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(a). The construction of public buildings, and their solidity so as to insure the safety of those who reside in or who frequent the

same;

(b). The precautions to be taken against fire, and more particularly as respects doors and windows, staircases, escapes, apparatus for extinguishing fire and saving life, and elevators and their safety appliances;

(c). The safety, health and morality of the keepers, workmen, workwomen, clerks, or other persons employed in public buildings.

2.-Nothing in this article shall, however, affect the powers possessed by the municipal councils for making by-laws respecting public safety, nor the powers of the commissioners appointed under the law respecting the erection and division of parishes to make regulations on the same subject, with respect to churches and other buildings for divine worship, provided such by-law or regulations be similar or equivalent to those made in virtue of this section."

2. This act shall not affect any rules and regulations, matters or things done or made under the law replaced by this act, which shall remain in force until the contrary be decided under this act, nor shall anything in this law affect the rules and regulations adopted by the Board of Health of the Province of Quebec on the same subject.

REGULATIONS RESPECTING PUBLIC BUILDINGS IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBЕС.

APPROVED BY THE LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR IN COUNCIL ON THE 31ST MARCH, 1898, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE ACT 57, VICTORIA, CHAPTER 29.

INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF PUBLIC BUILDINGS GENERALLY.

1.-Public buildings, with all moveables and immovables connected therewith, must be so laid and arranged and maintained, that the persons frequenting them shall efficiently protected against accidents.

2.-They must be provided with all means necessary for giving rapid and easy egress to their inmates or to the public in the event of fire or panic.

3.--If the Inspector has any doubt as to the solidity of the building, he may require a certificate from an architect.

4.-If the Inspector finds that, owing to want of resistance or solidity, there is any danger of the building, or any portion thereof, falling down, he shall at once order that the said building or portion thereof (as the case may be), be immediately and completely cleared.

5.-Scaffoldings erected for repairing or ornamenting various portions of public buildings or other works, shall be solidly built of sound materials; platforms must be sufficiently wide and be so disposed as to allow the men to work in perfect safety.

DOORS AND EXITS.

6. If the exits are not sufficient, the inspector may order that others be made inside the building, and in the event of this being too difficult to effect, the work must he done outside to facilitate the exit of persons.

7. The main doors of egress must open outwards and be left unfastened during the whole time of the meetings, classes, performances, religious services, etc. They must be closed by means of weights to springs and not with latches.

8.-The width of such doors must not be less than forty-eight (48) inches nor the height less than seven (7) feet.

9.-Doors serving as exits for corridors, passages, alleys or stairs must not have a width less than that of such passages. Doors serving as exits in cases of panic must open both ways and be kept closed by means of weights or sp

or spings.

STAIRS.

10. The main staircases must be at least four (4) feet wide and there must not be more than twelve (12) feet between each landing; they must be in sufficient number to allow of the building being immediately and easily cleared.

11.-The depths of the steps must not be less than twelve (12) inches and the height eight (8) inches at the most.

12. Stairs must be kept in good order and be provided with hand rails and balusters.

13.-When stairs serve as exits in case of panic or fire, they must be closed in unless built in towers.

CORRIDORS, PASSAGES, LOBBIES AND VESTIBULES.

14.-The width of alleys and passages must be calculated according to the number of places destined to the occupants; say a width of eighteen (18) inches for every hundred (100) occupants; but in no case can an alley be made less than two (2) feet six (6) inches wide in the narrowest part.

15. Corridors must not be less than five (5) feet wide.

16.-Passages, stairs, etc., must be free from everything which might impede circulation.

LIGHT.

17. The rooms, stairs passages, elevators, and safety exits must be lighted.

18.-The light fixtures must be at such a height that they cannot be injured, nor inconvenience, nor impede circulation,

ELEVATORS.

19.-Elevators shall be so arranged that the shafts can be completely closed automatically at each opening.

20.-Elevator openings must be provided with protective appliance and be kept constantly closed, except when persons duly authorized by the proprietor have to work the elevator.

21.-Elevator doors must open only from the outside without a

key.

22.-The cages of the elevators for passengers and for goods must be provided with a self-acting suitable appliance, by which they can be stopped in case of accident.

23.-The various parts of each elevator or hoist must be examined about every six (6) months.

24. The working of elevators and hoists may be stopped by the Inspector if they are not in a proper condition as regards safety.

25.-No person under eighteen (18) years of age can be placed in charge of an elevator.

26.-In every building, hereafter erected, the elevator shafts shall be made of incombustible materials and rise at least six (6) feet above the roof.

