Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (SOR/86-304)

PART XVIISafe Occupancy of the Work Place

Interpretation

17.1 In this Part, emergency evacuation plan means a written plan for use in an emergency, prepared in accordance with section 17.4.

Application

17.2 This Part does not apply in respect of employees employed in the underground workings of mines.

Fire Protection Equipment

• 17.3 (1) Fire protection equipment shall be installed, inspected and maintained in every building in which there is a work place in accordance with the standards set out in Parts 6 and 7 of the National Fire Code.

• (2) [Repealed, SOR/2000-374, s. 6]

• (3) All fire protection equipment shall be maintained and repaired by a qualified person.

Emergency Evacuation Plan

• 17.4 (1) Where more than 50 employees are working in a building at any time, the employer or employers of those employees shall prepare an emergency evacuation plan for all employees, including those who require special assistance, after consultation with

  • (a) the work place committee or the health and safety representative; and

  • (b) the employers of any persons working in the building to whom the Act does not apply.

• (2) An emergency evacuation plan referred to in subsection (1) shall contain

  • (a) a plan of the building, showing

    • (i) the name, if any, and the address of the building,

    • (ii) the name and address of the owner of the building,

    • (iii) the names and locations of the tenants of the building,

    • (iv) the date of preparation of the plan,

    • (v) the scale of the plan,

    • (vi) the location of the building in relation to nearby streets and in relation to all buildings and other structures located within 30 m of the building,

    • (vii) the maximum number of persons normally occupying the building at any time,

    • (viii) a horizontal projection of the building, showing thereon its principal dimensions, and

    • (ix) the number of floors above and below ground level;

  • (b) a plan of each floor of the building, showing

    • (i) the name, if any, and the address of the building,

    • (ii) the date of preparation of the plan,

    • (iii) the scale of the plan,

    • (iv) a horizontal projection of the floor, showing thereon its principal dimensions,

    • (v) the number of the floor to which the plan applies,

    • (vi) the maximum number of persons normally occupying the floor at any time,

    • (vii) the location of all fire escapes, fire exits, stairways, elevating devices, main corridors and other means of exit,

    • (viii) the location of all fire protection equipment, and

    • (ix) the location of the main electric power switches for the lighting system, elevating devices, principal heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment and other electrical equipment;

  • (c) a full description of the evacuation procedures to be followed in evacuating the building, with the time required to complete the evacuation, including

    • (i) activating the fire alarm,

    • (ii) notifying the fire department, and

    • (iii) evacuating employees who require special assistance; and

  • (d) the names, room numbers and telephone numbers of the chief emergency warden and the deputy chief emergency warden of the building appointed by the employer or employers under section 17.7.

• (3) An emergency evacuation plan referred to in subsection (1) shall be kept up-to-date and shall take into account any changes in the building or the nature of its occupancy.

• (4) An employer referred to in subsection (1) shall keep a copy of the up-to-date emergency evacuation plan in the building to which it refers.

Emergency Procedures

• 17.5 (1) Every employer shall, after consultation with the work place committee or the health and safety representative and with the employers of any persons working in the building to whom the Act does not apply, prepare emergency procedures

  • (a) to be implemented if any person commits or threatens to commit an act, other than an occurrence of harassment and violence, that may be hazardous to the health and safety of the employer or any of their employees;

  • (b) if there is a possibility of an accumulation, spill or leak of a hazardous substance in a work place controlled by the employer, to be implemented in the event of such an accumulation, spill or leak;

  • (c) if more than 50 employees are working in a building at any time, to be implemented when evacuation is not an appropriate means of ensuring the health and safety of employees;

  • (d) to be implemented in the event of a failure of the lighting system; and

  • (e) to be implemented in the event of a fire.

• (2) The emergency procedures referred to in subsection (1) shall contain

  • (a) an emergency evacuation plan, where applicable, or a plan for evacuating employees who require special assistance to be implemented in the event of a fire;

  • (b) a full description of the procedures to be followed;

  • (c) the location of the emergency equipment provided by the employer; and

  • (d) a plan of the building, showing

    • (i) the name, if any, and the address of the building, and

    • (ii) the name and address of the owner of the building.

• (3) The plan for the evacuation of employees who require special assistance shall be established in consultation with those employees.

Instructions and Training

• 17.6 (1) Every employee shall be instructed and trained in

  • (a) the procedures to be followed by him in the event of an emergency; and

  • (b) the location, use and operation of fire protection equipment and emergency equipment provided by the employer.

• (2) Notices that set out the details of the evacuation plans and procedures referred to in paragraphs 17.4(2)(c) and 17.5(2)(a) and (b) shall be posted at locations accessible to every employee at the work place.

