The Ontario Building Code | Direction of Door Swing
9.9.6.5. Direction of door Swing
(1) Except as permitted by Sentence (2) and except for doors serving a single dwelling unit, exit doors that are required to swing shall swing in the direction of exit travel.
Note: On July 1, 2017, Sentence 9.9.6.5.(1) of Division B of the Regulation is amended by striking out "single dwelling unit" and substituting "houseor an individual dwelling unit". (See: O. Reg. 139/17, s. 94)
(2) An exit door need not swing in the direction of exit travel where it serves,
(a) a room, suiteor floor area having an occupant load of not more than 60 persons, or
(b) as part of a means of egress from more than one floor area and the floor areas so served have a total occupant load of not more than 60 persons.
(3) doors that open onto a corridor or other facility that provides access to exit from a room or suite having an occupant load of more than 60 persons shall swing on the vertical axis in the direction of exit travel.
(4) doors that divide a corridor that is not wholly contained within a suiteshall swing in the direction of exit travel.
(5) Where a pair of doors is installed in a corridor that provides access to exit in both directions, the doors shall,
(a) swing in opposite directions, with the door on the right hand side swinging in the direction of exit travel, or
(b) swing in both directions.
In Plain Language
Doors within a means of egress must swing in the direction set out in this article, generally in the direction of travel to exit where occupant loads are high, so a crowd pushing toward the door doesn't jam it shut.
This is a plain-language summary of the 2012/2017 Ontario Building Code text above, for general understanding only and not a substitute for the Code. Always confirm current requirements against the 2024 edition (O.Reg. 163/24) or a qualified professional before construction.