The Ontario Building Code | Aisles
3.3.2.4. Aisles
(1) Except as required by Articles, 3.3.2.9. and 3.3.2.10., aisles leading to egress doors or exits shall be provided in conformance with Sentences (2) to (27) in places of assembly that contain fixed seats.
(2) In this Subsection, a converging aisle is an aisle into which the occupants of two or more aisles converge in travelling to an exit.
(3) An aisle shall terminate at,
(a) a converging aisle,
(b) an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway from the seating area, or
(c) an exitfrom the seating area.
(4) A converging aisle shall terminate at,
(a) an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway from the seating area, or
(b) an exitfrom the seating area.
(5) The minimum clear width of aisles shall be not less than 1 100 mm , except that the width is permitted to be reduced to not less than,
(a) 750 mm if serving not more than 60 seats, and
(b) 900 mm if serving seats on one side only.
(6) The minimum clear width of each aisle shall be measured at the point in the aisle furthest from,
(a) an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway referred to in Clause (15)(a),
(b) an exitreferred to in Clause (15)(b), or
(c) an exitreferred to in Sentence (16).
(7) Except for an aisle serving bleacher seats, where rows of seats discharge into an aisle, the minimum clear width required by Sentence (5) shall be increased by 25 mm for each metre of length of the aisle measured in the direction towards an exit.
(8) The width of a converging aisle shall be not less than the required width of the widest aisle plus 50% of the total required width of the remaining aisles that it serves.
(9) If rows of seats discharge directly into the converging aisle, the width required by Sentence (8) shall be increased by 25 mm for each metre of length of the aisle where the rows of seats discharge into the aisle.
(10) The width of an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway or an exitleading directly from the seating area shall be not less than the required width of the widest aisle or converging aisle plus 50% of the total required width of the remaining aisles and converging aisles that it serves.
(11) The requirements in Sentences (5) to (10) and (17) do not apply if,
(a) the minimum clear width of an aisle is in accordance with Article 3.3.1.16., but is not less than 900 mm if serving seats on one side only,
(b) the minimum clear width of an aisle is in accordance with Article 3.3.1.16., but is not less than 1 200 mm if serving seats on both sides,
(c) the minimum clear width of a converging aisle is in accordance with Article 3.3.1.16., but not less than the width of the widest aisle leading to the converging aisle,
(d) the minimum clear width of an exit leading directly from the seating area is in accordance with Article 3.4.3.2.,
(e) except as provided in Clause (f), the minimum clear width of an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway leading directly from the seating area is in accordance with Article 3.3.1.16., but not less than the required width of the aisle or the converging aisle leading to the doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway, and
(f) if more than one vomitory is provided,
(i) the minimum total clear width of the egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorways leading from one vomitory is not less than the required width of the aisle or the converging aisle leading to the doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorways, and
(ii) the minimum clear width of egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorways from additional vomitories is in accordance with Article 3.3.1.16.
(12) Except as provided in Sentences (13) and (14), dead-end aisles shall be not more than 6 m long.
(13) Dead-end aisles are permitted to be more than 6 m long, but not more than 10 m long if,
(a) the seating area is separated from other seating areas and adjacent occupancies, including a corridor serving any seating area, by a fire separation in accordance with Sentences 3.3.2.2.(1) and (2),
(b) the travel distance is not more than 25 m measured along the path of travel from any seat to an exit, to an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway or to an opening into a vomitory,
(c) at least one means of egress, comprising not less than 30 per cent of the required exit capacity, is through an exterior exit, an exit stairway or a corridor not containing an occupancy,
(d) each row served by the dead-end aisle has a minimum unobstructed width of 400 mm plus 6.1 mm for each additional seat above seven seats in a row, but not more than 550 mm,
(e) the minimum ceiling height above the seating area is 3 m,
(f) the activation of a fire detector or a sprinkler head in the seating area will,
(i) cause the shutdown of the projection system serving the seating area, and
(ii) turn on the normal lighting="http://thehandyforce.com/electrical/" title ="East York Electrician">lighting in the seating area, and
(g) the floor area is sprinklered.
(14) Dead-end aisles are permitted to be more than 10 m long, but not more than 13 m long if,
(a) the seating area is separated from other seating areas and adjacent occupancies, including a corridor serving any seating area, by a fire separation in accordance with Sentences 3.3.2.2.(1) and (2),
(b) the travel distance is not more than 25 m measured along the path of travel from any seat to an exit, to an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway or to an opening into a vomitory,
(c) at least one means of egress, comprising not less than 30 per cent of the required exit capacity, is through an exterior exit, an exit stairway or a corridor not containing an occupancy,
(d) each row served by a dead-end aisle has a minimum unobstructed width of 400 mm plus 6.1 mm for each additional seat above seven seats in a row, but not more than 550 mm,
(e) the activation of a fire detector or a sprinkler head in the seating area will,
(i) cause the shutdown of the projection system serving the seating area, and
(ii) turn on the normal lighting="http://thehandyforce.com/electrical/" title ="East York Electrician">lighting in the seating area,
(f) a voice communication system is installed in conformance with Article 3.2.4.23.,
(g) a smoke control system is installed to control movement of smoke in the seating area or a smoke exhaust system is provided so that, in the event of detection of smoke by a smoke detector in the seating area, air handling equipment is activated to extract air directly from the seating area at the rate of at least six air changes per hour, and
(h) the floor area is sprinklered.
(15) Where a seating area is separated as required by Sentences 3.3.2.2.(1) and (2) or 3.3.2.2.(8), the length of travel by any aisle shall be not more than 45 m measured from the most remote point of the aisle to,
(a) an egress doorway ="http://thehandyforce.com/doors/" title ="Toronto Door installer">doorway in the required separation, or
(b) an exitleading directly from the seating area.
(16) Where a seating area is not required to be separated by Sentences 3.3.2.2.(1) and (2) or 3.3.2.2.(8), the travel distance shall be not more than 45 m measured from the most remote point of the aisle to an exit.
(17) Side aisles shall be not less than 1 100 mm wide if seating is provided in conformance with Sentence 3.3.2.3.(4).
(18) An aisle that has a slope not more than 1 in 8 shall not be stepped.
(19) An aisle that slopes more than 1 in 8 shall be stepped.
(20) The passageway between rows of seats served by a stepped aisle shall be level at right angles to the line of travel.
(21) The riser of a step in an aisle shall be,
(a) not less than 110 mm high, and
(b) not more than 200 mm high.
(22) Variations are permitted in riser height provided,
(a) the height of adjacent risers does not vary by more than 6 mm, and
(b) the depth of a tread or a platform in the direction of travel is not less than 430 mm.
(23) Steps in an aisle shall,
(a) have a run not less than 230 mm exclusive of nosings,
(b) have a tread depth not less than 250 mm,
(c) extend to the adjacent rows of seats in a manner that will not create a hazard from tripping, and
(d) have a finish on the treads conforming to Sentence 3.4.6.1.(1).
(24) The location of every riser in an aisle shall be made apparent from both directions of travel by strategically placed lighting="http://thehandyforce.com/electrical/" title ="East York Electrician">lighting or contrasting marking stripes.
(25) A platform in an aisle shall be level, except that a slope not more than 1 in 50 is permitted for a platform that is not less than 430 mm deep in the direction of exit travel.
(26) If a step is used at the entry to a row of seats from a stepped aisle, an unobstructed platform not less than 800 mm square shall be provided adjacent to the aisle.
(27) The finish of the surface of a platform in or adjacent to a stepped aisle shall conform to Sentence 3.4.6.1.(1).