The Ontario Building Code | Protection for Special Care and Treatment Facilities
3.3.3.6. Protection for Special Care and Treatment Facilities
(1) Compartments containing rooms such as operating rooms, recovery rooms, delivery rooms, intensive care units and critical care units, from which it is impracticable to move patients in an emergency, shall be,
(a) separated from adjacent spaces by fire separations having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h, and
(b) provided with a mechanical air supply so that during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire in another space, the compartments will not contain more than 1% by volume of contaminated air from the fire area.
In Plain Language
Compartments containing high-risk care spaces, like operating rooms, recovery rooms, delivery rooms, and intensive care units, where patients can't quickly be moved out, need special fire protection since evacuation isn't always practical during a fire.
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.