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In Canada, where accessibility and safety regulations are strictly enforced, finding innovative solutions that prioritize both accessibility and protection is crucial. This is where Access Tile® Surface Applied Fire-Resistant Tile comes in. It's specially designed to meet all the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and other Canadian codes 

At Tactile Solution, we understand the importance of creating safe environments that cater to everyone's needs. Our Access-tile surface-applied tiles offer an unparalleled level of safety while ensuring compliance with accessibility standards. To learn more about Acess tiles, read the below blog post: 

An Overview of Access Tile® Surface Applied Fire Resistant Tactile

The Access Tile® Surface Applied Fire Resistant Tactile is a necessary product for buildings that are higher than 7 floors. It provides tactile walking surface indicators (TWSI) with truncated domes for indoor use, particularly in high-rise buildings. This product is designed to warn individuals with visual impairments of any potential hazards or changes in direction on the floor surface. 

The Access Tile® Surface Applied Fire Resistant Tactile not only is compliant with building code but also with Fire Code - that makes it unique.The FIRESENTRY-X Composite Technology used in Access Tile Surface Applied Fire Retardant ensures maximum resistance against fire. Access Tile FR is an affordable option for adding tactile warning surface indicators (TWSI) to interior floors, such as exit stairwells, vestibules, lobbies, and corridors. This product is highly slip-resistant, durable, and strong, which means it can be used in a variety of environments and traffic conditions.

Features: 

• It is cost-effective and easy to install, maintain, and replace.
•  Compliant with Canadian accessibility codes and meets the fire safety standards of the Ontario Building Code.
•  Easily cut to conform to various sizes and radius landings
•  5-year manufacturer's warranty

Applications

• This product is specifically designed for interior use in high-rise building applications in accordance with Ontario Building Code.
• For tactile warning floor surface at exit stairwells, vestibules to exit stairs and lobbies, and corridors.

Advantages of Access Tile® Surface Applied Fire Resistant Tactile

• Durability: Access Tile fire-resistant surface-applied tiles are built to last, even under extreme conditions.
• Quick Installation: With the easy installation process, you can seamlessly place these tiles onto your existing surface without causing any disruptions.
• Enhanced Accessibility: The attention domes on these surface-applied tiles ensure that visually impaired individuals can navigate their surroundings safely and with confidence.
• Compliance with Regulations: These tiles conform to the strict accessibility guidelines set by the Canadian government, ensuring you meet all necessary safety standards.

Installation guide of Access Tile® Surface Applied Fire Resistant Tactile

• Position the tile in the selected area and outline the boundaries using a thin permanent marker.
• Set the tile aside and utilize a 4" diamond cup grinder to prepare the surface within the marked area, ensuring it corresponds to the section where the adhesive is required, as indicated on the backside of the tile.
• Remove any dust using a leaf blower, and then wipe the back of the tile and the surface with a cloth soaked in acetone.
• Apply Tactile Bond and Seal adhesive to the back of the tile (following the tile's instructions). Start by applying a thin bead ½" from the edge of the perimeter, and then apply a second, thicker bead 1" inside the first one.
• Position the tile accurately and squarely on the surface and firmly press it down.
• While exerting pressure, use a hammer drill and the recommended diameter drill bit to drill 3" into the concrete on either side of the preformed hole. Drill through the tile without the hammer function until the tile is penetrated, and then switch to the hammer function to drill into the concrete.
• While maintaining pressure, remove any dust and excess adhesive, and carefully set the provided color-matched Axius® Fasteners using a plastic-tipped hammer. Repeat steps 6 and 7 while working across the tile from one end until all pre-formed fastener locations are completed. 
• Clean the perimeter of the tile and the surrounding concrete immediately with acetone, ensuring any adhesive that has escaped from beneath the tile is removed. Apply and smooth sealant around the tile's perimeter.
•  Tape all perimeter edges.
• Apply Tactile Bond and Seal around the perimeter of the tile, taking care to fill any gaps between the tile and the concrete interface.
• Use a round plastic applicator or spatula to shape the sealant along the perimeter, creating a cove.
• Remove the tape immediately after shaping the perimeter sealant.
• Avoid foot traffic on the floor until the perimeter sealant has cured sufficiently to prevent tracking.

Conclusion

At Tactile Solution, we believe that safety should never be compromised when it comes to creating accessible environments. Our Access-tile fire-resistant surface applied tiles provide an innovative solution that combines functionality and aesthetics without compromising on quality or compliance. Contact us today to learn more about our products and how they can revolutionize safety in your space.

In today's fast-paced world, where time is a precious commodity, seamless navigation and flow of people in commercial and public spaces is paramount. Directional signage inside buildings plays a pivotal role in facilitating an unhindered journey through a venue by providing visual cues and prompts to direct visitors to key locations and points of interest.

