portion that has a perimeter not less than 100 mm and not more than 125 mm and whose largest cross-sectional dimension is not more than 45 mm.

(4) Handrails on stairs and ramps shall be not less than 865 mm and not more than 965 mm high, measured vertically from a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosing or from the surface of the ramp, except that handrails not meeting these requirements are permitted provided they are installed in addition to the required handrail.

(5) Except as required by Sentence (11) and except where interrupted by doorways or newels at changes in direction, at least one handrail shall be continuous throughout the length of a stairway or ramp, including landings.

(6) Handrails shall be terminated in a manner that will not obstruct pedestrian travel or create a hazard.

(7) At least one handrail shall,

(a) in the case of a stair,

(i) extend horizontally at the required height, not less than 300 mm beyond the top riser, and

(ii) continue to slope for a depth of one tread beyond the bottom riser followed by a 300 mm horizontal extension, and

(b) in the case of a ramp, extend horizontally at the required height, not less than 300 mm beyond the top and bottom edges of the incline.

(8) The clearance between a handrail and any surface behind it shall be not less than 50 mm.

(9) Handrails and their supports shall be designed and constructed to withstand the loading values obtained from the nonconcurrent application of,

(a) a concentrated load not less than 0.9 kN applied at any point and in any direction for all handrails, and

(b) a uniform load not less than 0.7 kN/m applied in any direction to handrails not located within dwelling units.

(10) A ramp shall have handrails on both sides.

(11) In a nursing home, a home for the aged and a Group B, Division 3 occupancy, a continuous handrail shall be provided on both sides of a stairway throughout the length of the stairway, including landings, except where a handrail is interrupted by doorways or newels at changes in direction.

(1) Every exit shall have a wall or a well-secured guard on each side.

(2) Except as required by Sentence (4), the height of guards for exit stairs shall be not less than 920 mm measured vertically to the top of the guard from a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosings and 1 070 mm around landings.

(3) Exit ramps and their landings shall be protected with guards not less than 1 070 mm measured vertically to the top of the guard from the ramp surface where the difference in elevation between the adjacent ground or floor level and the ramp is more than 600 mm.

(4) The height of guards for exterior stairs and landings more than 10 m above adjacent ground level shall be not less than 1 500 mm measured vertically to the top of the guard from the surface of the landing or a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosings.

(5) Except as provided in Sentence (6), openings through any guard that is required by Sentence (1) shall be of a size that will prevent the passage of a sphere having a diameter more than 100 mm unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings that exceed this limit do not represent a hazard.

(6) Openings through any guard that is required by Sentence (1) and that is installed in a building of industrial occupancy shall be of a size that will prevent the passage of a sphere having a diameter more than 200 mm unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings that exceed this limit do not represent a hazard.

(7) In a stairway, a window for which the distance measured vertically between the bottom of the window and a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosings is less than 900 mm, or a window that extends to less than 1 070 mm above the landing, shall,

(a) be protected by a guard that is,

(i) located approximately 900 mm above a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosings, or

(ii) not less than 1 070 mm high measured to the top of the guard from the surface of the landing, or

(b) be fixed in position and designed to resist the lateral design loads specified for guards and walls in Articles 4.1.5.15.v1 and 4.1.5.17.

(8) Unless it can be shown that the location and size of openings do not present a hazard, a guard shall be designed so that no member, attachment or opening located between 140 mm and 900 mm above the level being protected by the guard will facilitate climbing.

(1) Except as required for aisles by Article 3.3.2.4.v1, the maximum slope of a ramp shall be,

(a) 1 in 10 in any assembly occupancy, care or detention occupancy or residential occupancy,

(b) 1 in 6 in rooms or floor areas classified as mercantile occupancy or industrial occupancy,

(c) 1 in 8 in any other floor area, and

(d) 1 in 10 for an exterior ramp.

