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SPRING 2017
CAN/ULC-S561, Installation andServices for Fire Signal ReceivingCentres and Systems
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 2
Inside This IssueEditor: Lesley-Anne ColemanThe CFSA News Magazine is published 4 times per year:Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.
Advertising RatesMembership has its benefits, and advertising is a keyadvantage to getting your company and productinformation out to other members in the industry. The CFSA has decided to make advertising in the CFSANewsletter a definite advantage for members.
Pricing has been revised to include the following rates:
Member Non-Member Rate RateBack Cover $250 $750Full Page $200 $6001/2 Page $100 $3001/4 Page $50 $150Business Cards $25 $75
Prices listed are for each issue and do not include HST.Corporate members receive a 10% discount.
For more information regarding advertising in the CFSANews please contact Mary Lou Murray at (416) 492-9417or [email protected]
All general inquiries and advertising materials should bedirected to the CFSA Office.
We welcome your comments, suggestions and articles. To submit information, please contact us [email protected] attention of The Editor.
Views of the authors expressed in any articles are notnecessarily the views of the Canadian Fire SafetyAssociation. Also, the advertisements are paid advertisingand are in no way recognized as sponsored by the CFSA.
CFSA Chapters Interested in forming a new chapter?Call CFSA at (416) 492-9417
http://goo.gl/Wp0uuQ @CFSA_CANADA
3 President’s Message
5 ULC 561 Signal Receiving Centres
5 Upcoming Events
6 CAN/ULC-S561 To comply, or not to comply….actually
it’s not even a question!
9 Technical Guidelines and Reports
11 Marijuana Grow and Extraction Facilities
13 Sprinkler and Fire Protection InstallerTrade
14 Standard for Photoluminescent and Self- Luminous Exit Signs and Path Marking
Systems
15 Membership Application
16 Corporate Members
17 New Members
18 Scholarship Opportunities
19 Scholarship Entry Form
20 Annual Education Forum PreliminaryProgram at a Glance
SPRING 2017
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 3
President’s Message
As spring is fast approaching so too is our Annual Education Forum. Like last year,the AEF is being held on April 6th in Vaughan at the Paramount Conference andEvent Center. Our Key note speaker will be Deputy Fire Chief Jim Jessop fromToronto Fire, along with a number of other fantastic presenters which we anticipatewill make for another successful and informative forum.
The CFSA has been active again this year with their informative technician ses-sions. The key to our long term success has been due to the continuous and tire-less efforts from a few key individuals like Janet O’Carroll, Randy de Launay, SandyLeva, Alison, Mclean MaryLou Murray and Carolyne Vigon to name a few. These in-formal gatherings have become known as very helpful sessions surrounding variouschallenging topics. One of which was recently held at ULC’s head office here inToronto. The objective of the seminar was to review CAN/ULC-S561 “Standard forthe Installation and Services for Fire Signal Receiving Centres and Systems”. Thishas been a hot topic and on the minds of many fire prevention officers locally andacross the country. Our educator that day was, Al Cavers a manager at ULC andthe one responsible for this standard. Once again Al did an outstanding job. Wehad a full house and the session was so successful that we ran over our allottedtime. I am confident that this group left feeling satisfied with a more complete un-derstanding of the standard and the true benefits of displaying a genuine ULC cer-tificate next to the monitoring panel. If you have the chance in the future, try not tomiss these tech sessions, they are certainly worth your valuable the time.
Standing true to our objectives and mission to promote the science and improvedmethods of fire protection and prevention through the use of seminars, safety train-ing courses and informative newsletters we encourage your comments and sugges-tions for topics to be added to our lineup.
It has been an honour and pleasure to once again represent the CFSA as the asso-ciation’s President. I know firsthand the great benefits of being a member of theCFSA. It has allowed me the opportunity to discuss new ideas and have some diffi-cult and challenging topics discussed and questions answered by the industry’sleaders. Membership truly does have its privileges.
Kindly,David MorrisCFSA - President
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 4
EXECUTIVE
PRESIDENT: David MorrisFiretronics 2000 Inc.(905) 470-7723 | [email protected]
PAST PRESIDENT: Nicholas Webb, CDWhitby Fire and Emergency Services(905) 668-3312 | [email protected]
1st VICE-PRESIDENT: Anthony Van Odyk(647) 501-2313 | [email protected]
2nd VICE-PRESIDENT: Jim StoopsToronto Fire Services(416) 338-9102 | [email protected]
TREASURER: Allison McLeanBruce [email protected]
SECRETARY: David DobromilskyOshawa Fire Services(905) 261-6550 | [email protected]
DIRECTORS
Dean Brown, City of Vaughan(905) 832-8510 ext. 8422 | [email protected]
Lesley-Anne Coleman, Toronto Fire [email protected] | [email protected]
Randy de Launay, Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency ManagementToronto, ON(647) 329-1241 | [email protected]
Sandy Leva, Underwriters Laboratories of Canada(416) 757-5250 ext. 61521 | [email protected]
Graeme Mouat, Jensen Hughes(647) 559-1257 | [email protected]
Mike Norris, Abedini Norris Consulting Inc.(416) 229-7213 | [email protected]
Janet O’Carroll, Innovative Fire Inc(416) 221-0093 | [email protected]
Mike Power, LRI Engineering(416) 515-9331 ext. 325 | [email protected]
Scott Pugsley, Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology(416) 491-5050 ext. 22525 | [email protected]
CFSA OFFICE
2800 14th Avenue, Suite 210, Markham, ON L3R 0E4(416) 492-9417 | Fax: (416) 491-1670
ADMINISTRATOR: Carolyne [email protected]
CFSA EVENT COORDINATOR: Mary Lou [email protected]
Board of Directors
The Canadian Fire Safety Association (CFSA) produces a quarterlyNews magazine which is distributed electronically to all members and isavailable for download from the CFSA website.
