SECTION 9.7 – BUILDINGS WITH A CARE OCCUPANCY OR RETIREMENT HOME
SECTION 9.7 BUILDINGS WITH A CARE OCCUPANCY OR RETIREMENT HOME
Subsection 9.7.1. Application and General
Application
9.7.1.1. (1) This Section applies to buildings containing a care occupancy or retirement home.
(2) Despite Sentence (1), this Section does not apply to a building or part of a building that is a home or hospital regulated by Section 9.4.
(3) Despite Sentence (1), if a building containing a care occupancy or retirement home also contains one or more other occupancies that are not governed by this Part, this Section does not apply to the fire safety systems, devices and structural elements of any of the other occupancies that do not affect the life safety of the care occupancy or retirement home.
Conflict
9.7.1.2. (1) In the event of a conflict between this Section and any other Section of this Part that applies to a care occupancy or retirement home, this Section prevails.
(2) If a building containing a care occupancy or retirement home also contains one or more other occupancies that are governed by other Sections of this Part, the fire safety systems, devices and structural elements of all the occupancies governed by this Part shall comply with the requirements that provide the greatest protection for life safety.
Additional requirements
9.7.1.3. (1) In addition to the requirements of this Section,
(a) a building not greater than 6 storeys in building height shall comply with Subsections 9.5.2. to 9.5.5., and
(b) a building greater than 6 storeys in building height shall comply with Subsections 9.6.2. to 9.6.5.
(2) Clause (1) (a) does not apply to a building not greater than 3 storeys in building height that provides sleeping accommodation for not more than four persons.
Definitions
9.7.1.4. For the purposes of this Section,
“1990 Building Code” means Ontario Regulation 413/90, as it read on October 9, 1992;
“existing” means in existence on January 1, 2014.
Subsection 9.7.2. Containment
Self-closing devices
9.7.2.1. (1) Doors opening onto corridors that are access to exits and that serve resident suites, and resident sleeping rooms not within suites, in care occupancies and retirement homes shall be equipped with self-closing devices.
(2) Sentence (1) does not apply
(a) in buildings 3 storeys or less in building height that provide sleeping accommodation for 10 or fewer persons, and
(b) in buildings where all of the corridors referred to in Sentence (1) are subdivided in accordance with Sentence (3).
(3) The corridor subdivision referred to in Clause (2)(b) shall
(a) subdivide the corridor into at least two zones using fire separations that contain smoke-tight doors equipped with self-closing devices that act as closures,
(b) be arranged so that each subdivided corridor zone is able to accommodate, in addition to its own occupants, the occupants from any single adjacent zone, based on the requirements of 1.6 m2 per person, unless otherwise approved, and
(c) be arranged so that the travel distance from any point in a subdivided corridor zone to an adjacent zone is no more than 15 m.
Subsection 9.7.3. Means of Egress
Emergency lighting
9.7.3.1. (1) Emergency lighting shall be provided in exit stairways, public corridors and other principal access to exits.
(2) The emergency lighting shall be
(a) designed to provide illumination for a duration of at least 30 min,
(b) supplied by a source of energy that is separate from the primary electrical supply for the building, and
(c) designed to be automatically activated when the power to the building is interrupted.
(3) The emergency lighting shall provide illumination that is at least an average of 10 1x at floor or tread level or at least 1 watt / m2 of floor space.
(4) Sentence (1) does not apply in buildings 3 storeys or less in building height that provide sleeping accommodation for 10 or fewer persons.
Subsection 9.7.4. Fire Alarm and Detection
Fire signal to fire department
9.7.4.1. (1) Fire alarm systems shall have provision for notifying the fire department in accordance with Article 3.2.4.7. of the 1990 Building Code that a fire alarm signal or alert signal has been activated.
(2) Fire alarm systems equipped with a monitoring service that complies with CAN/ULC-S561, “Installation and Services for Fire Signal Receiving Centres and Systems” are deemed to comply with Sentence (1).
(3) Sentence (1) does not apply to buildings equipped with an interconnected smoke alarm system.
Sprinkler signal to fire department
9.7.4.2. (1) Sprinkler systems required by this Section shall have provision for notifying the fire department in accordance with Article 3.2.4.7. of the 1990 Building Code that the sprinkler system has been activated.
(2) Sprinkler systems equipped with a monitoring service that complies with CAN/ULC-S561, “Installation and Services for Fire Signal Receiving Centres and Systems” are deemed to comply with Sentence (1).
(3) Sentence (1) does not apply where the fire alarm system or interconnected smoke alarm system has provision for notifying the fire department in accordance with Article 3.2.4.7. of the 1990 Building Code that a fire alarm signal or alert signal has been activated.
Smoke alarms
9.7.4.3. (1) A smoke alarm shall be installed in each suite and in each sleeping room not within a suite.
(2) Smoke alarms shall be installed with permanent connections to an electrical circuit and shall have no disconnect switch between the overcurrent device and the smoke alarm.
(3) Battery-operated smoke alarms are deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (2).
(4) Smoke alarms required in Sentence (1) shall conform to CAN/ULC-S531, “Standard for Smoke Alarms”.
(5) Smoke alarms required in Sentence (1) shall be installed in accordance with CAN/ULC-S553, “Standard for the Installation of Smoke-Alarms”.
(6) Revoked: O. Reg. 256/14, s. 399 (2).
(7) A smoke detector that is installed in each suite and in each sleeping room not within a suite is deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1) if it is connected to a fire alarm system.
Voice communication systems
9.7.4.4. (1) A voice communication system conforming to Article 3.2.4.22. of the 1990 Building Code shall be provided in every building where a floor area that is more than 18 metres above grade contains a care occupancy or a retirement home.
(2) A voice communication system is deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1) if it
(a) consists of loudspeakers operated from,
(i) the central alarm and control facility, or
(ii) another location that is accessible to the fire department and supervisory staff required under Subsection 2.8.2. and that is approved,
(b) provides a clear verbal signal throughout the building, except within elevator cars, and
(c) provides for automatic silencing of the fire alarm devices when the loudspeakers are in use.
(3) A public address system capable of providing a clear verbal signal throughout the building, though not within elevator cars, is deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
Subsection 9.7.5. Suppression
Sprinkler systems
9.7.5.1. (1) An automatic sprinkler system shall be installed in each building in accordance with NFPA 13, “Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems”.
(2) Despite Sentence (1), in a building not greater than 3 storeys in building height that provides sleeping accommodation for not more than 10 persons, a sprinkler system may be installed in accordance with NFPA 13D, “Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes”, except that the minimum quantity of available water shall be adequate for a demand duration of at least 20 minutes if stored water is used as the sole water supply source.
(3) Despite Sentence (1), in a building not greater than 6 storeys in building height, a sprinkler system may be installed in accordance with NFPA 13R, “Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies up to and Including Four Stories in Height”.
(4) An existing sprinkler system that provides an average sprinkler discharge density over a design area that is equal to the minimum density corresponding to the area for light hazard classification as defined in NFPA 13, “Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems”, is deemed to be in compliance with Sentence (1).
(5) Sprinkler systems shall be equipped with local electric waterflow alarms.
(6) If a fire pump is required by NFPA 13 or NFPA 13R, it shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 20, “Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection”, if it has a rated net head pressure greater than 280 kPa.
(7) Sentences (1) to (6) do not apply to a building not greater than 3 storeys in building height that provides sleeping accommodation for not more than four persons, if the building is equipped with smoke alarms that comply with Article 9.5.4.4. and that are interconnected so that the activation of any smoke alarm will sound a similar signal in each of the interconnected smoke alarms.