The National Building Code of The Philippines
The National Building Code of The Philippines
The National Building Code of The Philippines
the Philippines
Presidential Decree 1096
The legislative body of the LGU may enact ordinances for the purpose of
designating fire zones based on the parameters and guidelines set forth in this
Section.
1. Designation of Fire Zones is purposely for management, prevention,
control and suppression of conflagration that may occur in population
centers. The designation of fire zones is as follows:
Floor Construction
Solid R.C. slab
- Average cover to reinforcement 25 25 20 15
- Overall Depth 150 150 125 100
Solid pre-stressed
Concrete slab
- Average cover to tendons 65 50 40 25
- Overall Depth 150 150 125 100
Partitions
- Solid concrete 175 175 150 125
- Solid masonry 200 175 150 125
- Hollow unit masonry 300 250 200 150
Protection for metal structural members
- Concrete 75 50 38 25
- Masonry 100 75 55 38
Table VI.1. Assembly Material and Minimum Thickness for Fire Resistance
Exterior Wall
- Solid concrete 180 150 125 75
- Solid masonry 200 175 150 100
- Hollow masonry 300 250 200 150
Column (all faces exposed)
- Reinforced concrete 450 400 300 200
SECTION 701. Occupancy Classified
1. There are 10 Groups of Occupancies.
General. The construction of stairs and exits shall conform to the occupant
load requirements of buildings, reviewing stands, bleachers, and grandstands.
Determination of Occupant Loads. The occupant load permitted in any
building or portion thereof shall be determined by dividing the floor area
assigned to that use by the unit area allowed per occupant as shown on Table
XII.1. and as determined by the Secretary.
When the unit area per occupant for any particular occupancy is not provided
for in Table XII.1., the Building Official shall determine the same based on the
unit area for occupancy, which it most nearly resembles.
The occupant load of any area having fixed seats shall be determined by the
number of fixed seats installed. Aisles serving the fixed seats in said area shall
be included in determining the occupant load.
SECTION 1207. Stairs, Exits, and Occupant Loads
Unit Area per Minimum of Two (2) Exits Other
Use or Occupancy Occupant than Elevators are Required Where
(sq. meters) Number of Occupants is Over
Dwellings 28.00 10
Hotels 18.60 10
Apartments 18.60 10
Dormitories 18.60 10
Classrooms 1.80 50
Conference Rooms 1.40 50
Exhibit Rooms 1.40 50
Gymnasia 1.40 50
School Shops 4.60 50
Vocational Institutions 4.60 50
Laboratories 4.60 50
Table XII.1. General Requirements for Occupant Loads and Exits*
(*In all occupancies, floors above the first (1 st) storey having an occupant load of more
than ten (10) shall have at least two (2) exits)
Minimum of Two (2) Exits Other than
Unit Area per Occupant
Use or Occupancy Elevators are Required Where Number
(sq. meters)
of Occupants is Over
Hospitals**, Sanitaria** 8.40 5
Nursing Homes** 7.40 5
Children’s Homes** 7.40 5
Homes for the Aged** 7.40 5
(**Institutional Sleeping
Departments shall be based on
one (1) occupant per 11.00 sq.