The CFSA News provides articles on industry related information,updates on codes & standards and overviews of various CFSAeducational seminars provided throughout the year. In addition,Corporate Members and their selected representatives are recognized.
CANADIAN FIRE SAFETY ASSOCIATIONASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DE SÉCURITÉ INCENDIE
What is The CFSA?
The Canadian Fire Safety Association is a non-proitorganization established in 1971, to promote fire safetythrough the use of seminars, safety training courses,information newsletters, scholarships, and regularmeetings.
Our Mission Statement
“To disseminate fire and life safety information andpromote a fire safe environment in Canada.”
www.canadianfiresafety.com
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 5
Event Overview
ULC 561 Signal ReceivingCentresBy: Lesley Anne Coleman
On Tuesday February 28, 2017, theCFSA held a Technical Session atUnderwriters Laboratories of Canadato review the CAN/ULC-S561Standard for Installation and Servicesfor Fire Signal Receiving Centres andSystems standard.
The speaker, Alan N. Cavers is theEngineering Manager for the Fire &Security Systems Group at Under-writers Laboratories of Canada and oversees the Global Operations. He hasworked at ULC for 35 years in various capacities with the past 27 years in thefire alarm and burglary protection area. Alan is a registered Canadian FireAlarm Association (CFAA) technician.
Alan is an active member of the Standing Committee on Use and Egress for theNBCC & NFCC for the next release of the NBC and NFC for 2015 and was ap-pointed for the next code cycle for the 2020 NBC and NFC. He is a member ofthe Task Groups on Fire Alarm Systems and Exit Signs, Chair for the Task Groupon Fire Alarm Systems for Part 3 of the NBC and NFC, on the Board of Directorsof the Canadian Fire Alarm Associa-tion and serves on various other com-mittees.
The Technical Session focused onthe following subjects:• The importance of fire alarm moni-toring,
• Equipment, power supply, cablesand wiring, protection service andprotected premises,
• Installation of monitoring systems,and
• Inspection and testing.
The Technical Session provided valuable information and was well received byall who attended. u
Upcoming EventsTrade Shows:
ICS WestApril 5-7, 2017, Las Vegas, NV – THE largest se-curity industry trade show in the North American.At ISC West you will have the chance to networkwith over 29,000 security professionals through
OFMEM Training Session: April 11, 2017 – What’s trending: Maing SocialMedia Work for Public Fire Safety Education,Toronto, ON
NFPA 13 Hands-On Training Class April 18-20, 2017 – Canadian Security Associa-tion (CANASA) Toronto, ON
OAFC 2017 Trade ShowMay 7-8, 2017 – Toronto, ON
Emergency Preparedness WeekMay 7-13, 2017
OMFPOA Training & Education SymposiumMay 28-June 1, 2017 – Windsor, ON
NFPA Conference & Expo®June 4-7, 2017 – NFPA, Boston, MA - The isthe premier event for fire, life and electrical safety.Bringing together thousands of professionalsfrom around the globe, this can’t miss showcasecombines an unrivaled educational conferencewith a comprehensive expo of the latest productsand services.
2017 FFAO ConventionJuly 30 - August 7, 2017 – Sturgeon Falls, ON
Canadian National Advanced Fire,Arson andExplosion InvestigationTraining ProgramAugust 28-31, 2017 – Markham, ON
Fire-Rescue Canada 2017September 17-20, 2017
Security Canada Central 2017October 18-19, 2017 – Canadian Security Asso-ciation (CANASA) Toronto, ONApril 11, 2017 – Seneca College, Toronto, ON
Construct Canada Nov. 29 - Dec 1, 2017 – is a 3 day event beingheld from 29th November to 1st December 2017at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre inToronto, Canada.
