INDIAN BUILDING CODE SUMMARY FOR ALL CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONALS AND ENGINEERS

SALIENT FEATURES FIRE & LIFE SAFETY

Introduction

In the field of property management it is of utmost importance to know government rules & regulations governing high-rise buildings from the fire safety & fire fighting point of view.

• Suitable provisions should be made in all multi-storied, high-rise buildings depending on the occupancy & height of the building & should be in accordance to the provisions of part IV Fire Protection of the NBC of India.

• In addition to these provisions, the property manager or security in- charge shall make arrangements for extra equipment required, if

felt necessary, and shall review it periodically to ensure the property always comply with the mandatory requirements.

• Any additions and omissions as per amendments prescribed from time to time of the National Building Code of India are to be adhered to.

Building Materials

All load-bearing elements of construction for which the required fire resistance is one hour or more should be of non-combustible material.

Interior finish material (wall panelling, floor coverings etc.) must have rating for flame spread &

smoke developed not exceeding very low flame spread limit & should be in accordance with IS: 1642

(class I) provisions.

Ceiling linking shall be non-combustible or of plasterboard.

• Stairways & corridors should not contain any combustible material.

• Structural supports & load bearing walls should be 3 hours Fire resistant, transoms & ceiling not less than 2 hours.

• Walls/partitions separating corridors form floor used for any purpose other than circulation should be Fire resistant not less than 1 hr. These should not have openings other than doors or delivery hatches, which should be at least ½ hour Fire resistant.

• Firewalls dividing the building to prevent Fire spread should be at least 2 hours Fire resistant.

• Facades excluding doors & windows should be of non-combustible material & the distance between the top of the opening on the lower floor & the still of that on the floor above it should be at least 0. 9 meters so that the Fire would have to travel the distance between floors.

Staircase Enclosures

Internal enclosing walls of the staircase shall be of brick or RCC with a Fire resistance of 2 hours & shall be reachable via a ventilated lobby through self-closing door rated not less than 2 hours & shall not have glazed or glass bricks.

The door should be single swing type opening in the direction of escape & should be fitted with check section door closures (panic bars).

• The staircase shall be ventilated to on the external wall of the building at each landing or mid landing, which should not be a part of common corridor.

• Permanent vent at the top equal to 5% of cross sectional area of the enclosure & openable sashes at landings with area not less than 0. 5-sq.m. on external wall shall be provided. The top of the shaft shall be 1m. above the surrounding roof.

• The internal walls of the staircase should not have glazed or glass bricks.

• If the staircase cannot be ventilated, electrically operated blowers should maintain a positive pressure of 5-mm water gauge.

• Pressuring mechanism should operate automatically when Fire alarm operates; this can also be operated manually if required.

Lift Enclosures

• Walls enclosing lift shafts should be 2 hours Fire rated.

Shafts should have permanent vent at the top not less than 1800 mm (0.2sq.m.) in clear area.

• Lift machine rooms should be preferably above the shaft & be separated from the enclosing walls of the shaft.

• Landing doors should open into a ventilated or pressurised corridor/lobby & should be 1 hour Fire rated.

• The number of lifts in one lift bank should not be more than 4.

• The shaft of the Fire lift shall be separated from the bank by brick or RCC wall whose Fire rating should be 2

hours.

• If the shaft & the lobby are in the core of the building a positive pressure not less than 2.5 mm & not more than 3 mm on water gauge for lobby & not less than 5 mm in the shaft should be maintained by electrically operated blowers which should operate automatically whenever Fire alarm operates. The mechanism should also have facility to operate manually.

• Exit from the lobby, if located in the core of the building, shall be through a self-closing smoke stop door of ½

hour rating.

• Machinery other than that of the lift shall be installed in the lift machine room.

• Lifts should not normally communicate with the basement, however one of them may be permitted provided the lobby is pressurised & separated from rest of the basement by a smoke actuated Fire resistant door of 2 hours rating. The door should hold open by an Electro-magnetic device or linked with a smoke detector.

Fire Lifts

• To enable Fire services personnel reach top floor with minimum delay, one or more lifts should be available exclusively in an emergency for such personnel.

The lifts should have a floor area not less than 1.4 sq.m. With a minimum dimension of 1.2 m. &

loading capacity should not belessthan545 Kgs.(8 person)with automatic closing

• The Fire lift should operate by a simple toggle or two-button switch situated at entrance level in a glass cover box placed adjacent to the lift. When the switch is operated, all call points will become inoperative & the lift will be on car or priority control device & will return back to normal once the switch is off.

• The words “FIRE LIFT” should be conspicuously displayed in fluorescent paint on each floor.

Basements

• All basements shall be separately ventilated.

• Vents with cross sectional area not less than 2.5% of the floor should be spread evenly around the perimeter of the basements.

• A system of air inlets & outlets at the basement floor level & smoke outlets at the basement ceiling level must be provided.

• Inlets & outlets should terminate at ground level with breakable stall boards or pavement lights & should be in a position easily accessible to “FIRE BRIGADE” personnel for rescue purpose & should be clearly marked “SMOKE OUTLET” or “AIR INLET” near the opening.

• Staircase of basements should be enclosed type having Fire resistance of not less than 2 hours.• Staircase should be situated at the periphery of the basements & open on the ground level in open air.

• The staircases should be so provided that all occupants without having travelled more than 18.50

meters could access it.

A single intake duct may serve all basements, but each basement & compartments thereof shall have separate smoke outlet ducts.

• Mechanical smoke extractor for the smoke venting system should be provided from the lower basement level & should actuate with the heat sensitive detectors or sprinklers installed.

• The system should also have an arrangement of starting it manually but at temperature not less than 55 degrees C.

• Kitchen & pantry working on gas fuel should not be permitted in the basements.

• Departmental stores & shops are also not permitted in the basements unless specifically designed for the purpose.