Accessibility Requirements in the National Building Code of Canada ...

ACCESSIBILITY REQUIREMENTS IN THE NATIONAL BUILDINGCODE OF CANADA 1985by A.T. HansenTechnical Information GroupDivision of Building ResearchBPN 53June 1985ISSN 0701-5216@National Research Council Canada 1985

ABSTRACTNew requirements to facilitate the use of buildings by persons with physical disabilitiesare included in the 1985 edition of the National Building Code. The significance of thesechanges is discussed. Excerpts from the new requirements are included, together withexplanatory diagrams.RESUMEL’kdition 1985 du Code national du bltiment renferme de nouvelles exigences visant iifaciliter l’accks aux bltiments pour les personnes handicap6es physiquement. Cette communicationexamine la portke de ces modifications et contient des extraits des nouvellesexigences ainsi que des tableaux explicatifs.1

INTRODUCTIONModel requirements for accessibility in buildings were introduced in Canada with thepublication in 1965 of a Supplement to the National Building Code entitled “BuildingStandards for the Handicapped” [I]. This was published under the auspices of the AssociateCommittee on the National Building Code. These accessibility requirements were intendedto facilitate the use of buildings by persons with physical disabilities, particularly thoseconfined to wheelchairs. In 1975, accessibility requirements were included for the firsttime in the National Building Code (NBC) itself.[2] These required that ‘public buildings’have an accessible entrance and provide wheelchair access to all public spaces, includingelevators, on the entrance floor. Where public washrooms were provided, at least onewas required to be accessible to persons in wheelchairs. Public buildings were defined asthose to which the public is admitted, but did not include apartment buildings, industrialbuildings, or office type occupancies, under a single tenancy. Although these requirementswere modified in subsequent editions to include additional occupancies, they remainedbasically unchanged up to the 1985 edition.The 1985 edition [3] extended significantly the scope of these requirements. No longeris reference made to the “Building Standards for the Handicapped” for required designdetails. All relevant requirements now appear in the NBC and the ‘Standards’ has beendiscontinued. These requirements, like the rest of the code, are model requirements andhave no legal status until adopted by an authority with the legal power to do so.A complete new Section 3.7 has been added to Part 3 of the Code, which deals exclusivelywith accessibility. The requirements apply to all buildings except detached, semi-detached,duplex, triplex, row, town and boarding houses, high hazard industrial buildings, and buildingsthat are normally unoccupied (e.g. pump houses, substations, automated telephoneexhanges). Part 9 of the Code, which applies to houses and small buildings, further exemptsapartment buildings that do not have elevators. Since Part 9 references Section 3.7for accessibility requirements, these apply to both parts.At least one principal entrance in every building within the scope of the new Section isrequired to have a ‘barrier-free access’. This is a newly defined term that designates a pathof travel negotiable by a wheelchair. Figure 1 shows an accessible entrance constructedin conformance with the new requirements. Where a barrier-free access is between floorlevels, it includes ramps and elevators.A barrier-free access is required from the accessible entrance to various specified areas andfacilities on the entrance floor, and on every floor served by an elevator if an elevator isprovided. The designated areas and facilities to which barrier-free access must be providedare those that serve the public or are designed for use by visitors. These include assemblyareas with fixed seats, display areas, merchandising departments, general work areas suchas office areas or areas of general use such as laundries, recreational areas, cafeterias,lounge rooms, lunch rooms and infirmaries. Access is also required to each classroom, suite,patient’s room, ticket counter, refreshment stand, drinking fountain, check-out counter and2