Technical Sessions:
June Tech Session Tuesday, June 20th – CAN/ULC-S1001-11 Integrated Systems Testing of Fire Protection andLife Safety Systems
More information regarding events and reg-istration can be found by visiting:
http://canadianfiresafety.com
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 6
CAN/ULC-S561, Installation and Serv-ices for Fire Signal Receiving Centresand Systems is without a doubt one ofthe most misunderstood standards inthe lexicon of the ULC S500 Series ofFire and Life Safety Standards. Simplystated, CAN/ULC-S561 promotes reli-able fire alarm monitoring. This standardhas been a Code requirement inCanada for over 10 years and yet everyday Authorities find non-compliant sys-tems and ULC, along with organizationslike the Canadian Fire Alarm Associa-tion (CFAA), field daily inquiries about inconformity to, listing of, requirements forand understanding of CAN/ULC-S561.This article will endeavor to provide for abetter understanding of this Standard,its place and requirements, in fire andlife safety systems.
Why is it important?
In Ontario, fire alarm system installa-tions are required to meet the intent ofthe Ontario Building Code (OBC). TheOBC requires that signals to the FireSignal Receiving Centre are receivedand disposed of in a uniform manner.
The CAN/ULC-S561 Standard covers:
• Construction, operation, installation,inspection and tests applicable to firesignal receiving centres for fire pro-tective signalling services utilizing firesignal receiving centre facilities andsatellite centres and bridging centres;
• Construction and operation of a pro-prietary fire signal receiving centre;
and
• Installation, inspection and tests ap-plicable to a fire signal transmittingunit and its field device inputs at theprotected premises.
Fire signal receiving centres come intwo defined types; a Signal ReceivingCentre and a Proprietary Fire Signal Re-ceiving Centre. What’s the difference?A Signal Receiving Centre is a facilitythat receives alarm signals and at whichtrained personnel and service personsare on duty at all times.
• Think normal commercial businesseslike an ADT or Chubb Edwards -these involve the monitoring of multi-ple properties and/or for multipleowners.
A Proprietary Fire Signal ReceivingCentre is a facility, operated by theowner of the protected premises inwhich services encompassed in thisStandard are monitored at all times bytrained personnel.
• Think Specific business or facilitywith one owner, often having multiplesites and no third party monitoring.These are often Hospitals or Universi-ties with large multi-building cam-puses with their own in-housepolicing/security service that can pro-vide 24/7 monitoring. Also some na-tional retail chains will provide theirown monitoring of their facilities.
Codes and Standards
The OBC governs the requirements forsignals to the fire department for newbuildings and for existing buildings it isthe Ontario Fire Code (OFC). The oc-cupancies that are generally required tohave CAN/ULCS561 compliance are:
For Single Stage Fire Alarm System• Group A – Assembly Occupancy ->300
• Group B – Detention, Care andCare and Treatment Occupancies
Codes and Standards
CAN/ULC-S561To comply, or not to comply….actually it’s not even a question!By Frank Donati, Al Cavers and Brian McBain
• Group F, Division 1 – High HazardIndustrial Occupancy
• Buildings regulated by the provi-sions of Subsection 3.2.6. (Addi-tional requirements for highbuildings)
• Buildings containing intercon-nected floor space required toconform to Articles 3.2.8.3 to3.2.8.11
• A retirement home regulatedunder the Retirement Homes Act,2010 that is a Group C –Residen-tial Occupancy
• Occupancies with Fire Alarm Sys-tem that includes waterflow indi-cating devices
For Two Stage Fire Alarm System• All Occupancies at the initiation ofan Alert Signal
The fire monitoring service for a buildingfire alarm system is mandated in Ontarioin the OBC Division B, 3.2.4.8 (4) andin the OFC Division B, 6.3.1.2. FurtherCode references for fire alarm monitor-ing service and CAN/ULC-S561 con-formity are made through three otherCode referenced ULC fire alarm stan-dards.
1. CAN/ULC-S524, Standard for In-stallation of Fire Alarm Systemswhich is referenced at OBC DivisionB, 3.2.4.5 (1) has as its last enforce-able clause:
• 5.15.1 (CAN/ULC-S524) - Theinterconnection wiring from thefire alarm control unit or transpon-der to the fire signal receivingcentre shall comply withCAN/ULC-S561, Installation andServices for Fire Signal ReceivingCentres and Systems.
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 7
2. And CAN/ULC-S537, Verification ofFire Alarm Systems in OBC3.2.4.5.(2) contains within it the fol-lowing:• CAN/ULC-S537-04 Appendix C2(G) - Documentation to includethe name and number of the FireSignal Receiving Centre(CAN/ULC-S561), and the Andthe latest edition of CAN/ULC-S537-13, has expanded this sec-tion to impart the importance onfire monitoring:
• (CAN/ULC-S561-13) NOTE: Thisstandard presupposes that, whereprovided, the interconnection fromthe fire alarm control unit ortransponder to the fire signal re-ceiving centre shall comply withCAN/ULC-S561, Standard for In-stallation and Services for FireSignal Receiving Centres andSystems. (Refer to Items A to I inAppendix C5.13, Interconnectionto Fire Signal Receiving Centre.)
