FIRE SAFETY

Group ‘A’ Group ‘E’

- Business : Office, Labs, Computer Installations

- Residential : Lodgings, Dwellings, Dormitories, Flats,
Hotels. Group ‘F’

Group ‘B’ - Mercantile : Shops, Stores, Market.

Group ‘G’
- Educational : School, Colleges, Recreations.
- Industrial : Assembly Plants, Labs, Pumping stations, Refineries, Saw
Group ‘C’ mills.

- Institutional : Hospitals, Homes for aged, Orphanages, Jails, Group ‘H’

Mental Hospital, reformatories. - Storage : All types of storages, Sheds, trucks & marine terminals,
Garages, Hangars, Stables.
Group ‘D’
Group ‘J’
- Assembly : Theatres, Drama Hall, Assembly Halls,
- Hazardous : Used to store highly combustible or explosive materials
Auditorium, Exhibition, Restaurants, Place of workship,
which may produce poisonous fumes or explosions or toxic etc.
Terminal etc.

CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS AS PER NATIONAL BUILDING CODE

 WIDTH OF ROADS

Sections:- As per section 4.6 (a) of part 3 & 7.4.1 (a) of part IV of N.B.C.

The road which abuts a High rise building to be constructed shall be

more then 12 meter width.The road should be hard surfaced to carry a
minimum weight of 18,000 Kgs, the maximum weight of a Fire Engine.

ENTRANCE WIDTH & HEIGHT CLEARANCE

Section:- As per section 4.6 (c) of part C & 7.4.1(d) of part IV of N.B.C.

Every High rise building should have at least 2 means of access, one remote to the other, of
minimum width 4.5m. with height clearance of 5m. This minimum width is essential to facilitate
free movement of fire units.
SETBACK OR OPEN SPACES

Section : As per table 2 of section 8.2.3.1 of part III of N.B.C.

Sufficient open space (setbacks) around residential

buildings, as indicated in the next slide, is essential to
facilitate free movement and operation of Fire Service
vehicles.
a. Educational buildings - Except for nursery schools, the open space shall not be less than 6 meters.

b. Institutional buildings - open space shall not be less than 6 meters.

c. Assembly building - Except in front, open space shall not be less than 6 meter and front open space shall not be less than 12
meters.

d. Business/Mercantile & storage building – Open space around the building shall not be

less than 4.5meters. It can be relaxed in certain circumstances.

e. Industrial/Hazardous building – Minimum 4.5 meters open space shall be kept around the building for the height up to16
meters. Open space shall be increased by 0.25meters for next each 1 meter height of the building.

FOR OTHER OCCUPANCIES THE SETBACKS SHALL HAVE TO BE ALLOWED AS FOLLOWS

CAR PARKING IN SETBACK / OPEN SPACES.

Section: As per section 4.6 (b) of appendix B of part III of N.B.C.

If the setback area / open spaces is more then 12 meter, the

provision for car parking Can be done in the setback or open spaces
at the periphery of the courtyard leaving the 6 meter motorable
road.

CAR PARKING

Section – As per section B/8 of appendix ‘B’ of part III of N.B.C

Car Parking shall have to be done at the basement with provision for minimum 2 ramps one
remote to other.
STAIRCASES
Section :- As per section 12.18 of part III, 8.5.1 (Table 24), 8.6.2,8.9,8.10,8.13, 9.3.5(a),10.4.1,11.3.2
of part IV & appendix D1.3,D1.4 of part of NBC.

a) Every high rise building have minimum 2 number of Staircases.

b) Width of staircases varies from 1 m. to 2 m.

c) For residential building width of staircases should be 1 mtr.

d) Out of 2 staircases, 1 can be used as a fire escape staircase.

e) Width of fire escape should be minimum 0.75 meter.

f) Number of staircases shall be given as per the travel distances.

g) Staircase shall not be extended to basement to prevent smoke , heat & gases. From the basement
smoke, heat 7 gases can be travel to upper floors.

h) Access to the basement from the ground should be through a separate staircase, which is not
connected to main staircase (i.e. It should be remote to each other.)

i) Staircase shall be of enclosed type to prevent entry of smoke & fire to the staircase & vice versa.

j) Spiral staircase shall be provided up to 9 mtr. Height.

k) External staircase normally shall not be allowed.