920 mm HIGH GUARDFIGURE.l Accessible entrance showing minimum dimensions3

. ‘ at least one elevator where elevators are provided. Where parking is provided, barrier-freeaccess must also be provided from the parking area to an accessible entrance.In assembly areas with fixed seats, a specified number of spaces must be provided toaccommodate wheelchairs, depending on the total seating. This varies from a minimumof 2 spaces for up to 200 seats to 7 spaces for up to 1 000 seats. Over this numberonly one additional space is required for each additional 1 000 seats up to a maximumof 20 spaces. All washrooms are required to be designed for accessibility unless they arelocated in residential suites (e.g., houses, apartments, hotel rooms), or are on floors towhich barrier-free access is not provided (e.g., floors not served by elevators or ramps).Other washrooms can also be exempted if there are accessible washrooms available thatare equally convenient to the occupant.Since wheelchair users are not able to reach as high as ambulatory occupants, all controlsfor the operation of building services or safety devices intended to be used by the occupantsare to be mounted within 1.4 m of the floor when they are located in a barrier-free accessarea. This includes electrical switches, thermostats and intercom switches.Specific requirements are included for facilities designed for use by the disabled. Theseinclude doorways, door closers, walkways, vestibules, ramps, elevators, waterclosets, waterclosetstalls, shower stalls and washrooms. Signs for designated facilities for the disabledare also specified. Although many of the specified requirements for these facilities are basedon those contained in the former “Building Standards for the Handicapped”, a number ofsignificant changes were made when these were transferred to the NBC.Exterior walkways, for example, are now required to be 1.1 m wide (up from 920 mm).Door closers in a barrier-free access area must be designed to allow doors to open undera force of 38 N (8 lb) in the case of exterior doors and 22 N (5 lb) in the case of interiordoors. This is due to the difficulty that many wheelchair users and those with impairedwalking capability have in using self-closing doors. This compares to 90 N (20 lb) normallyspecified as the maximum force for exit doors. Closers must have a closing period of atleast three seconds to facilitate wheelchair passage. Every vestibule in a barrier-free accessarea is required to be designed so that a wheelchair can pass through it without excessiveinterference from doors. Doors into the vestibule must be at least 1.2 m apart plus thewidth of any door swinging into it. A space at least 600 mm beside the latch side of thedoor must be provided where a door swings into the vestibule and at least 300 mm whereit swings out of the vestibule (Figure 2).Although ramp slopes are still limited to a maximum of 1 in 12 in most instances, a 1 in 10slope is now permitted for ramps up to 3 m long (Figure 1).Water closet stalls must now be at least 1.5 by 1.5 m (up from 1.37 by 1.52 m) and beequipped with an outward swinging door that provides a 760 mm clear opening (Figure 3).Water closets must now have a minimum seat height of 400 mm above the floor as well asa maximum height of 460 mm. Grab bars for water closets can now be from 30 to 40 mm4

760 mm MIN.FIGURE 2. Vestibule dimensions760 mmCLEARFIGURE 3. Minimum dimensions for accessible washrooms5

I.diameter (down from 45 to 50 mm) and must meet certain strength requirements (1.3 kNor 290 lb applied vertically or horizontally, see Figure 4). When shower stalls are providedfor the disabled, they must be at least 920 by 920 mm, equipped with a hinged seat, grabbars, and hand-held shower, pressure-balanced single lever controls and a slip-resistantfloor.In addition to the accessibility requirements in Section 3.7, fire safety requirements havebeen included for accessible floor areas located above the first storey if the building isnot sprinklered (or served by exit ramps). Article 3.3.1.5. (which is also referenced in9.9.2.7.) allows several alternative measures to accommodate disabled occupants in fireemergencies. The elevator may be specially designed to evacuate the disabled, the buildingmay be vertically divided into two separate fire zones, or, in the case of residential buildings,balconies can be used to provide temporary refuge. When the elevator evacuation option isused, the elevators are required to be protected on each floor by a vestibule providing threequartersof an hour fire resistance or a corridor providing one hour fire resistance. Othermeasures required for fire fighters’ elevators in high buildings also have to be provided forthese elevators to ensure service under fire conditions. In buildings over three storeys high,measures to keep the elevator smoke-free are required as well. Where balconies are usedas an option, the balconies are subject to the same requirements currently applied to thosein high buildings that are intended for temporary refuge from fire.Additional requirements to accommodate the blind or the sight-impaired have also beenadded. These are not restricted to barrier-free access routes but apply to all areas andto all buildings. These include requirements for tactile numbers on elevator door jambs(3.5.5.1.(4)) and exit doors (3.4.7.12.(18)), the elimination of obstructions that are notdetectable by the use of a cane in exits and corridors (3.3.1.7.(3) and (4), 9.9.5.3. and9.9.5.4.), continuity of at least one handrail around stair landings (3.4.7.5.(5) and 9.8.7.2.)and the safe termination of the ends of handrails to prevent them from being a hazard(3.4.7.5.(6) and 9.8.7.3.). In order to assist ambulatory people with walking difficulties,handrails for stairs and ramps are required to extend horizontally at least 300 mm beyondthe tops and bottoms of stairs (3.4.7.5.(7) and 9.8.7.4.) (Figure 5). This extension ispermitted to be at an angle to the direction of the stair to avoid projecting the handrailinto a path of travel.Extracts have been provided from the National Building Code of Canada 1985. Theseinclude the new Section 3.7, as well as the requirements for the visually-impaired. Explanatorymaterial in the appendix to the NBC is included as well, immediately after theapplicable requirements.Some provinces have developed requirements for accessibility independently from those inthe National Building Code. Designers, therefore, should check with local authorities todetermine those requirements applicable to their design.6