3. And CAN/ULC-S536, Inspectionand Testing of Fire Alarm Systems inOFC Division B, 6.3.2.2.(1)
The key take away here is that the firealarm system monitoring is an extensionof the fire alarm system, hence similarinstallation methods, and carries thesame importance for installation andmaintenance as the fire alarm system.
Fire Monitoring System
So, what is a fire monitoring system? Itis a Fire alarm system or a sprinkler riserthat is connected to a fire alarm trans-mitter for the purposes of transmittingfire alarm conditions from the protectedproperty to a fire signal receiving centrein order to dispatch the correct re-sponding authorities.
All 3 parts are required to make up acompliant system. This article focuses ison Fire Signal Receiving Centres butwill touch on the installation and peri-odic testing for them.
Signal Receiving Centre vs.Proprietary
There are two types of Fire Signal Re-ceiving Centres (FSRC) as defined ear-lier in this article and CAN/ULCS561outlines how to construct, secure, equipand operate each of these types ofCentres.
Fire Signal Receiving CentreIs a facility that receives alarm signalsand at which trained persons are onduty at all times. This facilitymust consist of the following:• Facility with 2hr. Fire rating• Signal receivers, station automationcomputer
• Dedicated Power Source• Back-up systems which include –Telephone back-up, generator, Unin-terrupted Power Supply Units (UPS)
• Security Vestibule- Interlocked Doorswhere only one can be opened at atime by the alarm room operator.
• CCTV Camera System and intercom• Early warning fire protection system• Fire Extinguishers• Buddy System – as in back up alarmcentre
• Trained staff to handle and dispatchalarms – 24hrs a day/7 days a week
• Contingency Plan – for unforeseendisasters – natural or man-made
Fire Signal Receiving Centres receivingthe following alarms or notification fromthe fire alarm system• Fire Alarm• Fire Trouble• Fire Supervisory
• AC Fail• Communication Failures
Proprietary Signal Receiving CentreIs a facility that is operated by theowner of the protected premises inwhich services encompassed in thisStandard are monitored at all times bytrained personnel. The owner of theproperty monitors and maintains its ownpremise. Examples again include - uni-versities, hospitals, Walmart, Target.These facilities must consist of the fol-lowing:• 2 hour fire separation.
- Exception - 1 hour only if the build-ing is sprinklered.
• Single locked door• Owner will provide Staffing 24/7• Owner usually provides installationand maintenance on the protectedpremises.
• Owner usually provides a runner serv-ice.
Also the installations at the protectedbuildings can be proprietary fire alarmequipment or off the shelf fire alarmtransmitters.
Installation of a Fire Alarmmonitoring system
Although there are differences betweenan FRSC and a Proprietary system re-garding the physical centres them-selves, the installation of CAN/ULC-S561 compliant fire alarm monitoringsystem at the protected premises arevery similar. Both require:• Transmitter that is CAN/ULC- S559(a Proprietary System is eligible touse CAN/ULC-S527 Complianttransmitter)
• Manufacturer’s Installation Instruc-tions.
• Communication Channels
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 8
• Metallic raceway for interconnectingwires
• Supervision of circuits• Installed as per CAN/ULC-S561• Tested prior to occupancy
When it comes to the transmission ofsignals, CAN/ULC-S561 lays out themethods of communication for thesesystems. Communications can be Ac-tive or Passive. Active means that thechannel between the fire alarm systemand the alarm centre is continuouslymonitored so that any fault or failure thatcould affect signal transmission and re-ception is identified to the fire signal re-ceiving centre. Passive means that it isnot monitored but that incorporatesdual or multiple communications. Thesedual or more channels create a commu-nication system where the signal istransmitted through all channels andwhen acknowledgement through one isreceived, the other(s) will stop transmit-ting that signal. These channels alsomonitor each other for any faults and istested every 24hrs.
Regardless of Active or Passive, themaximum time to receive a fire alarmsignal from a protected premise is 60seconds, and this brings us to the re-quirements for accuracy of Signals.
All installed fire monitoring systemsshall be properly programed to transmitaccurate signals to the Signal ReceivingCentre in order that the operators canquickly dispatch responding authorities.Therefore there can be no miscommuni-cation of what is occurring at the sys-tem,
• Fire Alarm = Fire Alarm• Fire Trouble = Fire Trouble• Fire Supervisory = Fire Supervi-sory
and there can be no conflicting signals(i.e. Burglar alarm – there are provisionsfor a location to be both fire and burglaralarmed through the same transmitterbut fire alarm signals ALWAYS takeprecedents over burglar).
It’s not just the transmitted signals thatare required to be accurate for compli-ance with CAN/ULC-S651 but also thatthe Contact Lists for each protectedpremise is up to date, that the proper
fire department phone numbers arerecorded (and not just 911) and thatthere is no system of verification of firealarm signals prior to notification of thefire service to respond. CAN/ULC-S651 provides for the disposition ofsignals as follows:
• maximum time to receive a firealarm signal from a protectedpremise is 60 seconds,• maximum time to contact the firedepartment is within 30 seconds
• maximum time to contact personsdesignated by the owner is within5 minutes• maximum time for Fire Trouble andSupervisory, CommunicationsTroubles or Signal TransmittingUnit Troubles is to contact theowner within 5 minutes• and that a service company/per-sonnel is within 4 hours of the lo-cation to effect repairs.
