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Fire Code Commission Decision Summary

DECISION NO.:91A004-072/91A005-073
DATE:October 29, 1991

SUBJECT MATTER:

  1. Installation of an electrically supervised zoned fire alarm system; manual pull stations at all exits from each floor; smoke detectors at the top of each exit stairwell and in every public corridor; heat or smoke detectors in all storage, utility and service rooms.
  2. Installation of a fire alarm annunciator panel with separate annunciator indications provided on each floor.
  3. Installation of a ULC listed single station smoke alarm in each dwelling unit.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF PREMISES:

The two structures are twelve storey apartment buildings, rectangular in shape, containing 142 apartment units per building with two levels below grade. The first floor contains an entrance foyer and a large lobby that leads to two centrally located elevators. The basement includes tenant locker rooms, laundry room, maintenance room, electrical meter room and boiler room which are surrounded by indoor parking. The buildings are of non-combustible construction and floor separations are concrete slabs. Each of the floors has apartments on both sides of the straight central corridor. Each apartment has a balcony and the apartments are separated from the corridor and from each other by concrete walls. Each apartment door leading to the corridor is a solid wood core type with a metal frame. The doors to the individual apartments do not have self-closers. The odd numbered floor level corridors contain electrical closets having electrical disconnect switches for apartment units. These electrical closets are separated from the corridors by plywood sliding doors. Stairwells are located at each end of the corridor and have doors with self-closers but no latch. The stairwells exit to the exterior of the buildings but do not have emergency lighting. Fire hose cabinets are situated at two locations along the corridor on each floor level and each contains a fire extinguisher. The fire alarm system is comprised of one electric bell located centrally along the corridor at each floor level. Manual pull stations are located near the exit doors at each floor level. No fire alarm control panel or standby power system is provided for the fire alarm system.

REASON FOR APPEAL:

The Fire Marshal lacks the authority to order more stringent conditions on the appellant than what was in the original order.

APPELLANT'S POSITION:

The appellant feels that the Fire Marshal lacks jurisdiction to make the requirements of the initial order more onerous and that there is no authority to require the building be brought up to current standards when it met the standards required when it was built. The building is also considered safe as it now exists.

RESPONDENT'S POSITION:

An effective fire alarm system is recognized as a significant element in providing an adequate level of life safety for the occupants of a building this size.

COMMISSION RULING:

The Commission modified the informal review as follows:
  1. Install ULC listed single station smoke alarms in each dwelling unit, two in each public corridor and in each locker room.
  2. Install self-closing devices on the entry door to each suite.
  3. Install latches on all doors leading from the corridors to the stairwells.
  4. Install panic hardware on all exit doors leading to the exterior of the building.
  5. Install locking devices on electrical closet doors.
  6. Provide CSA approved battery-type emergency lighting for exit corridors and stairwells.

REASONS:

It is the finding of the Fire Code Commission that this work is required to improve life safety for the building occupants. However, the Commission finds that the requirements of the original Fire Marshals Order apply to new construction and cannot be enforced in a retrofit situation to an existing building at this time.

NOTE: This decision occurred prior to the Highrise Retrofit Section 9.6 of the Ontario Fire Code (Ontario Regulation 627/92). The provisions of Section 9.6 are applicable to this building.