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OBC DIVISION B · PART 3 · SECTION 3.5 — VERTICAL TRANSPORTATION

What are the escalator and moving walk requirements in the Ontario Building Code?

Escalators and moving walks must conform to CSA B44 and be licensed through the TSSA. They cannot count as required exits, the floor openings they create must be protected against fire and smoke spread, and adjacent guards must prevent falls.

Code reference
Escalators and moving walks are elevating devices that must be designed, constructed and installed to the applicable safety standard. The floor openings they penetrate are regulated as openings through fire separations, generally relying on sprinkler protection and draft stops or equivalent measures, and escalators do not form part of a required means of egress.
OBC Division B, Section 3.5.

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

What this means in practice

Escalators are common in retail, transit and airport projects, and the design challenge is usually the atrium-like floor opening they create: expect sprinkler protection, draft stops or closely spaced sprinklers around the opening, and careful coordination with the interconnected floor space provisions of Subsection 3.2.8. Because escalators cannot serve as exits, verify that stair and exit capacity works with escalators assumed out of service. Guard heights, clearances and anti-climb details at the escalator wellway are recurring review comments.

Plain language

Escalators must meet the same national safety standard as elevators and be provincially licensed. Because an escalator cuts a big hole between floors, the code adds sprinklers and barriers to stop fire and smoke from spreading, and stairs must still handle everyone in an emergency.

Related questions

What are the elevator requirements under the Ontario Building Code?Which buildings need an elevator under the Ontario Building Code?When is a firefighters' elevator required in Ontario, and what must it include?

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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.