BACK GRAB BAR REQUIREDWHEN TOILETHASNOFLUSH TANK FORSUPPORTFIGURE 4. Grab bars for toiletsFIGURE 5. Handrail termination7

EXTRACTS FROM THE NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF CANADA 1985DefinitionBarrier-free access means a path of travel designed for use by persons with physical orsensory disabilities, including those using wheelchairs, and incorporating ramps, elevatorsor other lifting devices where there is a difference in elevation between floor levels alongthe path of travel.EXTRACTS FROM PART 3Fire Safety Provisions3.3.1.5.(1) Where a barrier-free access is provided above the first storey in a building thatis not sprinklered, every floor area having such access shallExplanat ionbe served by an elevator conforming to Sentences 3.2.6.4.(4) to (7), protected againstfire in conformance with Clauses 3.2.6.4.(3) (b) or (c) and, in buildings over 3storeys in building height, protected against smoke movement in conformance withSentence 3.2.6.2.(4),be divided in at least 2 zones conforming to Sentences 3.3.3.5.(8) and (9) so thatdisabled persons can be acommodated in each zone,in the case of residential occupancies, be provided with balconies conforming toSentence 3.2.6.2. (8), except on the storey containing the access entrance describedin Article 3.7.1.1., orhave an exterior exit at ground level or a ramp leading to ground level.These measures are intended to provide temporary refuge for disabled persons. It is acknowledged,however, that the measures cannot provide absolute safety for all occupantsin the fire area. It may, therefore, be necessary to develop special arrangements in thefire safety plan to evacuate disabled persons from these areas. Details for such a plan arecontained in the National Fire Code of Canada 1985.The protected elevator in Clause (l)(a) is intended to be used by fire fighters as a meansfor evacuating disabled persons. It is not intended that this elevator be used by disabledpersons as a means of egress without the assistance of fire fighters.I8

Explanat ionHandrails should be easy to grasp. A circular section with a diameter of not more than40 mm is the preferred shape. Wide or deep handrails are undesirable unless a properhand-size grasping area is provided.MINIMUM MAXIMUMQEASY TO GRASPDIFFICULT TO GRASPBR 6506-33.4.7.5.(4) Handrails on stairs and ramps shall be not less than 800 mm and not morethan 920 mm in height, measured vertically from a line drawn through the outside edgesof the stair nosing or from the surface of the ramp, except that handrails not meetingthese requirements are permitted provided they are installed in addition to the requiredhandrail.3.4.7.5.(5) At least 1 handrail shall be continuous throughout the length of the stairway,including landings, except where interrupted by doorways or newels at changes in direction.ExplanationLBlind or visually-impaired persons rely on handrails to guide them on stairways. A continuoushandrail will assist them in negotiating stairs at changes in direction.3.4.7.5.(6) Handrails shall be terminated in a manner which will not obstruct pedestriantravel or create a hazard.Handrails should return to the wall, floor or post, so as not to constitute a hazard to blindor visually-impaired persons.3.4.7.5.(7) Handrails at the sides of stairs and ramps shall extend horizontally at least300 mm beyond the top and bottom of the stairways and ramps.10

