What You Need To Know About Ontario Building Code...

Ontario Building Code is a set of minimum provisions repecting the safety of buildings with reference to public health, fire protection and structural sufficiency.

Ontario Building Code is divided into 12 Parts. Decimal numbering system has been used to identify particular requirements for particular parts and sections.

The first number indicates the Part of the Code, the second, the Section in the Part, the third, the Subsection and the fourth, the Article in the Subsection, An Article may be further broken down into Sentences (indicated by numbers in brackets), and the Sentence further divided into Clauses and Subclauses. These are illustrated as follows:

3 ..................................Part 

3.4................................Section

3.4.6............................ Subsection

3.4.6.5...........................Article

3.4.6.5.(l).......................Sentence

3.4.6.5.(1)(c)..................Clause

3,4.6.5.(I)(c)(i)................Subclause

CONTENTS OF THE ONTARIO BUILDING CODE

Part 1: Scope and Definitions

Part I contains the definitions of all words throughout the Code that appear in italic type. This Part also contains a list of abbreviations used in the Code.

Part 2: General Requirements

Part 2 contains provisions of an administrative nature such as the use of referenced documents, climatic data, professional design requirements and alowances for occupying unfinished buildings. It also addresses qualification requirements of
sewage system inspectors and licensing of sewage system installers.

Part 3: Use and Occupancy

This Part contains the requirements with respect to health and fire safety, which depend upon the use to which a building is put and its type of occupancy. The first Section contains material relating to occupancy classification and the more general features of fire protection. Sections that follow contain specific requirements relating to building size and occupancy and fire safety within floor areas, exit requirements, requirements for service spaces and health requirements, Section 3.8. contains specific requirements for those buildings required to be accessible to persons with physical or sensory disabilities. Section 3.11. includes requirements for the design of public pools.

Part 4: Structural Design

This Part is made up of 4 Sections. The first deals with the loads to be used in design calculations and the methods of design to be followed. Section 4.2. regulates foundation design and construction. Section 4.3. deals with design in wood, masonry, concrete, steel, aluminum and glass.
Section 4.4. deals with the design of air-supported structures, parking structures and guards over retaining walls. Section 4.3. and parts of Section 4.4. contain only short performance requirements referring to the design methods outlined in detail in the relevant CSA standards.

Part 5: Wind, Water and Vapour Protection

This Part includes requirements for the design of building elements to control groundwater, condensation and the penetration of wind and rain.

Part 6: Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning

Part 6 is concerned with the safe functioning of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment installed in a building. The requirements deal mainly with installation.

Part 7: Plumbing

This Part governs the design, construction and installation of plumbing system within properties. It also addresses the required material to be certified or in compliance with a testing standard.

Part 8: Sewage Systems

This Part governs the design, construction, operation and maintenance of various class of sewage systems located within properties. It only addresses sewage systems up to 10,000 Litres capacity serving one lot.

Systems larger than 10,000 litres/day and off-lot (communal) sewage systems will be regulated under the Ontario Water Resources Act, with approvals issued by the Ministry of Environment. MOE will also regulate waste approvals for the hauling of sewage and land application sites under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act.

Part 9: Housing and Small Buildings

This Part provides detailed requirements for the construction of houses and small buildings up to 600 le per floor and 3 storeys in height, and applies to all occupancies except assembly, care or detention and high hazard industrial.

Part 10: Change of Use

This Part governs the requirements with respect to a change in major occupancy without any proposed construction to the buildings.

Part 11: Renovation

This Part provides for flexibility in meeting life safety requirements when renovating existing buildings, with or without changes in major occupancies of the buildings or parts of the buildings.

This flexibility will allow, subject to certain conditions, the use of alternate methods of compliance to requirements contained in Parts 3, 4, 6, or 9, for all existing buildings or any major occupancies.

Part 12: Transition, Revocation and Commencement

This Part indicates the transition rules regarding the outgoing Building Code. It also contains the revocation of the outgoing Building Code and the commencement date of the new Building Code.