5.             REQUIRED SUPERVISION - LARGE SCALE CONSTRUCTION SITES

 

Surveillance nécessaire sur les chantiers de grande envergure

 

 

 

Committee Recommendation

 

That Council request the province to amend the Building Code and/or Fire Code to require supervision of large scale construction sites (> 7 units) when wood framed buildings have been constructed, but not yet sided on the interior or exterior with gypsum board material.

 

 

Recommandation DU Comité

 

Que le Conseil demande à la province de modifier le Code du bâtiment et / ou au Code des incendies pour exiger une supervision des grands chantiers de construction échelle (> 7 unités) quand à ossature de bois ont été construits, mais pas encore sur le côté intérieur ou extérieur avec des matériaux de gypse.

 

 

 

 

 

Documentation

 

1.         Committee Coordinator’s report dated 9 September 2010 (ACS2010-CCS-CPS-0030).

 

 

 


Report to / Rapport au :

 

Community and Protective Services Committee

Comité des services communautaires et de protection

 

and Council / et au Conseil

 

9 September 2010/le 9 septembre 2010

 

Submitted by / Soumis par : Marc Desjardins, Committee Coordinator /

Coordonnateur de comité

 

Contact Person / Personne ressource : Councillor Peggy Feltmate (613) 580-2752 Peggy.Feltmate@ottawa.ca

 

City-Wide/ À l'échelle de la ville

 

Ref N°: ACS2010-CCS-CPS-0030

 

SUBJECT:    REQUIRED SUPERVISION – LARGE SCALE CONSTRUCTION SITES

 

OBJET :         Surveillance nécessaire sur les chantiers de grande envergure

 

 

REPORT RECOMMENDATION

 

That the Community and Protective Services Committee recommend that Council request the province to amend the Building Code and/or Fire Code to require supervision of large scale construction sites (> 7 units) when wood framed buildings have been constructed, but not yet sided on the interior or exterior with gypsum board material.

 

RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT

 

Que le Comité des services communautaires et de protection recommande que le Conseil demande à la province de modifier le Code du bâtiment et / ou au Code des incendies pour exiger une supervision des grands chantiers de construction échelle (> 7 unités) quand à ossature de bois ont été construits, mais pas encore sur le côté intérieur ou extérieur avec des matériaux de gypse.

 

 

BACKGROUND

 

At its meeting of 19 August 2010 the following Notice of Motion was presented to the Community and Protective Services Committee with regards to requesting that the Province amend the Building Code and/or Fire Code requiring that large scale construction sites have 24 hour supervision.  

 

“WHEREAS The Ottawa Fire Services has found that the majority of fires investigated on construction sites have occurred when the site is unoccupied;

 

AND WHEREAS the highest level of fire risk and damage at construction sites occurs at larger scale projects when wood framed buildings are being constructed without the protective coverings that deter the spread of fire within the structure and prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings;

 

AND WHEREAS having a security firm supervise the premises when there are no workers present would greatly reduce the risk of fire at these sites;

 

AND WHEREAS there are currently no legislative requirement in the Building Code and/or Fire Code to require supervision of construction sites during construction.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT Council request the province to amend the Building Code and/or Fire Code to require supervision of large scale construction sites (> 7 units) when wood framed buildings have been constructed, but not yet sided on the interior or exterior with gypsum board material.”

 

 

CONSULTATION

 

City Operations

 

The Ottawa Fire Service (OFS) shares the concern of the councillor regarding fires at new construction sites.

 

Construction sites generate interest from the general public and are targets for vandalism.  When workers are on site there are often protocols in place to mitigate fire risk, such as a fire watches and hot work permits etc. 

 

The majority of fires that the OFS has investigated on construction sites occur from deliberately set fires when the site is unoccupied. Due to the large amount of materials stored on site and the nature of vulnerable unprotected structures, a fire, once started, will quickly build into a large scale incident generating significant levels of heat and posing a threat to adjacent structures and communities. 

 

There are minimal fire safety standards that have been incorporated into the Ontario Building Code (OBC) for new construction and as the Ontario Fire Code (OFC) complements the OBC it cannot supersede the minimum standards that the OBC requires.  Additionally, by-laws cannot be enacted by Council which supersede provincial legislation.

 

Construction sites can be a large target for vandalism, which we believe is the largest factor and fire risk with these sites.  Having construction workers monitor the site during the day and having a security service guard the premises when there are no workers present and building are in their vulnerable stage, will eliminate the greatest risk to fire at these sites.

 

 

Infrastructure Services and Community Sustainability

 

As the Building Code standard is a minimum standard and as there are concerns with fire protection and prevention prior to the exposing walls obtaining the fire resistance of a completed exposing wall, and in view of the potential higher incidences of vandalism resulting in fires, Building Code Services supports the proposal to raise the standard as noted in the Recommendation.

 

 

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

 

There are no direct financial implications associated with the recommendation.

 

 

DISPOSITION

 

Staff to take appropriate action as directed by Committee and Council.