Code compliance and workplace safety are two of the most crucial aspects of any facility. In Canada, directional signage is an indispensable tool that aids in safeguarding visitors in hazardous environments or emergency situations inside facilities. However, traditional directional signage solutions are ill-equipped to optimally facilitate egress during power outages or in low-lighting conditions inside the buildings. This is where innovative photoluminescent directional signage products from Ecoglo come to the fore.

Ecoglo is a pioneering manufacturing company that specializes in fashioning intelligent safety solutions for commercial and other facilities. Their Ecoglo Directional Signs are manufactured using a proprietary photoluminescent compound that absorbs and stores ambient light to emit a glow in low or dark conditions. This unique quality renders Ecoglo Directional Signage ideal for installation in environments where traditional electrically-powered signs would be ineffective or in case of power failures. They are eco-friendly, cost-efficient, and compliant with the latest National Building Code of Canada’s requirements for photoluminescent exit signs and directional indicators.

For general contractors and builders working on commercial construction projects across Canada, Ecoglo Directional Signage offers significant benefits for workplace safety as well as code compliance:

Optimized Egress

The photoluminescent nature of Ecoglo Directional Signs allows for improved emergency wayfinding and evacuation during power outages, low light, or zero visibility conditions. The signs absorb and store ambient light and re-emit it in the form of a bright glow for up to 70 hours in complete darkness. This failsafe visibility aids occupants in seamlessly navigating toward emergency exits, fire escapes, or muster points.

Enhanced Code Compliance

Ecoglo Directional Signage meets or exceeds CSA and ULC standards for photoluminescent exit signs in Canada. They are fully compliant with the NBC, OBC, and other provincial building codes for photoluminescent exit signage and directional indicators. Using these signs allows contractors to achieve certification and pass inspections with flying colors.

Minimal Maintenance

Unlike electrical signs that require wiring, charging, and bulb replacements, Ecoglo Directional Signs are completely self-powered and maintenance-free. They operate independently even during power outages and only need exposure to light for recharging. The photoluminescent compound in this signage is highly durable and very long-lasting, allowing for longer usage.

Cost Efficiency

Ecoglo Directional Signs eliminate the need for any electrical wiring, charging, or illumination to function. This makes them significantly more cost-effective in the long run compared to powered exit signs that entail high installation and ongoing maintenance expenses. The signs have an operational lifespan of over 25 years, so they do not require frequent replacement either.

Ease of Mounting

Ecoglo Directional Signs come with universally compatible mounting hardware that allows for simple installation on any indoor surface, like walls, floors, staircases, doorways, walkways, etc. They can even be used as freestanding signs with additional mounting stands. The variety of sizes and mounting options available make integration into any space quick and easy.
 

Specifications of Ecoglo Directional Signs
 

• Ecoglo Directional Signs are available in a range of standard sizes of 8 inches x 4.6 inches. They meet ISO standards for symbol height to viewing distance ratios for optimal visibility and legibility. The signs feature high-performance photoluminescent text, arrows, and safety symbols that illuminate brightly in low light and dark conditions for up to 70 hours after only 1 hour of 54 lux charging.
• The signs are constructed using lightweight yet durable aluminum and vinyl composite material panels with UV-resistant laminate. This makes them durable, chemical-resistant, and suitable for indoor use. The film is applied using a specialized heat transfer process that ensures maximum bond strength and glow intensity.
• Ecoglo Directional Signs require exposure to regular ambient lighting like office lighting or natural light from windows and skylights to function. Minimal light exposure of around 5 to 10-foot candles per day is adequate to fully charge the signs and enable them to emit a bright glow during power failures or in emergency situations. The more light they receive, the brighter and longer they will glow.
• The highly efficient compound used to make these signs is non-toxic, non-radioactive, and eco-friendly. It does not contain any hazardous heavy metals like lead or zinc that can pollute the environment. The signs have a long service life and do not degrade or lose glow intensity even with continuous exposure to light.

Takeaway
 

Ecoglo Directional Signs offer the optimal solution for facility safety, emergency preparedness, and building code compliance for any building or construction project. Their self-illuminating photoluminescent quality makes them ideal for installation indoors where traditional signs would be ineffective. By choosing these innovative exit signs available at Tactilesolution.ca, Canadian contractors and builders can achieve the highest safety and risk mitigation standards on their projects.

CIBC Square is a stunning office complex with two office towers spanning over 3 million square feet. Undoubtedly, CIBC Square is setting the new standard for community in terms of innovation, transformation and accessibility. A perfect workspace, place to socialize and celebrate cuisine and culture, CIBC Square connects the Waterfront and Financial District, expanding and glorifying this stretch of Toronto.

CIBC SQUARE, a location for business, pleasure, and community, offers an unmatched experience in the heart of Toronto. This modern-marvel provides exceptional work environment equipped with modern-thinking features.

Annual Listening Sessions

It is really important to be empathetic towards your target audience to find the reliable solutions. The same goes with businesses and CIBC Square understands this in all sense.

“Listening exercises have focused on barriers created by remote and hybrid work, as well as concerns and considerations for return to work. Topics that are brought up during the listening exercises are leveraged to enhance our human capital strategy.”