A note on Standalone Sprinkler RisersStandalone Sprinkler Risers that aremonitored have the same time frame re-quirements but only transmit the follow-ing signals:
• Waterflow (alarm)• Fire Trouble• Fire Supervisory (pressure andgate valves)
As the communications systems of firealarm systems are tested communica-tion, active or passive, CAN/ULC-S561lays out further required periodic testingwhich is also referenced in CAN/ULC-S536.
• Fire Alarm System - Annually• Waterflow - Every two months• Supervisory- Gate Valves, Pres-sure -Every Six months
How do you make sure all theserequirements are met?
Compliance with CAN/ULC-S561 isnot a simple matter of just checking offa box or two but rather involves a com-plete audit of both the Receiving Centreand the Fire Alarm Transmitter. Authori-ties Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), PropertyOwners and Alarm Companies all re-quire the knowledge that the fire moni-toring system as a whole is incompliance. The National Codes re-quired that these systems to comply tothe NBC/ NFC – Signals to the FireDepartment by way of Fire Alarm Moni-toring System in Compliance toCAN/ULC-S561 and that they shallprovide a Certificate of Compliance at-testing that the fire alarm monitoringsystem is in compliance to the applica-ble Standard for submission to the AHJ.What kind of certificate to submit?There are two options,
1. A document that is acceptable tothe Authority Having Jurisdiction.Your local Building Official for newconstruction/installation and yourFire Official for existing buildings/in-stallations. Or
2. A ULC Protective Signalling SystemCertificate – provided through ULClisted Alarm Company. Companiesthat are certified to CAN/ULC-S561can be found on our ULC Online Directory athttp://database.ul.com/cgi-bin/XYV/template/LISCANADA/1FRAME/index.html and using the fol-lowing ULC Category Codes:
DAYRC- CAN/ULC-S559-04 Equip-ment
DAYYC- CAN/ULC-S561-04 –Shared Installation Co.
DAYIC - CAN/ULC-S561-03 –Shared and Full Service Fire SignalReceiving Centres u
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 9
A Final Note
CAN/ULC-S561 is a vital component inthe chain of Fire Alarm standards and ismandated by our Codes, yet is possiblyone of the highest non-conformity is-sues with fire alarm systems that requiremonitoring. Although the NationalCodes have since 2005 explicitly re-quired CAN/ULC-S561 conformity, forthe upcoming 2015 National CodesULC has submitted an Appendix Noteto further clarify the interconnectionbetween it and CAN/ULC-S524 Instal-lation of Fire Alarm Systems so thatCode users and enforcement authori-ties ensure complete conformance withCode requirements. The draft Appendixnote submitted (and as of this writingnot yet finalized by the Codes Commis-sion) is:
CAN/ULC-S561, “Installation andServices for Fire Signal Receiving Cen-tres and Systems,” which is referenced
in Sentence 3.2.4.8.(4), andCAN/ULC-S524, “Installation of FireAlarm Systems,” which is referenced inSentence 3.2.4.5.(1), go hand-in-hand: conformity to CAN/ULC S561entails conformity with the fire alarmsystem components required in thatstandard. These components includefire alarm transmitter (signal transmit-ting unit), interconnections and com-munication path.
We hope you have a clearer picture andunderstanding of CAN/ULC-S561, itsrequirements and how it fits into ourCodes and requirements for fire alarmsystems. If any further assistance, inter-pretation, details or concerns are re-quired, do not hesitate to contact eitherULC Regulatory Services or CertificateServices below. The CAN/ULC-S561Standard, along with any other ULCstandards, can be purchased at the linkbelow:
ULC Store: http://canada.ul.com/ulc-standards/aboutus/salesofulcstandard-smaterials/ULC Regulatory ServicesFor additional information or questionsULC Regulatory Services is here tohelp. Contact Brian McBain by email [email protected] or by Telephoneat+1.613.751.3404 orPierre McDonald by email [email protected] or by tele-phone at:+1.780.419.3202
ULC Certificate ServicesFor additional information or questionsto ULC Certificate Services you canreach them at+1.866.937.3852Cheryl Cerqua ext 61224Alan Cavers ext. 61207Or via email at [email protected]
The latest Technical Guidelines and Reports offer information and answers to questions as well as provides useful tips for thefollowing:• enhance the effectiveness of fire drills,• assisting facility admistrators and fire officials in establishing appropriate staffing levels to implement fire safety plans in careoccupancies, treatment occupancies and retirement homes,
• providing consistent methodology and criteria for the evaluation of existing alarm signal levels and the necessary upgrades,and
• providing processes and checklists to owners and operators of industrial occupancies that can them put together a compre-hensive Fire Safety Plan for their workplace.
