The British Columbia Building Code | Section 6.9. | Fire Safety Systems Pt 2
Division B: Acceptable Solutions Part 6 – Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Revision 2.01 Division B
Section 6.9. Fire Safety Systems
6.9.1. General
6.9.1.1. Fire Safety Requirements
1) The fire safety characteristics of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems shall comply with
Subsection3.6.5.
2) Characteristics referred to in Sentence(1) include but are not limited to
a) use of combustible materials in duct systems,
b) flame-spread ratings and smoke-developed ratings of duct and pipe materials and coverings,
c) installation of equipment relative to property lines, and
d) requirements for fire dampers and fire stop flaps.
6.9.1.2. Hazardous Gases, Dusts or Liquids
1) Except as provided in Subsection6.3.4., systems serving spaces that contain hazardous gases, dusts or liquids
shall be designed, constructed and installed to conform to the requirements of the applicable provincial or territorial
regulations or municipal bylaws or, in the absence of such regulations or bylaws, to good engineering practice such as
that described in the publications of the National Fire Protection Association and in the British Columbia Fire Code.
(SeeNoteA-6.9.1.2.(1).)
2) When indoor piping for ClassI flammable liquids is installed in a trench, the trench shall be
a) provided with positive ventilation to the outdoors, or
b) designed to prevent the accumulation of flammable vapours.
6.9.1.3. Commercial Cooking Equipment
1) Fire protection systems for commercial cooking equipment referred to in Sentence6.3.1.7.(1) using vegetable
oil or animal fat shall conform to
a) ANSI/UL 300, “Fire Testing of Fire Extinguishing Systems for Protection of Commercial Cooking
Equipment,” or
b) ULC/ORD-C1254.6, “Fire Testing of Restaurant Cooking Area Fire Extinguishing System Units.”
6.9.2. Dampers and Ductwork
6.9.2.1. Fire Dampers
1) Fire dampers shall conform to Article3.1.8.10.
6.9.2.2. Smoke Detectors
1) Air handling systems shall incorporate smoke detectors where and as required by Article3.2.4.12.
6.9.2.3. Exhaust Ducts and Outlets
1) Where an exhaust duct system is used for smoke removal in a high building, the requirements of
Article3.2.6.6. shall apply.
2) Where exhaust duct systems from more than one fire compartment are connected to an exhaust duct in a
vertical service space, the requirements of Article3.6.3.4. shall apply.
6.9.2.4. Ducts in Exits
1) Where ducts penetrate fire separations separating exits from the remainder of the building, they shall be in
accordance with Article3.4.4.4.
Part 6 – Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning Division B: Acceptable Solutions
Division B Revision 2.01 British Columbia Building Code 2018
6.9.3. Carbon Monoxide Alarms
6.9.3.1. Carbon Monoxide Alarms
1) This Article applies to every building that contains an
assembly occupancy, a care occupancy with individual
suites or containing sleeping rooms or bed spaces not within a suite, a residential occupancy, a business and personal
services occupancy, or a mercantile occupancy, and that
a) is served by or contains a fuel-burning appliance, or
b) contains
a storage garage.
2) Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms installed in a
residential occupancy or a care occupancy as required by this
Article shall
a) conform to CAN/CSA-6.19, “Residential Carbon Monoxide Alarming Devices,”
b) be equipped with an integral alarm that satisfies the audibility requirements of CAN/CSA-6.19, “Residential
Carbon Monoxide Alarming Devices,”
c) have no disconnect switch between the overcurrent device and the CO alarm, where the CO alarm is
powered by the electrical system serving the suite (see NoteA-6.9.3.1.(2)(c)), and
d) be installed
as recommended by the manufacturer.
3) Except as permitted by Sentence (9), w
here a fuel-burning appliance is installed in a suite of residential
occupancy or in a suite of care occupancy, a COalarm shall be installed
a) inside each sleeping room or bed space
, or
b) outside each sleeping room or bed space
, within 5m of each door serving a sleeping room or bed space,
measured following corridors and doorways.
4) Except as permitted by Sentence (9), w
here a fuel-burning appliance serves a residential occupancy or a care
occupancy and is installed in a service room that is not in a suite of residential occupancy nor in a suite of care occupancy,
a CO alarm shall be installed
a) either inside each sleeping room or bed space
, or if outside, within 5m of each door serving a sleeping room
or bed space, measured following corridors and doorways, in every suite of residential occupancy or suite of care
occupancy that shares a wall or floor/ceiling assembly with the service room, and
b) in the service room.