meters of the gross floor area;
In-patient Institutional
Treatment Departments shall
be based on one (1) occupant
per 22.00 sq. meters of gross
floor area)
Nurseries for Children
3.25 6
Dwellings 28.00 10
Table XII.1. General Requirements for Occupant Loads and Exits*
(*In all occupancies, floors above the first (1 st) storey having an occupant load of more
than ten (10) shall have at least two (2) exits)
Minimum of Two (2) Exits Other
Unit Area per Occupant
Use or Occupancy than Elevators are Required Where
(sq. meters)
Number of Occupants is Over
Stores-Retail Sales Rooms
Basement 2.80 50
Ground Floor 2.80 50
Upper Floors 5.60- 10
Offices 9.30 30
Aircraft Hangars (no 46.50 10
repair) 18.60 30
Parking Garages 1.40 30
Drinking Establishments 18.60 50
Kitchens (commercial)
Warehouses 28.00 30
Mechanical Equipment 28.00 30
Rooms
Table XII.1. General Requirements for Occupant Loads and Exits*
(*In all occupancies, floors above the first (1 st) storey having an occupant load of more
than ten (10) shall have at least two (2) exits)
Minimum of Two (2) Exits Other
Unit Area per Occupant
Use or Occupancy than Elevators are Required Where
(sq. meters)
Number of Occupants is Over
Stores-Retail Sales Rooms
Warehouses 28.00 30
Mechanical Equipment 28.00 30
Rooms
Garages 9.30 10
Auditoriums 0.65 50
Theaters 0.65 50
Churches and chapels 0.65 50
Dance Floors 0.65 50
Reviewing Stands 0.65 50
Stadia 0.65 50
OCCUPANT LOAD
FIRE CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Unit Area
per
Use or Occupancy
Occupant
Number of exit required
(sq. meters)
Educational
Classroom 1.9 Minimum of 2 exits each
floor/storey
Shop and lab 14.6
Industrial 9.3
OCCUPANT LOAD
FIRE CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Industrial 9.3
Storage Maximum
probable
population
Exits
Number of Exits. Every building or usable portion
thereof shall have at least one (1) exit. In all
occupancies, floors above the first storey having
an occupant load of more than ten (10) shall not
have less than two (2) exits. Each mezzanine floor
used for other than storage purposes, if greater in
area than 185 sq. meters or more than 18.00
meters in any dimension, shall have at least two
(2) stairways to an adjacent floor. Every storey or
portion thereof, having an occupant load of 500 to
999 shall have at least three (3) exits. Every
storey or portion thereof having an occupant load
of one thousand (1000) or more shall have at
least four (4) exits.
Exits
The number of exits required from any storey of a
building shall be determined by using the occupant loads
of floors which exit through the level under consideration
as follows: 50% of the occupant load in the first
adjacent storey above (and the first adjacent storey
below, when a storey below exits through the level
under consideration) and 25% of the occupant load in
the storey immediately beyond the first adjacent
storey. The maximum number of exits required for any
storey shall be maintained until egress is provided from
the structures. For purposes of this Section basement or
cellars and occupied roofs shall be provided with exits as
required for storeys. Floors above the second storey,
basements and cellars used for other than service of the
building shall have not less than two (2) exits.
Exits
Width. The total width of exits in meters shall not be
less than the total occupant load served divided by
one hundred sixty five (165). Such width of exits shall
be divided approximately equally among the separate
exits. The total exit width required from any storey of
a building shall be determined by using the occupant
load of that storey plus the percentage of the occupant
loads of floors which exits through the level under
consideration as follows: 50% of the occupant load in
the first adjacent storey above (and the first adjacent
storey below when a storey below exits through the
level under consideration) and 25% of the occupant
load in the storey immediately beyond the first
adjacent storey. The maximum exit width from any
storey of a building shall be maintained.
Exits
Width. Every corridor or exit balcony shall not be less than 1.10 meters in width.
Projections. The required width of corridors and exterior exit balconies shall be
unobstructed. Except, that trim handrails, and doors when fully opened shall not
reduce the required width by more than 200 millimeters. Doors in any position
shall not reduce the required width of the corridor by more than one-half (1/2).
Access to Exits. When more than one (1) exit is required, they shall be so
arranged to allow going to either direction from any point in the corridor or
exterior exit balcony to a separate exit, except for dead ends permitted by the
Code.
Dead Ends. Corridors and exterior exit balconies with dead ends are permitted
when the dead end does not exceed 6.00 meters in length.
Construction. Walls and ceilings of corridors shall not be less than one-
hour fire-resistive construction. Provided, that this requirement shall
not apply to exterior exit balconies, railings, and corridors of one-storey
building housing a Group E and F Occupancy occupied by one (1) tenant
only and which serves an occupant load of thirty (30) or less, nor to
corridors, formed by temporary partitions. Exterior exit balconies shall
not project into an area where protected openings are required.
