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• (2) [Repealed, SOR/2000-374, s. 6]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.