Date of Publication: April 21, 2025 [2025.05.V-01.C]
Subject: Refuse Chute Intake Rooms
2024 Ontario Building Code Reference(s):
Sentence 3.6.3.3.(5) of Div. B.
Article 3.8.2.1. of Div. B.
Article 3.8.3.3. of Div. B.
Incoming Request:
A Part 3 residential building contains a refuse chute which is accessed on each floor level by a typical small intake room. Is this small intake room required to comply with Section 3.8.?
Executive Summary:
For small refuse chute intake rooms, it may be acceptable to waive latch side clearances/PDO requirements on the interior side of the door.
Discussion & Considerations:
Refuse chute intake openings are required to be located in rooms as described in Sentence 3.6.3.3.(5), which does not speak to barrier-free requirements. Article 3.8.2.1. describes areas requiring a barrier-free path of travel, and specifically exempts certain rooms and spaces, but not refuse chute intake rooms. However, it is acknowledged that due to the small size of these rooms it may not be practical or necessary to provide all the features of a barrier free path of travel such as power door operators (PDO’s) or door latch side clearances. Municipalities may choose to create a policy that takes this into account, and may consider the following:
- The door to the room should have an 850 mm clear opening, per Sentence 3.8.3.3.(1).
- Where the door swings into the room, and the room is of a size that the door will not close while a wheelchair or mobility aid is in the room, the door latch side clearances and PDO requirements per 3.8.3.3.(10) may only be necessary on the outside of the room, and not on the inside of the room, since it is unlikely the door will be able to be closed while occupied.
- Where the door to the room swings out from the room, or the door swings into the room and the room is sized such that the door could close while a wheelchair or mobility aid were in the room, the room should provide a clear 1500mm turning circle to allow for manoeuvrability. In addition, door latch side clearances per Sentence 3.8.3.3.(10) should be applied on both the inside and outside of the room, unless equipped with a PDO.
Risk/Benefit Analysis:
Where a room is small enough that a person using a wheelchair or other mobility aid cannot fully enter the room and the door closed behind them, there is no practical purpose to requiring PDO’s and latch side clearances on the inside of that room, as the door cannot be “approached” from the inside of the room. In this situation, elimination of the latch side clearance on the inside of the room would generally have no negative implications.
Final Recommendation:
Where a refuse chute intake room is small enough that the door would remain open while a person using a mobility aid is in the room, it may be permissible to waive the PDO and latch side clearances on the inside of the room.
Recommendation to Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing:
Revise Sentence 3.8.2.1.(3). to include refuse chute intake rooms of a certain size and door orientation.
Referenced Documents:
2024 Ontario Building Code:
- 2024 OBC O.Reg 163/24 Amended to 5/25
Disclaimer:
This guidance document is intended to assist building officials by gathering relevant information to interpret the OBC Act and the prescriptive requirements of the Ontario Building Code, and is intended to be a best practice aid for building officials.
The views expressed within this guidance document should not be considered as the official interpretation of legislated requirements based on the Ontario Building Code, as the final responsibility for interpretation rests with the local Authority Having Jurisdiction.
The views of this advisory committee should not be construed as legal advice.