https://www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca/english/FireMarshal/Legislation/TechnicalGuidelinesandReports/OFM_guidelines.html
Technical Guidelines and Reports
Technical Guidelines
Guideline Number Title PDF Date Released/Revised
TG-04-2016 Fire Drills PDF October 2016
TG-03-2016 Staffing Levels in Care Occupancies, Care and Treatment Occupancies and Retirement Homes PDF October 2016
TG-02-2016 Fire Alarm Audibility in Existing Residential Occupancies PDF August, 2016
TG-01-2016 Fire Safety Planning for Industrial Occupancies PDF August, 2016
For more information click on a Title or PDF or visit: http://www.ofm.gov.on.ca u
Technical Guidelines and ReportsMinistry of Community Safety and Correctional Services
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 11
Industry News
The topic of fire safety at marijuana processing and extractionfacilities was introduced to the full NFPA 1 Technical Com-mittee during its First Draft meeting in October 2015. As aresult of the committee’s interest, a task group was formed todevelop the language further and propose a new chapterfor NFPA 1, Fire Code, to the committee at the SecondDraft meeting. The marijuana chapter passed ballot easily, butit will still need to get through the NITMAM process. Seethe Second Draft of NFPA 1.
Two education sessions to be presented at NFPA’sConference & Expo
NFPA’s Conference & Expo will be held in Boston, June 4-7,and there will be two education sessions dedicated to firesafety in marijuana grow & extraction facilities. Check backsoon to NFPA’s C&E site to get more details about the fol-lowing sessions:
• Marijuana Grow Facilities — an AHJ PerspectiveThis presentation will focus on an AHJ perspective with re-spect to marijuana grow facilities and the common issuesfaced during the plan review and approval process. Casestudies of functioning marijuana grow facilities will be re-viewed and discussed with topics including NFPA 72 noti-fication appliance coverage, NFPA 30 flammable gasextraction processes, and NFPA 101 egress concerns.
• Marijuana Facilities — Evaluating the Fire and Explo-sion HazardsWith the increase in legalization of marijuana use there hasbeen a follow-on increase in explosions and ensuing fires.The ability to recognize the inherent fire hazards in this cut-ting edge of America’s societal evolution will enhance thefire protection community’s efforts to contain and controlthese hazards because not all aspects of the legal mari-juana community are hazardous.
Hazards of the Trade
As published in the NFPA Journal and written by JesseRoman
http://www.nfpa.org/news-and-research/publications/nfpa-journal/2016/september-october-2016/features/growing-pains/hazards-of-the-trade
As with any industrial process, marijuana production comeswith an assortment of hazards, some more exotic than others.In general, the hazards break down into those associatedwith growing, and those associated with the THC extractionprocess. Growing hazards include:
Egress – With space at a premium, most grows are verycrowded, with plants being moved often according to theirgrow cycles. Keeping egress paths and exit doors clear canbe a problem. Also, since almost all grows are located inretrofitted buildings, “a lot of them go on and on—it’s maze-like, you’re going through doors and doors and more doors,”said Brian Lukus, a fire protection engineer who has led theDenver Fire Department’s marijuana efforts. “It meets egressrequirements, but during a fire it would be easy for a fire-fighter to get lost.”
Lights – Grows have a lot of hot, dangling lights, many ofwhich remain on 24 hours per day. If lamps are located tooclose to combustible materials, fires can occur. Some growsuse twine to hang lights, leading to worries they could crash
Marijuana Grow and Extraction FacilitiesPublished by: NFPA, Public Education
With legislation currently in the process to regulate the marijuana industry,how will Ontario deal with the safety aspect in legalization?
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 12
down on responders in a fire. Denver has started requiringthat lights be hung on chains.
Plastic dividers/combustible interior finishes – Growsneed many separate rooms to segregate plants by growingand light cycles. Some growers erect tents inside of rooms,or cordon off spaces with tarps or other flammable materials,creating fire hazards and egress issues.
High Electrical Loads – Hundreds of high-powered lights,air conditioning, fans, and other systems mean grow housesuse a significant amount of electrical energy. If grows are notcompliant with the NEC®, overloaded circuits and wiring canspark fires.
Fumigation – Molds, mildews, and fungus can destroy acrop and result in millions of dollars in losses. Some growshave adopted fumigation measures using sulfur dioxide,which can be toxic to employees and first responders.
Illegal locks/barriers – The valuable commodity inside hasprompted some grow owners to tighten security by placingbars on doors and windows, using non-compliant locks, andeven guard dogs, all of which can hinder egress and ingressin a fire or other emergency.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment – Many growers claimCO2-enriched environments can increase pot yields by 20percent. While ideal growing CO2 levels remain well belowwhat can asphyxiate a person, failures and leaks have oc-curred. In most jurisdictions, rooms are required to be moni-tored and alarmed with automatic shut-off valves in case of aleak.
