This standard describes the requirements for the design, construction, installation, inspection, testing and maintenance of fire alarm systems in Government of Canada property to minimize risks to life and property and to protect and conserve the Government's financial position.
This standard applies to all:
This chapter replaces chapter 7-5 of PMM Volume 12.
Certain terms used in this standard are defined to ensure understanding of their meaning and intent.
Administrative official means the official designated by the department or agency responsible for the administration of the property (agent administratif);
alarm signal means an audible signal transmitted throughout a zone or zones or throughout a building to advise occupants that a fire emergency exists (signal d'alarme);
alert signal means an audible signal to advise designated persons of a fire emergency (signal d'alerte);
ancillary system means a system actuated by the fire alarm system but which is not a required part of the fire alarm system (système auxiliaire);
annunciator means a device to indicate visually a signal received from the fire alarm system (annonciateur);
audible signal appliance means a device to indicate, by means of sound output, the actuation of the fire alarm system (audible signal appliances include air horns, bells, buzzers, sirens, gongs, chimes and loudspeakers) (appareil à signal sonore);
central station system means an independent facility to receive, verify and transmit alarms to the appropriate fire fighting service, and which conforms to NFPA Standard No. 71, "Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Central Station Signalling Systems" (poste central);
control unit means a unit which provides the central control and logic processing for the fire alarm system (tableau de commande);
exit means that part of a means of egress that leads from the floor area it serves, including any doorway leading directly from the floor area, to an open public thoroughfare or to an exterior open space protected from fire exposure from the building and having access to an open public thoroughfare (issue);
fire alarm system means a combination of devices designed to warn the building occupants of an emergency condition (réseau avertisseur d'incendie);
fire detector means a device which detects a fire condition and automatically initiates an electrical signal to actuate an alert signal or an alarm signal and includes heat detectors and smoke detectors (see also heat detector, and smoke detector) (détecteur d'incendie);
fire suppression system means a system intended to automatically detect and extinguish a fire (réseau d'extinction d'incendie);
floor area means the space on any storey of a building between exterior walls and required fire walls, including the space occupied by interior walls and partitions, but not including exits and vertical service spaces that pierce the storey (aire de plancher);
Government of Canada property means real or personal property under the administration and control of a federal government department or agency, including property leased to the government (propriété du gouvernement du Canada);
heat detector means a fire detector designed to operate at a predetermined temperature or rate of temperature rise (détecteur thermique);
heritage building means any federally owned building that has been designated as either "Classified" or "Recognized" for its heritage significance upon recommendation by the Federal Heritage Buildings Review Office (immeuble patrimonial);
high building means a building falling within the scope of high building in the NBC (immeuble de grande hauteur);
historic building means any federally owned building that has been declared of national significance by the Minister of Environment Canada on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (immeuble historique);
listed means equipment or materials included in a list published by a nationally recognized organization concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials and whose listing states either that the equipment or material meets appropriate standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner (énuméré);
manual pull station means a device designed to initiate a signal when operated manually (poste manuel);
proprietary control centre means a facility located on the premises to receive, verify and transmit alarms to the appropriate fire fighting service and which conforms to NFPA No. 72D, "Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Proprietary Protective Signalling Systems" (central d'alarme privé);
smoke alarm means a combination smoke detector and audible signal appliance designed to sound an alarm within the room or space in which it is located upon the detection of smoke within that room or suite (avertisseur de fumée);
smoke detector means a fire detector designed to operate when the concentration of airborne combustion products exceeds a predetermined level (détecteur de fumée);
trouble signal means a signal warning of a fault condition in the fire alarm system (signal de défaillance électrique);
visual signal appliance means a device which utilizes light to alert occupants of a building to an emergency situation in a direct or indirect manner (appareil à signal);
zone means a subdivision of a building intended to identify the origin of either an alarm signal or an alert signal, the location of which is readily identifiable (zone).