(1) Except as permitted for dwelling units and by Sentence 3.4.7.5.(1) for fire escapes, steps for stairs shall have a run of not less than 255 mm and not more than 355 mm between successive steps.

(2) Steps for stairs referred to in Sentence (1) shall have a rise between successive treads not less than 125 mm and not more than 200 mm.

(3) Treads and risers in every exit stair, except a fire escape stair, shall have uniform run and rise in any one flight, and shall not alter significantly in run and rise in successive flights in any stair system.

(4) Except as permitted by Sentence (6), the leading edge of a stair tread shall have either a radius or a bevel between 6 mm and 10 mm in horizontal dimension.

(5) The front edge of stair treads in exits and public access to exits shall be at right angles to the direction of exit travel.

(6) If resilient material is used to cover the leading edge of a stair tread, the minimum radius or bevel required by Sentence (4) is permitted to be reduced to 3 mm.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (2), tapered treads shall not be used in an exit.

(2) A curved stair used as an exit shall have,

(a) a handrail on each side,

(b) treads with a minimum run of 240 mm exclusive of nosings,

(c) treads that conform to Article 3.4.6.7. where they are measured 230 mm away from the handrail at the narrow end of the tread, and

(d) an inside radius that is not less than twice the stair width.

(1) Except in an elementary or secondary school that is subdivided by a firewall, the floor area on each side of a horizontal exit shall be sufficient to accommodate the occupants of both floor areas, allowing not less than 0.5 m² of clear floor space per person, except that 1.5 m² shall be provided for each person in a wheelchair and 2.5 m² for each patient in bed.

(2) If vestibules, enclosed balconies or bridges are used as parts of a horizontal exit, their clear width shall be not less than that of the exit doorways opening into them, except that handrails are not permitted to project into this clear width more than 100 mm.

(3) In a horizontal exit where there is a difference in level between the connected floor areas, slopes not more than those specified for ramps in Article 3.4.6.6. are permitted to be used.

(4) No stairs or steps shall be used at a horizontal exit.

(5) If 2 doors are provided in a horizontal exit that comprises a part of the required number of exits from the floor areas on both sides of the exit,

(a) the doors shall be mounted adjacent to each other with the door on the right side in the direction of travel through the horizontal exit swinging in the direction of travel through the horizontal exit, and

(b) signs shall be provided on each side of the horizontal exit to indicate the door that swings in the direction of travel from that side.

(6) If a horizontal exit utilizes bridges between buildings or outside balconies, the bridges or balconies shall conform to Article 3.2.3.19.

(7) Any change in floor level from one side of a horizontal exit to the other side shall not exceed 2 000 mm.

(1) The distance between a stair riser and the leading edge of a door during its swing shall be not less than 300 mm.

(2) No exit door shall open directly onto a step except that, if there is danger of blockage from ice or snow, an exit door is permitted to open onto not more than one step which shall be not more than 150 mm high.

(3) Exit doors shall be clearly identifiable

(4) No door leaf in an exit doorway with more than one leaf shall be less than 600 mm wide.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentences (2), (3) and Article 3.4.6.13., every exit door shall,

(a) open in the direction of exit travel, and

(b) swing on its vertical axis.

(2) A door serving a single dwelling unit shall swing on its vertical axis.

(3) Except in a high hazard industrial occupancy, an exit door need not swing in the direction of exit travel where it serves,

(a) a room, suite or floor area having an occupant load of not more than 60 persons, or

(b) as part of a means of egress from more than one floor area and the floor areas so served have a total occupant load of not more than 60 persons.

(1) An exit door that is normally required to be kept closed,

(a) shall be provided with a self-closing mechanism, and

(b) shall not be secured in an open position except as permitted by Sentence 3.1.8.12.(1)v1.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (2) an exit door leading directly to outdoors at ground level is permitted to be a sliding door provided it is released in conformance with Sentence 3.3.1.11.(1).

