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

3.2.5.2.Access to Basements

(1) Direct access from at least one street shall be provided from the outdoors in a building that is not sprinklered to each basement having a horizontal dimension more than 25 m. (2) The access required by Sentence (1) is permitted to be provided by (a) doors, windows or other means that provide an opening not less than 1 100 mm high and 550 mm wide, with a sill no higher than 900 mm above the inside floor, or (b) an interior stairway immediately accessible from the outdoors.
← Previous3.2.5.1. Access to Above Grade StoreysNext →3.2.5.3. Roof Access

Common questions about this part of the code

When is noncombustible construction required under the Ontario Building Code?When are automatic sprinklers required in a building in Ontario?What are the fire department access route requirements under the Ontario Building Code?When is a fire alarm system required in a building in Ontario?

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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.