The extraction process uses a solvent like butane or propaneto collect and concentrate THC, the primary psychoactive in-gredient in marijuana. Extraction hazards include:
Butane/Propane – The most popular extraction process in-volves use of these flammable and potentially explosive sub-stances as the solvent to separate THC from the plant.Although extractors must have a closed-loop system design,off-gassing does occur when the collection cylinder isopened and hash oil is scooped out.
CO2 extraction – This type of THC extraction doesn’t re-quire flammable substances, but the machines operate atpressures as high as 10,000 pounds per square inch. If notinstalled or designed correctly, extractors can explode, caus-ing destruction and death.
continued…
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 13
Regulation/oversight – In the absence of a stand-alonecode, some enforcers and regulators are unclear on, or differin their opinions on, the code requirements for extraction fa-cilities. Some jurisdictions have yet to adopt any local codesregarding these facilities.
Extraction Equipment – There are no listed or perform-ance-based standards for extraction equipment. Engineerscan disagree on safety requirements and will sometimes use
Marijuana Cont’d
The purpose of this communiqué is to provide informationabout the latest developments relating to the sprinkler andfire protection installer trade.
On March 19, 2013, sprinkler and fire protection installers re-quested through their trade board a review of their “voluntarytrade” classification. A voluntary trade, as defined by the On-tario College of Trades (College), is a trade in which certifica-tion and College membership are not legally required topractice the trade.
Following a public consultation led by an independent reviewpanel, the College received on April 23, 2014, the panel’s de-cision that the trade should be reclassified as a compulsorytrade. A compulsory trade, as defined by the College, is atrade in which registration as an apprentice or journeypersoncandidate, or certification as a journeyperson, is mandatory.
Ontario Regulation 20/15, Compulsory and Voluntary Trades,a regulation made under the Ontario College of Trades andApprenticeship Act, 2009, was filed on February 2, 2015.Under this regulation, the sprinkler and fire protection installertrade becomes a compulsory trade on February 2, 2017. Thereclassification of this trade will result in a number ofchanges, including the following:
• In order to continue to work legally in Ontario, persons inthe sprinkler and fire protection installer trade will be re-quired to be members in good standing of the College inone of the following membership classes:• Apprentices Class (statement of membership);• Journeyperson Candidates Class (statement of mem-bership); or
different codes as a basis for equipment review. Insufficienttraining—Extraction operators are not required to be trained,nor are there any accredited certification programs for mari-juana extraction operation. Consistency is lacking.
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Industry News
• Journeypersons Class (Certificate ofQualification/Provisional Certificate of Qualification is-sued by the College).
• Only persons in the membership classes listed above willbe able to do the following:• practise the sprinkler and fire protection installertrade, i.e. do the work;• be employed or otherwise engaged to do the work ofsprinkler and fire protection installers; and
• use the trade title “Sprinkler and Fire Protection In-staller” (or any abbreviation of that title) to describethemselves or their work.
• Only members of the Journeypersons Class who hold avalid Certificate of Qualification issued by the College canuse the title “Journeyperson”.
To determine whether a person in the sprinkler and fire protec-tion installer trade is qualified by the College to be working inthe trade, one can consult the College’s Public Register.
The College is currently hosting discussions with the Sprin-kler and Fire Protection Installer Trade Board, the CanadianFire Alarm Association and the Office of the Fire Marshal andEmergency Management (OFMEM), to clarify a number ofpoints related to the application of the new requirements. The OFMEM will provide to the fire service updates in regardto these discussions in the near future.
Enquiries regarding the matter outlined above should be di-rected to the College. Contact information can be found onon the College’s Website. u
Sprinkler and Fire Protection Installer TradeFire Marshal’s Communiqué - February 2, 2017
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 14
Industry News
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ULC Standard is pleased to announce the publication of theSecond Edition CAN/ULC-S572:2017, Standard for Photolu-minescent and Self-Luminous Exit Signs and Path MarkingSystems. This National Standard of Canada was developedby the ULC Working Group on Photoluminescent and Self-Luminous Exit Signs and Path Marking Systems, and was ap-proved by the ULC Committee on Fire Alarm and Life SafetyEquipment and Systems. It is published under the date ofFebruary 2017.
CAN/ULC-S572 covers requirements for photoluminescentand self-luminous exit signs and path marking systems in-tended for installation as required by applicable codes. Suchequipment is intended to provide exit and directional informa-tion to assist occupants to evacuate a facility and/or building.This Standard does not cover requirements for unit equip-ment or electrically-powered exit signs. CAN/ULC-S572 iscurrently referenced in the National Building Code ofCanada.
Changes to this edition of CAN/ULC-S572 include but arenot limited to:
• The colour scheme of the exit sign is simplified to greencontrasted with a white or lightly tinted background, not-ing ISO 3864-1 (Graphical symbols – Safety colours andsafety signs – Part 4 – Colorimetric and photometricproperties of safety sign materials) as a guide document;
• Visibility Tests are revised to be less prescriptive andmore performance-based, and the products marked astested in accordance with manufacturer’s ratings;
• Required marking on the types of, and continuous illumi-nation are deleted;
• Sample figures of graphical symbols with or without ar-rows are added for guidance; and
• An Informative Appendix is added, to provide guidance forthe installation and locations of photoluminescent materialmarkings.
