Agricultural Building Standards: Manure, Pesticide, and Dangerous Goods Storage in Ontario

Ensuring compliance with the National Building Code of Canada is essential for any agricultural project. For expert guidance and implementation, trust empcontracting.ca Inc. your construction contractor in London, Ontario, to handle your farm building safety and storage requirements according to the 2025 standards.

Manure Storage Tank Access and Vehicle Safety

Safety around liquid manure storage tanks is critical. According to Division B 2.2.9.1., any access point used for filling, agitation, or emptying must be protected by a curb or barrier. This barrier must meet one of the following criteria:

• A height of at least 450 mm.
• Sufficient height to prevent unintended vehicle entry into the storage tank.

Gas Traps and Hazardous Vapour Control

To protect farm personnel and livestock, specific measures must be taken to prevent hazardous gases from entering buildings. Under section 2.2.8.6., piping systems connecting storage tanks to farm buildings must include a gas trap or valve. For liquid manure systems specifically, a pull plug is a permitted alternative to prevent toxic vapours from migrating into the structure.

Dangerous Goods and Pesticide Storage Regulations

The storage of dangerous goods in farm buildings must strictly comply with the National Fire Code (NFC). For pesticide storage areas, the 2025 National Building Code mandates specific design conformance to mitigate environmental and health risks.

Pesticide Storage Design Requirements

Pesticide storage areas must be carefully engineered with the following features:

• Ventilation: Dedicated natural or mechanical outdoor ventilation to prevent the accumulation of toxic or flammable gases.
• Access: Must be accessible only from the outdoors and secured against unauthorized entry.
• Flooring: Constructed of concrete or other impervious materials with no floor drains.
• Containment: A perimeter curb at least 50 mm high, designed to contain a spill from the largest container in the area.

Spatial Separation and Proximity Limits

To prevent cross-contamination and fire spread, pesticide storage must be separated from:

• Food, feed, and water supplies.
• Other occupancies via a fire separation with at least a 1-hour fire-resistance rating.
• Other buildings by a minimum limiting distance of 6 meters.

Spatial Separation and Exposure Protection

Subsection 2.2.9. applies to all farm buildings located near property lines, public thoroughfares, or other buildings on the same site. Compliance with spatial separation rules ensures that your facility remains safe and within legal parameters. If you are looking to build or renovate your agricultural facility, contact empcontracting.ca Inc. your construction contractor in London, Ontario, to ensure your site plan meets all current spatial separation and exposure protection standards.