Explanat ionThe extended handrail is useful to persons with physical limitations to steady themselvesbefore using the stairs.3.4.7.5.(8) A clearance of at least 40 mm shall be provided between every handrail andany wall to which it is fastened.3.4.7.5.(9) Windows in exit stairways that extend to less than 1 070 mm above the landingshall be protected by a barrier or railing located approximately 1 070 mm above suchlanding.Guards3.4.7.6.(1) Every exit such as a ramp, stairway or passageway shall have a wall or awell-secured guard on each side.3.4.7.6.(2) Except as provided in Sentence (3), the height of guards on exit stairs shallbe not less than 920 mm measured vertically to the top of the guard from a line drawnthrough the outside edges of the stair nosings and 1 070 mm around landings.3.4.7.6.(3) The height of guards of exterior stairs and landings more than 10 m aboveadjacent ground level shall not be less than 1 500 mm measured vertically to the top ofthe guard from a line drawn through the outside edges of the stair nosings.3.4.7.6.(4) The size of any opening through guards for exits shall be such as to preventthe passage of a spherical object having a diameter of 100 mm in buildings of residentialoccupancy and 200 mm in buildings of other occupancy, except where the location andsize of the openings that exceed this limit do not present a hazardous condition.Tactile Signs for Exits3.4.7.12.( 18) Arabic numerals indicating the assigned floor number shall(a) be mounted permanently on the stair side of the wall at the latch side of doors toexit stair shafts,(b) be at least 60 mm high, raised approximately 0.7 mm above the surface,(c) be located 1 500 mm from the finished floor and not more than 300 mm from thedoor, and(d)be contrasting in colour with the surface on which they are applied.11

ExplanationThe identification of floor and other signs intended to facilitate orientation for visuallyimpairedpersons should offer maximum colour contrast to be effective. For this reason,it is recommended that white on black or black on white be used, as this combinationproduces the best legibility. It is also recommended that the sign surfaces be processed soas to prevent glare.Tactile Signs for Elevators3.5.5.1.(4) Arabic numerals indicating the assigned floor number shall be mounted permanentlyon both jambs of passenger elevator hoistway entrances in conformance withAppendix E of CSA B44, “Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators and MovingWalks.”SECTION 3.7BARRIER-FREE DESIGNSubsection 3.7.1. General3.7.1.1. The requirements of this Section apply to all buildings except(a) houses, including semi-detached, duplexes, triplexes, town houses, row houses andboarding houses,(b) buildings of Group F, Division 1 major occupancy, and(c) buildings which are not intended to be occupied on a daily or full time basis, includingautomatic telephone exchanges, pumphouses and substations.3.7.1.2. Every building in Article 3.7.1.1. shall have at least 1 entrance intended forgeneral use by the public or the occupants designed in conformance with Article 3.7.3.3.,opening to the outdoors at sidewalk level or to a ramp comforming to Article 3.7.3.4.leading to a sidewalk.ExplanationAn accessible route should exist from the sidewalk or roadway and parking area to anaccessible building entrance. This route should be located so that disabled persons do nothave to pass behind parked cars.3.7.1.3.( 1) Except as permitted in Subsection 3.7.3., every barrier-free access shall providean unobstructed width of at least 920 mm for the passage of wheelchairs.3.7.1.3.(2) Floor surfaces along a barrier-free access shall have no opening that will permitthe passage of a sphere larger than 13 mm diam.12

3.7.1.3.(3) Except as provided in Article 3.7.3.5., controls for the operation of buildingservices or safety devices, located in a barrier-free access and intended to be operated bythe occupant, including electrical switches, thermostats and intercom switches, shall beaccessible to a person in a wheelchair and shall be mounted at not more than 1.4 m abovethe floor.Subsection 3.7.2. Occupancy Requirements3.7.2.1.(1) A barrier-free access shall be provided on the entrance storey and on eachstorey served by a passenger type elevator or other platform equipped passenger elevatingdevice from the entrance described in Article 3.7.1.2.Explanat ioninto each suite,into rooms or areas that serve the public or are designated for use by visitors, includingareas in assembly occupancies with fixed seats, display areas and merchandisingdepartments,into rooms or areas for student use in assembly occupancies,into general work areas, including office areas,into general use or general service areas, including shared laundry areas in residentialoccupancies, recreational areas, cafeteria, lounge rooms, lunch rooms andinfirmaries,into patients’ rooms,into at least 1 passenger type elevator or elevating device conforming to Article3.7.3.5.,into washrooms described in Article 3.7.2.3.,to any facility required by this Section to be designed to accommodate disabledpersons,onto every balcony provided in conformance with Sentence 3.3.1.5.(1), and,to ticket counters, refreshment stands, drinking fountains and checkout counters.Where barrier-free access is required into suites or rooms in Subsection 3.7.2., it is notintended that such access be provided throughout each room or suite. In Clause (k), itis not intended that all facilities be accessible. It is intended that sufficient facilities beaccessible to permit a reasonable use of the building.13