5) Except as permitted by Sentence (9), f
or each suite of residential occupancy or suite of care occupancy that shares
a wall or floor/ceiling assembly with a storage garage or that is adjacent to an attic or crawl space to which the storage
garage is also adjacent, a CO alarm shall be installed
a) inside each sleeping room or bed space
, or
b) outside each sleeping room or bed space
, within 5m of each bedroom door serving a sleeping room or bed
space, measured following corridors and doorways.
6) CO alarms installed in an assembly occupancy, a business and personal services occupancy, or a mercantile
occupancy as required by this Article shall conform to
a) CAN/CSA-6.19, “Residential Carbon Monoxide Alarming Devices,” notwithstanding the scope of
that standard,
b) UL 2034, “Standard for Single and Multiple Station Carbon Monoxide Alarms,” notwithstanding the scope
of that standard, or
c) good engineering practice.
(See Note A-6.9.3.1.(6).)
7) Except as permitted by Sentence (9), where a fuel-burning appliance serves an assembly occupancy, business and
personal services occupancy, or mercantile occupancy, a CO alarm shall be,
a) where the fuel-burning appliance is part of a system that could circulate or distribute CO to a suite of assembly
occupancy, business and personal services occupancy or mercantile occupancy, installed
i) on each
storey of each suite that may be exposed, and
Division B: Acceptable Solutions Part 6 – Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Revision 2.01 Division B
ii) in a suite containing an assembly major occupancy, each classroom and dedicated gathering room or space,
and
b) installed in the room or space in which the fuel-burning appliance is located.
(See Note A-6.9.3.1.(7).)
8) Except as permitted by Sentence (9), for each suite of assembly occupancy, business and personal services
occupancy, or mercantile occupancy that shares a wall or floor/ceiling assembly with either a storage garage or a service
room containing a fuel-burning appliance, or that is adjacent to either an attic or crawl space to which the storage
garage or a service room containing a fuel-burning appliance is also adjacent, a CO alarm shall be installed
a) on each storey of the adjacent suite,
b) where the adjacent suite contains an assembly major occupancy, each classroom and dedicated room or space,
and
c) in each service room containing a fuel-burning appliance.
(See Note A-6.9.3.1.(8).)
9) CO detectors are permitted to be installed in lieu of CO alarms required by this Article provided the
CO detectors
a) sound audible signals within the location they serve, as described in Sentences (3) to (5), (7) and (8),
b) are installed in conformance with CAN/ULC-S524, “Installation of Fire Alarm Systems,” and
c) form part of the fire alarm system.
6.9.4. Ash Storage
6.9.4.1. Ash Storage Bins
1) Every ash storage bin shall be constructed of noncombustible material.
2) Every opening in an ash storage bin shall be protected by a tight-fitting metal door with metal frame securely
fastened to the bin.
6.9.4.2. Fireplaces
1) Fireplaces shall conform to the requirements of Section9.22.
Division B: Acceptable Solutions Part 6 – Heating, Ventilating and Air-conditioning
British Columbia Building Code 2018 Revision 2.01 Division B
ii) in a suite containing an assembly major occupancy, each classroom and dedicated gathering room or space,
and
b) installed in the room or space in which the fuel-burning appliance is located.
(See Note A-6.9.3.1.(7).)
8) Except as permitted by Sentence (9), for each suite of assembly occupancy, business and personal services
occupancy, or mercantile occupancy that shares a wall or floor/ceiling assembly with either a storage garage or a service
room containing a fuel-burning appliance, or that is adjacent to either an attic or crawl space to which the storage
garage or a service room containing a fuel-burning appliance is also adjacent, a CO alarm shall be installed
a) on each storey of the adjacent suite,
b) where the adjacent suite contains an assembly major occupancy, each classroom and dedicated room or space,
and
c) in each service room containing a fuel-burning appliance.
(See Note A-6.9.3.1.(8).)
9) CO detectors are permitted to be installed in lieu of CO alarms required by this Article provided the
CO detectors
a) sound audible signals within the location they serve, as described in Sentences (3) to (5), (7) and (8),
b) are installed in conformance with CAN/ULC-S524, “Installation of Fire Alarm Systems,” and
c) form part of the fire alarm system.
6.9.4. Ash Storage
6.9.4.1. Ash Storage Bins
1) Every ash storage bin shall be constructed of noncombustible material.
2) Every opening in an ash storage bin shall be protected by a tight-fitting metal door with metal frame securely
fastened to the bin.
6.9.4.2. Fireplaces
1) Fireplaces shall conform to the requirements of Section9.22.