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OBC DIVISION B · PART 3 · SECTION 3.16 — SHELF AND RACK STORAGE SYSTEMS

What egress requirements apply around storage racks in warehouses in Ontario?

Rack layouts must preserve the building's means of egress: aisles must provide clear paths to exits, travel distances measured along the aisles must stay within Part 3 limits, exits and exit signage must remain visible and unobstructed, and dead-end aisles should be avoided.

Code reference
The installation of shelf and rack storage systems must not compromise the means of egress in the building. Aisles between racks form the egress routes, so they must provide adequate clear width, keep travel distance to exits within the applicable limits measured along the actual path of travel, and maintain access to and visibility of exits and exit signs.
OBC Division B, Section 3.16 and Subsection 3.4 (Exits)

Paraphrased for clarity — open this provision in the BUILDAiD Library for the exact wording.

What this means in practice

The original building permit assumed an open floor plate; filling it with rack canyons rewrites the egress plan. Travel distance is measured along the aisles, so a compliant empty warehouse can become non-compliant once racking forces long, indirect paths, and blocked or hidden exit doors behind racking are a classic fire inspection finding. Keep required exit doors, fire hose and extinguisher locations, and electrical rooms accessible, and watch for racks obstructing exit sign sightlines. Mezzanine pick modules built on racking add their own stair and guard requirements.

Plain language

Workers must always have a clear walking path between the racks to an exit door, within a set distance, with exit signs they can actually see. Racking pushed in front of an exit door is illegal and shows up on fire inspections.

Related questions

When does warehouse racking need a building permit or engineering in Ontario?Do storage racks in Ontario need to be designed for earthquakes?How does high rack storage affect sprinkler requirements in Ontario?

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This page is provided for general information. Building code requirements depend on your specific project, occupancy and municipality, and code editions change. Always verify requirements against the current Ontario Building Code and confirm with your local building department.