(2) An exit door serving a Group B, Division 1 occupancy, or an impeded egress zone in other occupancies, is permitted to be a sliding door that does not conform to Sentence 3.3.1.11.(1) provided it is designed to be released in conformance with Article 3.3.1.12.

(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (3), a revolving door, if used, shall,

(a) be collapsible,

(b) have hinged doors providing equivalent exiting capacity located adjacent to it,

(c) be used as an exit from the ground floor level only,

(d) be not less than 3 m from the foot of any stairway, and

(e) have all glass in door leaves and enclosure panels conforming to,

(i) CAN/CGSB-12.1-M, “Tempered or Laminated Safety Glass”, or

(ii) CAN/CGSB-12.11-M, “Wired Safety Glass”.

(2) Except as permitted by Sentence (3), a revolving door shall not be considered to have an exiting capacity for more than 45 persons.

(3) An electrically powered revolving door is not required to conform to Sentences (1) and (2) provided,

(a) the door leaves will collapse and stop automatic rotation of the door system and not obstruct the doorway if a force not more than that specified in Sentence 3.4.6.15.(2)v1 is applied at the centre of a door leaf,

(b) the door leaves are capable of being opened from inside the building without requiring keys, special devices, or specialized knowledge of the door opening mechanism,

(c) the allowable exiting capacity is based on the clear width of passage through the door enclosure when the doors are fully collapsed,

(d) a permanent sign, whose centreline is between 1 000 mm and 1 500 mm above the floor, is placed on each face of each door leaf indicating the method for collapsing the door leaf in an emergency, and

(e) glass used for door leaves and enclosure panels is safety glass conforming to,

(i) CAN/CGSB-12.1-M, “Tempered or Laminated Safety Glass”, or

(ii) CAN/CGSB-12.11-M, “Wired Safety Glass”.

(1) Except for dwelling units, and except for devices on doors serving a contained use area or an impeded egress zone designed to be released in conformance with Article 3.3.1.12., and except as permitted by Sentence (4), locking, latching and other fastening devices on every exit door shall permit the door to be readily opened from the inside with not more than one releasing operation and without requiring keys, special devices or specialized knowledge of the door opening mechanism.

(2) If a door is equipped with a latching mechanism, a device that will release the latch and allow the door to swing wide open when a force of not more than 90 N is applied to the device in the direction of travel to the exit shall be installed on,

(a) every exit door from a floor area containing an assembly occupancy having an occupant load more than 100,

(b) every door leading to an exit lobby from an exit stair shaft, and every exterior door leading from an exit stair shaft in a building having an occupant load more than 100, and

(c) every exit door from a floor area containing a high hazard industrial occupancy.

(3) Except as required by Sentence 3.8.3.3.(7)v1, every exit door shall be designed and installed so that, when the latch is released, the door will open under a force of not more than 90 N, applied at the knob or other latch releasing device.

(4) Electromagnetic locks that do not incorporate latches, pins or other similar devices to keep the door in the closed position are permitted to be installed on exit doors other than doors described in Sentence (5) provided,

(a) the building is equipped with a fire alarm system conforming to Subsection 3.2.4.,

(b) the locking device, and all similar devices in the access to exit leading to the exit door, are installed as ancillary devices to the fire alarm system and release immediately upon activation of,

(i) the alarm signal where a single stage fire alarm system is installed,

(ii) except as provided in Subclause (iii), the alert signal where a 2 stage fire alarm system is installed, or

(iii) the alarm signal of a 2 stage fire alarm system installed in a care or detention occupancy,

(c) the locking device releases immediately upon loss of power to the fire alarm control panel or loss of power controlling the electromagnetic locking mechanism and its associated auxiliary controls,

(d) the locking device releases immediately upon actuation of a manually operated switch readily accessible only to authorized personnel and located near the main entrance of the building or in the central alarm and control facility of Sentence 3.2.6.12.(1)v1,

(e) the locking device releases immediately upon a fault being detected in the electrical circuit between the fire alarm control panel and the controller of the locking device,