The above statement is made by Claudette Knight, vice-president of workplace design and transformation at CIBC. Let’s go a little deeper.

CIBC hosts annual listening sessions to understand the constraints and barriers disable people face every day at the building premises.

Design of Public Spaces

An inclusive design strategy was created and applied to the whole CIBC campus, including-

• Employee space
• Conference & event centre
• Flagship banking centre

The design strategy fulfills the building code and industry standards for well-being, accessibility and inclusion by incorporating built-environment design principles that state the complete range of human diversity.

CIBC also incorporated accessibility elements across the structure that meets legislative requirements. Elevator destination dispatch with audio and visual indicators; accessible, all-gender washrooms on every floor; a relief area for service animals; and code-compliant tactile solutions on cautionary places and Braille signage for improved way-finding are among the features of the accessible CIBC campus.

All the new branches are built considering the accessibility needs of clients. CIBC, at a minimum, follows industry standards for all new branches, including the Barrier Free Design Standards and the Barrier Free Design for Automated Banking Machines that were established by Canadian Standards Association International.

The Canada’s Leading Accessibility Solutions Provider

One of our brands, a reliable tactile solutions provider, Kinesik has a major role in making CIBC Square the most accessible public and commercial space. We leverage the power of intelligent design and precision engineering. Our products enhance the quality of CIBC Square’s infrastructure and ensure safe passage and code-compliant exit signs.

Let’s see which products from the Kinesik’s arsenal made CIBC Square accessible.

Photoluminescent Floor/Stairwell Number Sign

Ensuring the safety of the building’s occupants is a top priority, and floor-level exit signs play a critical role in achieving this goal. The photoluminescent egress path marking system includes floor identification signs (FID) that enhance egress speeds and provide essential information for egress safety in CIBC Square.

Photoluminescent Handrail Strips

Photoluminescent handrail markings have been expertly engineered, and rigorously tested, to enhance both the ease and speed of egress for stairs with railings. Our handrail strips are versatile enough to fit in any space without distracting from the design of the CIBC Square building while providing an excellent handrail marking solution for CIBC’s infrastructure. 

They were proven to be highly resistant to UV/weathering, which helped reduce the building’s depreciation.

Photoluminescent - Slip-Resistant High Contrast Nosings

With unique ridges and integrated anti-slip contrast strips, these nosings ensure all-weather slip resistance making CIBC Square’s premises much more secure. Thanks to its leading-edge technology, it is a pioneer in the emerging supplemental (or passive) emergency lighting market.

The City of Toronto Accessibility Project explained

As a Certified Distributor of Kinesik & Ecoglo Brands we Make Your Next Project a Huge Success

As a contractor you are responsible for constructing easily accessible buildings and premises for people with physical impairments, you are well-acquainted with tactile indicators and its applications. These are mandatory products in varied materials installed into or onto the ground with raised domes or bars.

Tactile walking surface indicators (TWSI) serve the purpose of giving pedestrians who are blind, or who have vision impairment directional information and warning of hazards to assist with safe navigation. You must follow the code standards and proper installation guidelines. Sometimes, it becomes challenging for contractors to comprehend the installation guidelines, even if they are aware of them. That is where our website comes into the picture. Our website can make it easy for contractors to navigate the codes, the installation guidelines and provides resources to choose the best option

IBI Group has been appointed to Lead TheCity of Toronto Accessibility Project

IBI Group is a globally integrated planning, architecture, engineering, and technology firm with more than 2,600 professionals around the world. They take pride in helping clients create liveable, sustainable, and advanced urban environments.

Retrofitting more than 350 buildings this creates one of the most spectacular opportunities for contractors in Toronto. IBI Group will be responsibleto create plans to introduce accessibility including the introduction of tactile solutions.

IBI Group Approvedour Kinesik and Ecoglo Branded Tactile Products for all these Projects.

IBI Group will be requesting contractors to bid on those projects with a mandatory use of the Kinesik and Ecoglo products for tactile.

Tactile Solutions- is the certified and leading Distributor of Kinesik&EcogloProducts.

If you are bidding on projects of the Toronto Accessibility Project, you'll need the Kinesik and Ecoglo products specified by IBI GROUP which you find with US - we are a licensed nationwide distributor for the Kinesik and Ecoglo products. Browse through our website - use our quote requesting tool or call us.

Tactile Solutions is a leader in providing Canadian business with compliant workplace solutions since 2008. We strive to help contractors find the best and most-effective code-compliant tactile solutions for their projects. We take pride in becoming your ultimate source for code-compliant solutions. Our mission is to provide our customers with accessibility solutions. These solutions are intricately designed to meet all current, federal, provincialand municipal standards.

All products offered on our website meet the most rigorous test requirements and comply with AODA, CSA, ISO, FADS, and IFC standards to ensure you achieve the highest compliance in your projects.

When you need mandatory code-compliant accessibility solutions for the next project you win you can always count on us.