This standard can be purchased for CAD$ 250 (hardcopy) orCAD$ 200 (PDF format) through our website at www.ulc.caand by selecting the link to ULC Standards. Once on theULC Standards homepage, select Sales of ULC StandardsMaterials for further details.
Should you require additional information, please contactTess Espejo at (416) 288.2212 or by email at address:[email protected]
Mahendra (Mike) PrasadOperations ManagerULC [email protected]
Theresa (Tess) EspejoProject ManagerULC [email protected]
Alan CaversEngineering ManagerAlarm Certificate ServicesUnderwriters Laboratories of CanadaEmail: [email protected] u
ULC STANDARDS BULLETIN 2017-06
Standard for Photoluminescent and Self-Luminous Exit Signs and Path Marking Systems
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 15
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 16
Corporate Members
Brampton Fire & Emergency ServicesChantelle CosgroveBrian MaltbyBrampton, ON(905) 874-2741
Building Reports CanadaCindy LeberOakville, ON(416) 483-2895
Carlon Fire Equipment LimitedBryson BarrMike PhillipsMarkham, ON(905) 294-5400
City of Markham, Building Standards DeptTony BoykoChris BirdTim MooreMarkham, ON(905) 475-4719
City of Toronto, City Hall, East TowerJohn HumphriesToronto, ON(416) 392-2690
City of VaughanDean BrownMichaela TataruVaughan, ON(905) 832-8510
Durabond Products LtdGuido RaponeToronto, ON(416) 759-4474
Durham College, Fire and Life SafetyTechnician ProgramRandy PanesarOshawa, ON(905) 721-2000
Electrical Safety AuthorityScott SaintMississauga, ON(905) 712-5363
FCS Fire Consulting ServicesMichele FarleyTrisha AshworthBeth HarveyInnisfil, ON(800) 281-8863
Fire Detection Devices LimitedDavid DugganGordon DugganPatricia Duggan Markham, ON(905) 479-7116
Fire Monitoring of Canada Inc.Jim AsselstineKevin Allison St. Catharines, ON(800) 263-2534
Firetronics 2000 Inc.David MorrisPeter Teolis Markham, ON(905) 470-7723
Independent Plumbing & HeatingContractors AssociationMauro AngeloniToronto, ON(416) 248-6213
Jensen Hughes Consulting Canada Ltd.Graeme MouatToronto, ON(647) 559-1257
LRI Engineering Inc.Fred LeberEric EsselinkMichael DevineToronto, ON(416) 515-9331
Morrison Hershfield LimitedDaniel DixonJudy JeskeToronto, ON
Nadine International Inc.Ajwad GebaraMississauga, ON(905) 602-1850
National Research CouncilRussell ThomasAndré LaRocheOttawa, ON(613) 993-9586
Oakville Fire DepartmentGary LaframboiseMax BertlingJonathan O’Neil Oakville, ON905-815-2008
Office of The Fire Marshal & Emergency ManagementJim Kay Randy De LaunayMary PrencipeToronto, ON(416) 325-3239
OFS Fire PreventionJeff OughEd HerronBarrie, ON(705) 728-5289
PLC Fire Safety SolutionsGhaith QamheiahLarry KeepingAhn TrinhMississauga, ON(905) 949-2755
Pro-FirestopJohn SharpeJeffrey ZamoraToronto, ON(416) 293-0993
Secur Fire ProtectionCatherine ChandlerJohn LemayBernard SeguinOttawa, ON(613) 744-0722
Seneca College of Applied ArtsScott PugsleyDerek GruchyToronto, ON(416) 491-5050
Siemens Canada LimitedManual LopesJason BaycroftJeffrey TondangMississauga, ON(905) 465-7208
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Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 17
New Members
TOA Canada CorporationRico LuciaMississauga, ON(800) 263-7639
Toronto Fire ServicesJames StoopsLesley-Anne ColemanToronto, ON(416) 338-9102
Toronto Transit CommissionRyan DugganMark BiamonteCory GrantToronto, ON(416) 393-3020
Town of Richmond HillMike JanottaRichmond Hill, ON(905) 771-8800
Underwriters Laboratories of CanadaKevin WuSandy SevaToronto, ON(416) 288-2269
University Health NetworkJohn ChartrandToronto, ON(416) 340-4800
Vaughan Fire & Rescue ServicesDoug BestVaughan, ON(905) 832-8585
Vipond Inc.Bruce TaitMississauga, ON(905) 564-7060
Corporate Members
IndividualNancy McDonald-Duncan
StudentsKhristian BonifaceWayne Teh
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 18
Canadian Fire Safety Association Newsletter | Spring 2017 19
