Code Library › Volume 1 › Section 3.2 — Building Fire Safety
PART 3 — FIRE PROTECTION, OCCUPANT SAFETY AND ACCESSIBILITYUpdated for the 2024 Ontario Building Code

3.2.5.1.Access to Above Grade Storeys

(1) Except for storeys below the first storey, direct access for firefighting shall be provided from the outdoors to every storey that is not sprinklered throughout and whose floor level is less than 25 m above grade, by at least one unobstructed window or access panel for each 15 m of wall in each wall required to face a street by Subsection 3.2.2. (2) An opening for access required by Sentence (1) shall (a) have a sill no higher than 900 mm above the inside floor, and (b) be not less than 1 100 mm high by not less than (i) 550 mm wide for a building not designed for the storage or use of dangerous goods, or (ii) 750 mm wide for a building designed for the storage or use of dangerous goods. (3) Access panels above the first storey shall be readily openable from both inside and outside, or the opening shall be glazed with plain glass.
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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.