PART 3 — FIRE PROTECTION, OCCUPANT SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITYUpdated for the 2024 Ontario Building Code
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3.1.5.7.Factory-Assembled Panels
(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), factory-assembled wall and ceiling panels containing foamed plastic insulation
with a flame-spread rating not more than 500 are permitted to be used in a building required to be of noncombustible
construction, provided
(a) the building
(i) is sprinklered,
(ii) is not more than 18 m high, measured from grade to the underside of the roof, and
(iii) does not contain a Group A, Group B or Group C major occupancy, and
(b) the panels
(i) do not contain an air space,
(ii) when tested in accordance with CAN/ULC-S138, “Standard Method of Test for Fire Growth of Insulated
Building Panels in a Full-Scale Room Configuration,” meet the criteria defined therein, and
(iii) when a sample panel with an assembled joint typical of field installation is subjected to the applicable test
described in Subsection 3.1.12., have a flame-spread rating not more than that permitted for the room or
space that they bound.
(2) Factory-assembled exterior wall panels containing thermosetting foamed plastic insulation are permitted to be used
in a building required to be of noncombustible construction, provided
(a) the building
(i) is not more than 18 m high, measured from grade to the underside of the roof, and
(ii) does not contain a Group B or Group C major occupancy, and
(b) the wall panels
(i) do not contain an air space,
(ii) are protected on both sides by sheet steel not less than 0.38 mm thick,
(iii) remain in place for not less than 10 min when tested in accordance with CAN/ULC-S101, “Standard Method
of Fire Endurance Tests of Building Construction and Materials,” where the exposed surface includes typical
vertical and horizontal joints, and
(iv) when a sample panel with an assembled joint typical of field installation is subjected to the applicable test
described in Subsection 3.1.12., have a flame-spread rating not more than that permitted for the room or
space that they bound.
(3) A walk-in cooler or freezer consisting of factory-assembled wall, floor or ceiling panels containing foamed plastic
insulation with a flame-spread rating not more than 500 is permitted to be used in a building required to be of
noncombustible construction, provided
(a) the building is sprinklered, and
(b) the panels
(i) are protected on both sides by sheet metal not less than 0.38 mm thick with a melting point not less than
650°C,
(ii) do not contain an air space,
(iii) when tested in accordance with CAN/ULC-S138, “Standard Method of Test for Fire Growth of Insulated
Building Panels in a Full-Scale Room Configuration,” meet the criteria defined therein, and
(iv) when a sample panel with an assembled joint typical of field installation is subjected to the applicable test
described in Subsection 3.1.12., have a flame-spread rating not more than that permitted for the space in
which they are located or the space that they bound, as applicable.
(See Note A-3.1.4.2.(2) and 3.1.5.7.(3))
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Code text is reproduced for reference from the Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24, 2024 Building Code Compendium). This page is provided for general information and is not an official copy. Always verify requirements against the official Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.