ExplanationIt is not intended that a separate accessible entrance must be provided from the exteriorparking area. The designer may choose to designate the entrance leading to the exteriorparking area as the required entrance or provide a properly identified and unobstructedpath of travel from the parking area to the entrance which is accessible. The entrancechosen should, in any case, be one normally used by the occupants of the building. Longpaths of travel are not recommended.Accessible Washrooms3.7.2.3.(1) Except as provided in Sentence (2), washrooms shall be designed to accommodatedisabled persons in comformance with the appropriate requirements in Articles 3.7.3.6.to 3.7.3.9.3.7.2.3.(2) Washrooms need not comform to the requirements in Sentence (1) provided(a) they are located on a floor area to which barrier-free acess is not provided,(b) they are located within suites of residential occupancy, or(c) other washrooms designed to accommodate disabled persons are available in locationsproviding equivalent convenience.Subsection 3.7.3. Design StandardsSigns3.7.3.1.(1) Where a building is required to have an entrance to accommodate disabledpersons, signs incorporating the international symbol of accessibility for disabled personsshall be installed where necessary to indicate the location of that entrance.3.7.3.1.(2) Where a washroom, elevator or parking area is required to accommodate disabledpersons, it shall be identified by a sign consisting of the international symbol of accessibilityfor disabled persons and such other graphic or written directions as are neededto indicate clearly the type of facility available.15

ExplanationThe official symbol, as shown below, indicates to disabled persons that they will havereasonable freedom of movement within the building to which it is attached. It usually hasa blue background, but if, because of lighting conditions, it does not stand out, it can beset on a white-background. An arrow can be added to either side or to the top or bottomto indicate direction or the location of an accessible space or facility.JExterior Walks3.7.3.2.(1) Exterior walks that form part of a barrier-free access shall(a) have a slip-resistant, continuous and even surface,(b) be at least 1 100 mm in width, and(c) have a level area adjacent to the entrance doorway conforming to Clause3.7.3.4.(1)(~).Doorways3.7.3.3.(1) Every doorway that is located in a barrier-free access shall have a clear widthof at least 760 mm when the door is in the open position.3.7.3.3.(2) The doorway to at least 1 bathroom within a suite of residential occupancyshall have a clear width of at least 760 mm when the door is in the open position.Explanat ionEven though it is required to have doors to washrooms in residential suites large enoughto permit the passage of wheelchairs, it does not mean that the washroom or its fixtureshave to be designed to facilitate persons in wheelchairs.16

3.7.3.3.(3) Thresholds for doorways in Sentences (I) and (2) shall not exceed 13 mm inheight above the finished floor surface and shall be bevelled to facilitate the passage ofwheelchairs.Door Closers3.7.3.3.(4) Except for doors to dwelling units, door closers for doors in a barrier-freeaccess shall be designed to permit(a) doors to open when a force of not more than 38 N is applied to the handles, pushplates or latch-releasing devices for exterior doors and not more than 22 N forinterior doors, and(b)interior doors to have a closing period of at least 3 s measured from the door inan open position of 70" to the doorway to a point 75 mm from the closed positionmeasured from the leading edge of the latch side of the door.Vestibules3.7.3.3.(5) Vestibules located in a barrier-free access shall be arranged to allow the movementof wheelchairs between doors and shall(a) provide a distance between 2 doors in series of at least 1.2 m plus the width of anydoor that swings into the space in the path of travel from one door to another, and(b) have a clear space, beyond the latch side of each door, of at least 600 mm when thedoor swings into the vestibule and at least 300 mm when the door swings away fromthe vestibule (see explanation for 3.7.3.4.(1) (c)).Ramps3.7.3.4.(1) Ramps located in a barrier-free access shall(a) have a minimum width of 870 mm between handrails,(b)have a maximum gradient of 1 in 12, except that a gradient not exceeding 1 in 10is permitted where the length of ramp does not exceed 3 m,(c) have a level area of at least 1.5 by 1.5 m at the top and bottom and at intermediatelevels of a ramp leading to a door, so that the level area extends at least 600 mmbeyond the latch side of the door opening, except that where the door opens awayfrom the ramp, the area extending beyond the latch side of the door opening maybe reduced to 300 mm,17

