| The National Farm Building
Code of Canada (NFBC) describes "farm buildings" in detail and lists the
types of structures that fall into the low and high human occupancy load
categories. This document provides minimum requirements for human health, fire
safety, and structural sufficiency in farm buildings. These types of buildings
- such as those used to store and pack produce, house livestock and poultry, or
store manure, grain, or other agricultural products - are typically remotely
located, and few people tend to work in or use the buildings. For these
reasons, they do not fall exclusively under the National Building Code
(NBC). Farm buildings, however, that do not qualify as having low human
occupancy (an occupant load of not more than one person for each 40 m²:
for example, a house on a farm property) must adhere to the NBC or applicable
provincial code. The Code deals with, among other things, designing buildings
to withstand various loads, incorporating proper fire safety standards, and
ensuring that farm wastes are adequately stored and disposed of. |