CSA | Canadian Standards Association |
FC | Fire Commissioner of Canada or the authorized representative of the Fire Commissioner |
NBC | National Building Code of Canada |
NFC | National Fire Code of Canada |
NFPA | National Fire Protection Association |
ULC | Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada |
h | hour(s) |
m | meter(s) |
min. | minute(s) |
No. | number |
% | percent |
A - 1.3(c)
The extent of application of this standard to the upgrading of fire alarm systems to remove an unacceptable hazard should be based on the judgement and the merits of each case.
A - 2.1(b)(iii) and A - 3.1(b)(ii)
The intent of the requirement is to provide a fire alarm early warning system in buildings such as RCMP detachment buildings with detention facility for 10 persons or less and nursing stations offering care or treatment with overnight accommodation for 10 persons or less. Fire alarm systems in these buildings/occupancies are permitted to be a single stage fire alarm system.
A - 3.3(b)(viii)
In large buildings such as air terminal buildings, the locking devices on exit doors may be released within the zone in which the alert or alarm signal is originated. The floor area of each zone in a storey should not be less than 2000 m2.
A - 4.1(e)
Integrated systems
It is possible to combine a fire alarm system with building security and/or environmental control systems with approved equipment. However there are many potential operational problems with such combined systems. A decision to use an integrated system should only be made on the basis of a thorough value engineering study of a specific project. Such an evaluation should take into consideration the following points:
A - 4.9 and A - 4.10
Where it is considered necessary for operational and maintenance requirements and with the concurrence of the FC, supervised bypass switches may be provided for the purpose of inhibiting the activation of the following functions:
A - 4.10
A central alarm and control facility is a facility which houses the controls as described in the NBC and 4.10 of this Standard. The NBC and 3.4 of this Standard describe where a central alarm and control facility is required and the location of the facility.
A - 4.11(a)
Zoning of supervisory devices (off-normal condition) of fixed fire suppression systems is prescribed by the applicable standards on fire suppression systems.
This standard refers to the following codes and standards which are not found in this volume:
Fire Commissioner of Canada standards
Records storage
Sprinkler systems
General storage
These standards may be obtained from the Fire Commissioner of Canada, Labour Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0J2 or from Offices of Labour Canada. As they are revised, they will be published in this volume.
Treasury Board publication
Treasury Board Manual
Materiel, Services and Risk Management volume
Fire Protection, Investigation and Reporting (Part III,
chapter 5)
This volume may be purchased from the Canada Communication Group - Publishing, 45 Sacré-Coeur Blvd., Hull, Québec, K1A 0S9.
CSA standards
CSA standard C22.1 | Canadian Electrical Code Part I |
CSA standard C282 | Emergency Electrical Power Supply for Buildings |
These standards may be purchased from the Canadian Standards Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd., Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 1R3.
National Research Council of Canada publications
National Building Code of Canada
National Fire Code of Canada
These publications may be purchased from the Secretary, Associate Committee on the National Building Code, National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0R6.
NFPA standards
NFPA 71 | Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Central Station Signalling Systems |
NFPA 72D | Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Proprietary Protective Signalling Systems |
NFPA 72E | Automatic Fire Detectors |
These standards may be purchased from FIPRECAN, 7-1590 Liverpool Court, Ottawa, K1B 4L2.
ULC standards
CAN/ULC-S524 | Standard for the Installation of Fire Alarm Systems |
ULC-S525 | Standard for Audible Signal Appliances for Fire Alarm Systems |
CAN/ULC-S526 | Standard for Visual Signal Appliances for Fire Alarm Systems |
CAN/ULC-S527 | Standard for Control Units for Fire Alarm Systems |
ULC-S528 | Standard for Manually Actuated Signalling Boxes for Fire Alarm Systems |
CAN/ULC-S529 | Standard for Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems |
ULC-S530 | Standard for Heat Actuated Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems |
CAN/ULC-S531 | Standard for Smoke Alarms |
CAN/ULC-S536 | Standard for the Inspection and Testing of Fire Alarm Systems |
CAN/ULC-S537 | Standard for the Verification of Fire Alarm Systems |
CAN/ULC-S541 | Standard for Speakers for Fire Alarm Systems. |
These standards may be purchased from the Underwriter's Laboratories of Canada, 7 Crouse Road, Scarborough, Ontario, M1R 3A9.