Emergency Wardens

• 17.7 (1) Where an employer or employers have prepared an emergency evacuation plan for a building, the employer or employers shall appoint

  • (a) a chief emergency warden and a deputy chief emergency warden for that building;

  • (b) an emergency warden and a deputy emergency warden for each floor of the building that is occupied by employees of the employer or employers; and

  • (c) monitors for any employee who require special assistance in evacuating the building.

• (2) The chief emergency warden and deputy chief emergency warden appointed for a building shall be employees who are normally employed in the building.

• (3) The emergency warden and the deputy emergency warden appointed for a floor in a building shall be employees who are normally employed on that floor and monitors for an employee who requires special assistance shall be employees who are normally employed on the same floor as the employee requiring special assistance.

• 17.8 (1) Every emergency warden, deputy emergency warden and monitor appointed under section 17.7 shall be instructed and trained in

  • (a) his responsibilities under the emergency evacuation plan and the emergency procedures referred to in paragraph 17.5(1)(c); and

  • (b) the use of fire protection equipment.

• (2) A record of all instruction and training provided in accordance with subsection (1) shall be kept by the employer in the work place to which it applies for a period of two years from the date on which the instruction or training is provided.

Inspections

• 17.9 (1) In addition to the inspections carried out under section 17.3, a visual inspection of every building to which subsection 17.4(1) applies shall be carried out by a qualified person at least once every six months and shall include an inspection of all fire escapes, exits, stairways and fire protection equipment in the building in order to ensure that they are in serviceable condition and ready for use at all times.

• (2) A record of each inspection carried out in accordance with subsection (1) shall be dated and signed by the person who made the inspection and kept by the employer in the building to which it applies for a period of two years from the date on which it is signed.

Meetings of Emergency Wardens and Drills

• 17.10 (1) At least once every year and after any change is made in the emergency evacuation plan or the emergency procedures referred to in paragraph 17.5(1)(c) for a building,

  • (a) emergency wardens, deputy emergency wardens and monitors appointed under section 17.7 and employees requiring special assistance shall meet for the purpose of ensuring that they are familiar with the emergency evacuation plan and the emergency procedures and their responsibilities thereunder; and

  • (b) an evacuation or emergency drill shall be conducted for the employees in that building.

• (2) The employer or employers shall keep a record of each meeting and drill referred to in subsection (1) in the building referred to in that subsection for a period of two years from the date of the meeting or the drill.

• (3) The record referred to in subsection (2) shall contain

  • (a) in respect of each meeting,

    • (i) the date of the meeting,

    • (ii) the names and titles of those present, and

    • (iii) a summary of the matters discussed; and

  • (b) in respect of each drill,

    • (i) the date and time of the drill, and

    • (ii) where applicable, the length of time taken to evacuate the building.

• (4) The employer shall notify the local fire department for the building where an evacuation or emergency drill is to take place at least 24 hours in advance of the date and time of the drill.

Fire Hazard Areas

• 17.11 (1) Subject to subsection (2), no person shall, in a fire hazard area,

  • (a) use any equipment, machinery or tool of a type that may provide a source of ignition; or

  • (b) smoke or use an open flame or other source of ignition.

• (2) If it is not feasible to avoid performing work involving the use of any equipment, machinery or tool that may provide a source of ignition in an area that has an atmosphere that contains or is likely to contain explosive concentrations of combustible dust or in an area where combustible dust has accumulated in a sufficient quantity to be a fire hazard, the following shall apply:

  • (a) the atmosphere and surfaces in the area where the work is to be performed and within that portion of the surrounding area that is accessible to sparks or pieces of hot metal produced by the work shall be substantially free of combustible dust;

  • (b) where any equipment, machinery or tool produces combustible dust that may reach the areas referred to in paragraph (a), the equipment, machinery or tool shall be made inoperative prior to and during the time the work is being performed;

  • (c) if feasible, the area where the work is to be performed shall be enclosed to prevent the escape of sparks or pieces of hot metal produced by the work;

  • (d) all openings in floors and walls through which sparks or pieces of hot metal produced by the work may pass shall be sealed or covered to prevent such passage;

  • (e) any combustible materials within the areas referred to in paragraph (a) shall be removed or, if it is not feasible, shall be covered with a non-combustible protective covering;

  • (f) floors and walls of combustible material within the areas referred to in paragraph (a) shall be protected from the fire hazard by

    • (i) drenching the surfaces of the floors and walls with water, or

    • (ii) covering the floors and walls with a non-combustible protective covering;

  • (g) the work shall be performed under the supervision of a qualified person, who shall remain in the work area while the work is performed and for 30 minutes thereafter; and

  • (h) there shall be readily available in the work area at least one hand-held portable fire extinguisher and

    • (i) a water hose at least 25 mm in diameter that is connected to a water supply line, or

    • (ii) a supply of not less than 200 L of water and a bucket.