-1500 mm MIN.1500 mni MIN.*P-RAMP -ADOOK SWINGS ON TO RAMPDOOR SWINGS AWAY FROM RAMPBR 6506-5(d) have a level area at least 1.2 m long and at least the same width as the ramp,(i) at intervals of not more than 9 m along its length, and(ii) where there is an abrupt change in the direction of the ramp, and(e) be equipped with handrails and guards comforming to Articles 3.4.7.5. and 3.4.7.6.3.7.3.4.(2) Floors or walks in a barrier-free access having a slope steeper than 1 in 20shall be designed as ramps.Elevators3.7.3.5.(1) The passenger-type elevator in Article 3.7.2.1. shall conform to Appendix Eof CSA B44, “Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators and Moving Walks.”3.7.3.5.(2) The passenger-type elevating device in Article 3.7.2.1. shall conform toCAN3-B355, “Safety Code for Elevating Devices for the Handicapped.”Washroom Design3.7.3.6.(1) Where a washroom is required by Article 3.7.2.3. to accommodate disabledpersons, at least 1 water closet stall or enclosure shall(a) be at least 1.5 m in width by 1.5 m in depth,(b) be equipped with a door which shall18

(i) be capable of being locked from the inside,(ii) provide a clear opening of at least 760 mm with the door in the open position,(iii) swing outward, unless sufficient room is provided within the stall or enclosureto permit the door to be closed without interfering with the wheelchair,(iv) be provided with a door pull on the inside located so that the centreline isbetween 200 mm and 300 mm from the hinged side of the door, and(v) be provided with a door pull on the outside, near the latch side of the door,(c) have a water closet located so that its centreline is not less than 460 mm and notmore than 480 mm from an adjacent side wall on 1 side,(d) be equipped with grab bars which shall(i) be mounted on the side wall closest to the water closet extending from a pointnot more than 300 mm from the rear wall to at least 450 mm in front of thewater closet seat,(ii) be mounted on the wall behind the water closet so that it extends the fullwidth of the toilet bowl where the water closet does not have a water tank,(iii) be mounted from 840 mm to 920 mm above the floor level,(iv) be installed to resist a load of at least 1.3 kN applied vertically or horizontally,(v) be not less than 30 mm and not more than 40 mm in diameter and(vi) have a clearance of 35 mm to 45 mm from the wall,(e) be equipped with a coat hook mounted not more than 1.4 m above the floor on aside wall and projecting not more than 25 mm from the wall,(f) have a clearance of at least 1.7 m between the outside of the stall face and the faceof an in-swinging washroom door and 1.4 m between the outside of the stall faceand any wall-mounted fixture.3.7.3.7.( 1) Water closets for disabled persons shall(a) be equipped with seats located at not less than 400 mm and not more than 460 mmabove the floor level,(b) be equipped with hand-operated flushing controls that are easily accessible to awheelchair user,19

