The Ontario Building Code | Description of Fire Alarm Systems

3.2.4.4. Description of Fire Alarm Systems

(1) A single stage fire alarm system shall, upon the operation of any manual pull station or fire detector, cause an alarm signal to sound on all audible signal devices in the system.

(2) A two stage fire alarm system shall,

(a) cause an alert signal to sound upon the operation of any manual pull station or fire detector,

(b) except for a Group B, Division 2 occupancy, automatically cause an alarm signal to sound if the alert signal is not acknowledged within 5 min of its initiation,

(c) have each manual pull station equipped so that the use of a key or other similar device causes an alarm signal to sound and continue to sound upon the removal of the key or similar device from the manual pull station, and

(d) in a buildingcontaining a hotel,

(i) cause an alarm signal to sound in the initiating fire zone in the hotel, and

(ii) cause an alert signal to sound throughout the hotel and such parts of the buildingas is necessary to alert hotel staff.

(3) A two stage fire alarm system is permitted to be zone coded so that, upon the operation of any manual pull station or fire detector,

(a) a coded alert signal is sounded indicating the zone of alarm initiation,

(b) the coded alert signal is repeated in its entirety no fewer than four times, and

(c) a continuous alert signal is sounded upon completion of the coded signals referred to in Clause (b) and Sentence (4).

(4) If a second manual pull station or fire detector is operated in a fire alarm system with zone coding as permitted by Sentence (3), in a zone other than that for which the first alert signal was sounded, the coded alert signal for the first zone shall be completed before the coded alert signal for the second zone is repeated no fewer than four times.