27. The proprietor must have all the interior arrangements made and provide himself with all the necessary apparatus for preventing fire and for securing the safety of those who may visit, frequent or inhabit the building.

28. No smoking is allowed in any public building, except in the room set apart for the purpose.

29.-Receptacles for oil of various kinds must be kept in a special and closed place.

30. Gas generators must be isolated and be under the care of men not under eighteen (18) years of age.

31. The use of closed lamps is compulsory wherever there is any danger of fire.

32. It is expressly forbidden to allow explosive or inflammable substances to accumulate in any place whatever.

PRECAUTION IN CASE OF FIRE OR PANIC.

33.-In buildings of two (2) stories and over, occupied above the first storey, the Inspector may require the construction of additional exits and even of safety stairs outside, if the ordinary exits at each end are not sufficient.

34.-These exits must consist of openings, doors and windows opening outwards, communicating with balconies or galleries outside the building.

35.-Notices with the words: "Exits in case of panic" must indicate the way to such exits.

36.-The angle of the stairs should barely exceed forty-five (45) degrees.

37. The balconies, galleries and stairs must be made of iron, and the latter must go down to the ground. However, the lower end of these staircases may be moveable.

38. These balconies, galleries and stairs shall be built at the places and in the manner indicated by the Inspector.

39.-When windows or other exits leading to the fire escape stairs are more that two (2) feet above the floor, steps must be placed to enable the inmates easily to reach such exits.

40. These safety exits must always be kept in good order and clear of all impediments or obstructions whatsoever.

41.-In the case of buildings with flat roofs, an iron ladder twenty-four (24) inches wide must give communication from the highest balcony to the top of the building and exceed the roof by at least twenty-four (24) inches.

42.-An axe or other tool shall be placed near these exits.

43.-The Inspector may insist upon special safety appliances being adopted when the particular situation of the premises or the number of persons renders the same necessary.

SAFETY MEASURES RESPECTING APPARATUS UNDER STEAM PRESSURE.

44.-Whenever the proprietor of a building makes use in it of a steam-boiler and apparatus with a pressure exceeding six (6) pounds, he shall, each year, give the Inspector of Public Buildings a certificate of a competent Inspector, that such boiler and the motor and steam pipes connected with it, are in good order.

45.-No steam boiler with a pressure of over six (6) pounds shall hereafter be placed in a public building without the authorization of the Inspector.

46. Such boiler shall be properly put in, both as regards safety and facility of inspection.

47.-Every boiler must be provided with two (2) safety-valves so loaded as to allow the steam to escape as soon as its effective pres- pre sure attains the maximum limite specified in the certificate of the last inspection.

48. The opening of each valve must be sufficient to maintain the steam in the boiler at a degree of pressure not exceeding the above limit in any case.

49.-The load on the safety-valve must be of one (1) weight only and never be altered.

50.-Every boiler must be provided with a steam-guage, in good order, placed in full view of the stoker and so graduated as to indicate in pounds the working pressure of the steam in the boiler.

51.-Everyboiler must be provided with two (2) water-guages, independent of ea each h other, other, and in full view of the workman who has charge of the feeding.

52. The water-level must always be between these apparatus. 53. The Inspector of Public Buildings may require that the person in charge of the boiler shall hold a certificate either from an examiner of boiler inspectors or from a boiler inspector or from the president of an association of mechanical engineers establishing the competency of such person in charge.

THEATRES AND HALLS FOR MEETINGS, LECTURES AND PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS.

54. The certificate prescribed by article 2977 of the Revised Statutes of Quebec, as amended by the Act 57 Victoria, chapter 29, must specify the number of persons which such theatre or hall for meetings, lectures, or public amusements, can contain.

55. Such numbers shall be determined by the number and dimensions of the exits and the width of the passages and alleys and no spectator or auditor shall be admitted in excess of the number indicated in the certificate.

56. Such certificate shall be posted up in a place indicated by the Inspector, and no one shall remove it to another place without his permission. A duplicate of more copies may be posted up if required.

57. It is forbidden to place any chair, folding chair, stool or other seat whatever, so as to in any wise impede the circulation in any passage, wing or alley during the performance, lecture or meeting. Neither shall any one be permitted to stand in or obstruct the exits.

58.-Acrobatic performances over the place occupied by the public shall not be permitted unless a net be stretched at a suitable height above the heads of the spectators.

59.-Above doors or exits leading outside, a notice shall be put up with the word "SORTIE" or EXIT" on it, in large letters, with sufficient light to enable it to be easily read.

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