Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal

Any temporary modification of a building or part of a building for display purposes and any other site designed for that purpose.

Layout

1. Booths and exhibits must be arranged in such a way that they do not restrict:
   • Access to any exit or visibility of any exit;
   • The width of any exit;
   • The visibility of any exit sign;
   • l'accès au matériel de combat d'incendie.
2. Access to firefighting equipment.
3. Exhibit open to the public: The minimum width of aisles serving booths and displays is 3 m.
   Exhibit for merchants only: The minimum width of aisles serving booths and displays is 2.4 m.
4. For a conference-type event, when the number of people exceeds 200 in the room, any non-fixed seats in a single row must be attached in groups of at least 8 seats. In rows of fewer than 8 seats, the seats must be joined together.
5. Any room with only one exit can accommodate a maximum of 60 people.

Construction

1. The booths must be built with:
   • Fire-resistant or flame-proof material;
   • Wood of nominal thickness greater than 0.6 cm or wood that is 0.6 cm thick or less, provided that it has a coating of fire-retardant paintthat complies with standard CAN/ULC-S102-03;
   • Fire-retardant fabric that complies with standards CAN/ULC-S109-03 or NFPA 705-2009.
2. Any other type of material must be submitted to the Service de sécurité incendie at least one month prior to the exhibit for approval.
3. The top level of a multi-level booth that exceeds 28 m² must have at least two exits.
4. The following installations must be protected by a sprinkler system:
   • Tents and booths with a ceiling of more than 28 m²;
   • Each level in a multi-level booth, including the top level if it has a ceiling.
     Exception n^o 1: Open-style and transparent false ceilings that comply with standard NFPA 13 should not be considered ceilings.
     Exception n^o 2: Vehicles, boats and other similar products on display with a ceiling measuring more than 9.3 m² must be equipped with a smoke alarm.
     * The installation of the sprinkler systems and their water supply must be validated by the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal.
     * A booth or group of booths with a ceiling that does not require sprinklers must be separated by at least 3 m if the total ceiling surface is greater than 28 m².
5. A minimum clearance of 45 cm is required between the top of any booth and the sprinkler heads.
6. Any closed booth must be equipped with emergency lighting.

Decoration

1. Curtains, drapes, carpets and other decorative items must be fire-resistant or flame-proof in accordance with standards CAN/ULC-S109-03 or NFPA 705-2009. Certificates must be produced upon request as evidence. Any combustible material that cannot be flame-proofed is prohibited.
2. It is not necessary to fireproof fabrics, paper and other merchandise intended for sale in a booth, but only one sample or piece of useful length may be displayed. 
3. Decorations made of natural trees (softwood or hardwood) are permitted if they are potted with their roots and watered regularly.
   Please note: dried vegetation or dried trees are prohibited.
4. Decorative signs made of corrugated plastic material or plastic foamused for display purposes are permitted under the following conditions:
   • The combined surface area of the signs must be no more than 10% of the surface of the walls of the booth, and
   • Signs or groups of signs with a maximum surface area of 10 m² must be separated from one another horizontally by at least 3 m.
5. The use of an open flame is strictly prohibited.

Storage

1. Storing boxes, crates and other combustible materials must be limited to items with a minimum one-hour fire resistance if they are located in a fire-resistant building. If they are located in a combustible building, the items must be protected by a sprinkler system.
2. Storing any products needed for a specific use inside a booth must be limited to the quantity required for one day of operation.
3. Daily waste materials must be safely stored.
4. The storage of combustible materials behind or between booths is prohibited.
5. Storing, handling and using flammable compressed gases, combustible liquids and hazardous materials is prohibited without the written authorization of the Service de sécurité incendie de Montréal.

Fire safety installations

1. Under no circumstances may a fire hose cabinet or portable fire extinguisher be removed, relocated or made inaccessible.
2. Exhibitors must consider the location of fire hose cabinets, portable fire extinguishers, exits and manual detectors when designing their booth.
3. The sprinkler system pipes must not be used to hang merchandise or any other object.

Vehicles and other internal combustion engines on display 

1. All fuel tank openings of vehicles and other internal combustion engines on display should be locked or sealed with tape to prevent the escape of vapours (except for tanks that have never contained fuel). 
2. Fuel tanks of vehicles on display should not be more than one half full or contain more than 38 litres of fuel.
3. Batteries must be disconnected. Remove spark plugs when a secondary battery is not required to start the engine. 
4. Vehicles may not be moved during opening hours. Internal combustion engines may not be started during the exhibit.
5. It is prohibited to fuel or defuel any vehicle or internal combustion engine inside the building.

Cooking devices (electric only)

1. For each cooking device, a minimum class 20BC portable fire extinguisher must be kept inside the booth unless an approved automatic fire extinguishing system has been installed. 
2. The maximum surface area for cooking equipment is limited to 0.19 m². 
3. Cooking equipment should be placed on a non-combustible surface. 
4. Cooking equipment must be installed at a minimum distance of 1.2 m from visitors. 
5. Cooking equipment must be at a minimum distance of 0.6 m from all combustible materials or any other cooking device.

Specific risks  

1. The use of a combustion heating device is prohibited.
2. Helium cylinders are permitted inside a booth if they are firmly secured by chain to a cart or the wall.
3. Hay, straw, wood chips and other similar combustible materials are prohibited with the exception of daily requirements to feed and care for animals. However, sawdust and wood chips are authorized if they are kept wet.L
4. When used for animal care,

• Storage is only authorized outside the building or in an approved room (see storage - item 2).
• A class 2A fire extinguisher must be kept nearby.