LIFTS
Section:- as per section 18 of part III & 6.18 & appendix A.15 of part IV of NBC.

a) Minimum 1 lift capable of carrying minimum 8 persons weighing 545 kgs. Shall be provided for every high rise building.

b) Landing doors of lifts shall open to ventilated lobby & shall have a fire resistance of 1 hour.

c) 1 lift shall be designed as a “Fire Lift”

d) “Fireman Switch” shall be provided for

each lift.

e) Lifts shall not be used as means of evacuation.

f) Collapsible gates shall not be provided for the lift.

g) If more than 1 lifts are installed the partition wall should be of minimum 2 hours fire resistance.
THE REFUGE AREA
Section: As per section 8.12.3 on part IV of NBC, the refuge area shall be provided on the
periphery of the floor & open to air atleast on one side protected with suitable railing.

a) For floors above 24m & up to 39m one refuge area on the floor immediately above 24m.

b) For floors above 39m one refuge area on the floor immediately above 39m & so on after
15m refuge area shall be provided

SERVICE DUCTS
As per appendix D 1.9 part IV of N.B.C. all the services ducts, if provided, should have to be enclosed by walls of at least 2 hour
fire resistance & should have to be sealed at every alternate floor with non-combustible materials having at least 2 hour fire
resistance. The sealing at floor level is to prevent travel of smoke & fire to the upper floors through the ducts.
BUILT IN FIRE FIGHTING SYSTEM
WET RISER CUM DOWN COMMER SYSTEM
Wet riser : It is a vertical pipeline (dia. depends on
the floor area of the building) connected to a
bottom tank(underground water tank).

Down Commer : It is a vertical pipeline (dia.

depends on the floor area of the building)
connected to a overhead tank.

Dry riser : It is a vertical pipe which is always kept

dry to avoid the freezing of water.

Hydrant : It is a horizontal pipe line with outlet of

63 mm. dia. connected to underground water tank.
WET RISER
‣ Wet riser cum down commer or only down commer system shall be provided for residential building.

‣ For commercial building only only wet-riser system shall be provided.

‣ For hotels wet-riser cum down commer both the systems shall be provided.

‣ Diameter of riser will be 150mm for all the buildings.

‣ For each 1000m2 floor area or it’s part one riser shall be provided.

‣ At every landing twin outlet each of 63mm dia. shall be provided (one should be connected to hose reel & another
should be to hose & branch).

‣ Length of hose should be shall that it should reach at the last point of floor area.

‣ Minimum two courtyard hydrants shall be provided (courtyard hydrant will be an extention to riser).

‣ Hose reel hose of 12mm dia. shall be provided from landing valve to wet-riser at each floor.

‣ A separate fire service inlet shall be provided at the ground floor.

‣ Location of wet-riser shall be preferable as near to staircase.

WATER TANK
Underground water storage tank varies from 50,000 ltrs. to 250,000 ltrs. Depending on the type & occupancy of the buildings. The capacity of terrace
level water storage tank varies from 10,000 ltrs. to 20,000 ltrs. Depending on the type & occupancy of the building.

Above mentioned water tank capacity is for 1 riser. If the number of risers will be more than 1, than quantity of water shall be increased in that
proportionate. In addition to this if automatic sprinkler, drenchers are provided for special risk then this will be additional quantity of water.

PUMP CAPACITY
For underground water storage tank, pump shall be installed of a capacity either 1800 L.P.M. or 2400 L.P.M. depending on the type and occupancy of the
building along with jocky pump.

‣ At topmost hydrant we should get a pressure of not less than 3.5 bar.

‣ For terrace level water storage tank,pump shall be installed of a capacity either 450 L.P.M. occupancy of the building.

‣ Alternative source of supply for the pump shall be provided.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

MANUALLY OPERATED ELECTRICAL AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

‣ Depending on the occupancy, M.O.E.F.A. system or automatic operated

system shall be provided in the building.

‣ Every building more than 15m in height shall provide both I.e. M.O.E.F.A
& A.F.A.

‣ Residential & office buildings between 15m & 24m in height may be
exempted from installation of automatic fire alarm system if local fire
brigade is well equipped to face the emergency up to 24m.

‣ One has to manually operate the glass in M.O.E.F.A.S.

‣ M.O.E.F.A.S. requires a special person or separate person to operate.

FIRE ALARM SYSTEM

FIRE DETECTION SYSTEM
Section: As per section 7.9 of part IV of NBC. (8 of Appendix A)

‣ Different types of detectors are provided as per the risk

involved in the area.


‣ Zones are made as per the risk or as per the floor. 


‣ 2way communication system to be provided which will help

to contact from ground floor to specific floor or vice-versa. 


‣ Mike on every floor has to be provided. 


‣ On mike instructions can be given as per situation. 


‣ Manual call points, automatic detector & public address

system shall be interlinked.


‣ Detectors shall be installed as per IS 2189/ 1988. 


SPRINKLER SYSTEM
Section: As per section 7.10.7 of part IV of NCB.

‣ Sprinkler system is a must for basement parking &

other risk areas where large quantities of
combustible materials are stored. 


‣ Each sprinkler should cover 6.96m area. 2




‣ Normally a separate sprinkler should be provided

for


a separate car.


‣ Sprinklers may connect to main water tank &

pump, but capacity of the tank & pump shall be
increased in that proportionate. 


‣ The capacity of water tank shall be calculated on

the basis of sprinklers.


 14SA118
14SA119
14SA121
14SA127
14SA133
14SA139
14SA144
14SA150
INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES 14SA153
FIRE SAFETY 14SA166