'(c) be equipped with a back support such as a seat lid, and(d) not have a spring-activated seat.ExplanationWall-mounted water closets or floor models with receding bases are preferable becausethey provide the least amount of obstruction.3.7.3.8.( 1) Where a washroom is required to accommodate disabled persons, it shall(a) be equipped with a lavatory which shall(i) be mounted so that the distance betweeen the centreline of the fixture andthe side wall is at least 460 mm,(ii) have a clearance of at least 660 mm beneath the bottom of the lavatory to apoint at least 260 mm in from the front,(iii) have insulated waste outlet pipes where the waste pipes constitute a burnhazard,(iv) have faucet handles of the lever type that are not spring-loaded, and(v) have no shelves or other projections located above it so as to create a hazard,(b) have soap and towel dispensers located not more than 1.4 m above the floor andaccessible to persons in wheelchairs.Special Washrooms3.7.3.9.(1) Where a special washroom is provided primarily for the use of disabled personsof both sexes in lieu of facilities for disabled persons in washrooms used by the generalpublic, such washrooms shall(a) be equipped with doors capable of being locked from the inside and released fromthe outside,(b) be provided with a lavatory conforming to Article 3.7.3.8.,(c) be equipped with a water closet conforming to Article 3.7.3.7.,(d) be equipped with grab bars conforming to Clause 3.7.3.6.(1)(d),(e) have no dimension less than 1.7 m,20

(f) have fixture clearances conforming to the fixture clearances described in Articles3.7.3.6. to 3.7.3.8., and(g) have a doorway conforming to Article 3.7.3.3.Explanat ionUnobstructed areas in front of the lavatory, in front of the water closet and on 1 side ofthe water closet are necessary for maneuverability of a wheelchair.Shower Stalls3.7.3.10( 1) Where individual shower stalls are provided in buildings of assembly occupancy,at least 1 shower stall shall be provided for disabled persons which shall(a) have no dimension less than 920 mm,(b) be equipped with a hinged seat that is not spring loaded,(c) be equipped with grab bars mounted approximately 900 mm above the floor on thewall opposite the seat, extending around at least 300 mm along the adjacent wall,(d) be equipped with pressure-balanced single lever controls,(e) be equipped with a hand-held shower head with at least 1.5 m of flexible hose capableof being used as a fixed shower head mounted approximately 450 mm in from thefront of the shower and approximately 1.2 m above the floor,(f) have a bevelled threshold not exceeding 13 mm in height above the finished floor,and(g) have a slip-resistant floor.EXTRACTS FROM PART 9Handrails9.8.7.2. Except for stairs serving only 1 dwelling unit, at least 1 handrail shall be continuousthroughout the length of the stairway, including landings, except where interruptedby doorways or newels at changes in direction. (See explanation following 3.4.7.5.(5).)9.8.7.3. Except for stairs serving only 1 dwelling unit, handrails shall be terminated ina manner that will not obstruct pedestrian travel or create a hazard. (See explanationfollowing 3.4.7.5.(6).)21

9.8.7.4. Except for stairs serving only 1 dwelling unit, handrails at the sides of stairs andramps shall extend horizontally at least 300 mm beyond the top and bottom of stairwaysand ramps. (See explanation following 3.4.7.5.(7).)Barrier-Free Access9.9.2.7. Except as provided in Article 9.9.2.8., every building shall provide barrier-freeaccess in conformance with Section 3.7. Where barrier-free access is provided to any storeyabove the first storey, the requirements in Article 3.3.1.5. shall apply.9.9.2.8. Barrier-free access described in Article 9.9.2.7. need not be provided for apartmentbuildings without elevators or houses, including semi-detached, duplexes, triplexes,town houses, boarding houses and row houses.Obstructions in Corridors9.9.5.3. Except as permitted in Article 9.9.5.4., obstructions located within 1 980 mm ofthe floor shall not project horizontally more than 100 mm into exit passageways, corridorsused by the public or public corridors in a manner that would create a hazard for visuallyimpairedpersons travelling adjacent to walls.9.9.5.4. The horizontal projection of an obstruction in Article 9.9.5.3. is permitted toexceed 100 mm where the obstruction extends to less than 680 mm above the floor. (Seeexplanation following 3.3.1.7.(4).)REFERENCES1. Building Standards for the Handicapped, National Building Code Supplement No. 7,Associate Committee on the National Building Code, NRCC 8333, National ResearchCouncil of Canada, Ottawa, 1965.2. National Building Code of Canada 1975, Associate Committee on the NationalBuilding Code, NRCC 13982, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, 1975.3. National Building Code of Canada 1985, Associate Committee on the NationalBuilding Code, NRCC 23174, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, 1985.22