The Ontario Building Code | Contained Use Areas
3.3.3.7. Contained Use Areas
(1) A contained use area shall conform to Sentences (2) to (5).
(2) A contained use area shall be separated from the remainder of the building by a fire separation having a fire-resistance rating not less than 1 h.
(3) Except as permitted by Sentence (4), a buildingthat includes a contained use area shall be sprinklered.
(4) A contained use area, in a building for which Articles 3.2.2.20. to 3.2.2.83. do not require the installation of an automatic sprinkler system, is not required to be sprinklered as required by Sentence (3) provided,
(a) the buildingis designed so that during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire in the contained use area, other fire compartments will not contain more than 1% by volume of contaminated air from the contained use area,
(b) the buildingis designed so that during a period of 2 h after the start of a fire in another part of the building, the contained use area will not contain more than 1% by volume of contaminated air from the other part of the building,
(c) all doors are designed to be remotely released in conformance with Sentence 3.3.1.12.(6), and
(d) the contained use area does not contain any rooms lined with combustiblepadding.
(5) A corridor serving a contained use area shall have no dead-end portion unless the area served by the dead-end portion has a second and separate means of egress.
In Plain Language
A contained use area, a secured zone (such as in a detention facility) where staff-assisted evacuation replaces self-evacuation, must be separated from the rest of the building by a fire separation with at least a 1-hour rating, and the building containing it must generally be sprinklered.
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.