Openings. Where corridor wall are required to be one-hour fire-resistive
construction, every interior door opening shall be protected as set forth
in generally recognized and accepted requirements for dual-purpose
fire exit doors. Other interior openings except ventilation louvers
equipped with approved automatic fire shutters shall be 7 millimeters
thick fixed wire glass set in steel frames. The total area of all openings
other than doors, in any portion of an interior corridor wall shall not
exceed 25% of the area of the corridor wall of the room being separated
from the corridor.
.
5. Stairways. Except stairs or ladders used only to access equipment, every stairway
serving any building or portion thereof shall conform to the following requirements:
• Width. Stairways serving an occupant load of more than fifty (50) shall not be less
than 1.10 meters. Stairways serving an occupant load of fifty (50) or less may be
900 millimeters wide. Private stairways serving an occupant load of less than ten
(10) may be 750 millimeters. Trim and handrails shall not reduce the required
width by more than 100 millimeters.
• Rise and Run. The rise of every step in a stairway shall not exceed 200 millimeters
and the run shall not be less than 250 millimeters. The maximum variations in the
height of risers and the width of treads in any one flight shall be 5 millimeters:
Except, in case of private stairways serving an occupant load of less than ten (10),
the rise may be 200 millimeters and the run may be 250 millimeters, except as
provided in sub-paragraph (c) below.
• Handrails. Stairways shall have handrails on each side and every
stairway required to be more than 3.00 meters in width shall be
provided with not less than one intermediate handrail for each
3.00 meters of required width. Intermediate handrails shall be
spaced approximately equal within the entire width of the
stairway. Handrails shall be placed not less than 800 millimeters
nor more than 900 millimeters above the nosing of treads, and
ends of handrails shall be returned or shall terminate in newel
posts or safety terminals: Except, in the following cases:
Stairways 1.10 meters or less in width and stairways serving one
(1) individual dwelling unit in Group A or B Occupancies may have
one handrail, except that such stairway, open on one or both,
sides shall have handrails provided on the open side or sides: or
stairways having less than four (4) risers need not have handrails.
Seat Spacing
With standard seating, the spacing of rows of
seats from back-to-back shall be not less than
840 millimeters. With continental seating, the
spacing of rows of unoccupied seats shall
provide a clear width measured horizontally, as
follows: 450 millimeters clear for rows of
eighteen (18) seats or less; 500 millimeters clear
for rows of thirty five (35) seats or less; 525
millimeters clear for rows of forty five (45) seats
or less; and 550 millimeters clear for rows of
forty six (46) seats or more.
Seats
Seat Spacing
With standard seating, the spacing of rows of seats from
back-to-back shall be not less than 840 millimeters. With
continental seating, the spacing of rows of unoccupied seats
shall provide a clear width measured horizontally, as
follows: 450 millimeters clear for rows of eighteen (18)
seats or less; 500 millimeters clear for rows of thirty five
(35) seats or less; 525 millimeters clear for rows of forty
five (45) seats or less; and 550 millimeters clear for rows of
forty six (46) seats or more.
Width
The width of any seat shall be not less than 450 millimeters.
Fire-Extinguishing Systems
1. Fire-Extinguishing Systems – Where required, standard automatic
fire-extinguishing systems shall be installed in the following places, and
in the manner provided in the Code.
3. Wet Standpipes – Every Group H and I Occupancy of any height, and every
Group C Occupancy of two (2) more storeys in height, and every Group B, D,
E, F and G Occupancy of three (3) or more storeys in height and every Group
G and E Occupancy over 1800 sq. meters in area shall be equipped with one
or more intestorey; Provided, that Group H buildings having no stage and
having a seating rior wet standpipes extending from the cellar or basement
into the topmost capacity of less than five hundred (500) need not be
equipped with interior wet standpipes.
Approval – All fire-extinguishing systems, including automatic sprinklers, wet
and dry standpipes, automatic chemical extinguishers, basement pipe inlets,
and the appurtenances thereto shall meet the approval of the Fire
Department as to installation and location and shall be subject to such
periodic test as it may require.
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