(f) the locking device releases immediately upon the operation of a manual pull station for the fire alarm system located on the wall not more than 600 mm from the door,

(g) a legible sign having the words EMERGENCY EXIT UNLOCKED BY FIRE ALARM is permanently mounted on the door,

(h) the lettering on the sign required in Clause (g) is at least 25 mm high with a 5 mm stroke,

(i) upon release, the locking device must be reset manually by the actuation of the switch referred to in Clause (d),

(j) the operation of any by-pass switch, where provided for testing of the fire alarm system, causes an audible signal and a visual signal to be indicated at the fire alarm annunciator panel and at the monitoring station of Clause 3.2.4.7.(4) (a), and

(k) emergency lighting is provided at the doors.

(5) Except as permitted in Sentences (6) and (7), electromagnetic locks are not permitted to be installed on exit doors,

(a) described in Clauses (2)(a), (b) or (c),

(b) serving an elementary or secondary school, or

(c) leading directly from a high hazard industrial occupancy.

(6) Electromagnetic locks are permitted to be installed on an exterior door leading from an exit stairway in a building serving only a Group B, Division 2 major occupancy or a Group B, Division 3 major occupancy.

(7) Electromagnetic locks are permitted to be installed on an exit door that serves only a gaming premises if,

(a) the gaming premises is located within a sprinklered floor area,

(b) smoke detectors are installed in each room and each corridor accessible to the public,

(c) a force of not more than 90 N applied to the door opening hardware initiates an irreversible process that will release the locking device within 15 s and not relock until the door has been opened, and

(d) a legible sign conforming with Clause (4) (h) is permanently mounted on the exit door to indicate that the locking device will release within 15 s of applying pressure to the door release hardware.

(8) Door hardware for the operation of the doors referred to in this Section shall be installed at a height not more than 1 200 mm above the finished floor.

(1) In a building more than 6 storeys in building height,

(a) except as permitted by Sentence (3), doors providing access to floor areas from exit stairs shall not have locking devices to prevent entry into,

(i) any floor area designated as an area of refuge,

(ii) floor areas located at intervals of 5 storeys or less, and

(iii) at least one of the three highest storeys,

(b) doors referred to in Clause (a) that provide access into the floor area shall be identified by a sign on the stairway side to indicate that they are openable from that side, and

(c) a master key to fit all door locking devices that are intended to prevent entry into a floor area from an exit stair shall be provided in a designated location accessible to fire fighters, or the door shall be provided with a wired glass panel not less than 0.0645 m² in area and located not more than 300 mm from the door opening hardware.

(2) If access to floor areas through unlocked doors is required by Clause (1)(a) or through electromagnetically locked doors as permitted by Sentence (3), it shall be possible for a person entering the floor area to have access through unlocked doors or through electromagnetically locked doors within the floor area to at least one other exit.

(3) Electromagnetic locking devices may be installed on the doors providing access to floor areas from exit stairs as required by Clause (1)(a), provided all locking device release and signage provisions in Sentence 3.4.6.15.(4)v1 are installed on both sides of the doors.

(4) In a building not more than 6 storeys in building height, doors providing access from exit stairs to a floor area containing a hotel are permitted to have locking devices to prevent entry into the floor area provided the requirements in Clause (1)(c) are complied with.

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

(a) be mounted permanently on each side of doors to exit stair shafts,

(b) be not less than 60 mm high, raised approximately 0.7 mm above the surface,

(c) be located 1 500 mm from the finished floor, and

(d) be contrasting in colour with the surface to which they are applied.

(2) Upper case letters indicating the designation assigned to each exit stair shaft shall be mounted permanently on each side of doors to the exit stair shaft and shall,

(a) be not less than 60 mm high, raised approximately 0.7 mm above the surface,

(b) be located 1 500 mm from the finished floor, and

(c) be contrasting in colour with the surface on which they are applied.