Fire - NBC& Nfpa
Fire - NBC& Nfpa
Fire - NBC& Nfpa
The Code recognizes that safety of life is more than a matter of means of exits
and accordingly deals with various matters which are considered essential to the
safety of life.
The activities pursued by the occupants of buildings must also be taken into
consideration for assessing the extent of hazards, and method should then be
The code has been divided into basic three text clauses:
Fire Prevention — Covering aspects of fire prevention pertaining to design
and construction of buildings on passive fire protection measures, also
describing the various types of building materials and their fire rating.
Life Safety — Covering life safety provisions in the event of fire and similar
emergencies, also addressing construction and occupancy features that are
necessary to minimize danger to life from fire, smoke, fumes or panic.
Fire Protection — covering the significant appurtenances and their related
components and guidelines for selecting the correct type of equipment and
installation meant for fire protection of the building, depending upon the
classification and type of the building.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
The national fire protection association has been the developer and
publisher of the life safety code formely known as the building exits
The life safety code is a unique document its contents address specific
occupancy of the building but provides for fire safety consistent with the public
interest. The level of life safety from fire is defined through requirements directed at
the following.
Prevention of ignition
Detection of fire
Control of fire development
Confinements of the effects of fire
Extinguishment of fire
Provision of refuge or evacuation facilities or both
Staff reaction
Provision of fire safety information to occupants.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PREVENTION
Existing layout.
In large cities or areas, three fire zones maybe necessary, while in Smaller ones,
one or two may be adequate. Various fire zones are
Fire Zone No. 1 —Comprise areas having residential (Group A), educational
(Group B), institutional (Group C), and assembly (Group D), small business and
retail mercantile (Group F) buildings.
Fire Zone No. 2 — Includes business (Group-E) and industrial buildings (Group-
G), except high hazard industrial buildings or areas which are under development
for such occupancies.
Fire Zone No. 3 — This shall comprise areas having high hazard industrial
buildings (Group-G), storage buildings (Group H) and buildings for hazardous
uses (Group J).
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
ROLE OF TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION IN FIRE PROTECTION
Design of any building and the type of materials used in its construction are
important factors in making the building resistant to a complete burn-out and in
preventing the rapid spread of fire, smoke or fumes, which may otherwise
contribute to the loss of lives and property.
Fire resistance of a building or its structural and non-structural elements is
expressed in hours against a specified fire load which is expressed in kcal/sqm,
and against a certain intensity of fire.
Types of construction according to fire resistance a classified into four
categories:-
Type-1 Construction
Type-2 Construction
Type-3 Construction
Type-4 Construction
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
ROLE OF TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION IN FIRE PROTECTION
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
LIFE SAFETY
undue danger to the life and safety of the occupants from fire, smoke, fumes or panic
OCCUPANT LOAD
occupants
Every room with a capacity of
over 45 persons in area shall
have at least two doorways.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
LIFE SAFETY
INTERNAL STAIRCASES
The number of people in between floor landings in staircase shall not be less than the population
on each floor for the purpose of design of staircase. The design of staircase shall also take into
account the following:
The minimum headroom in a passage under the landing of a staircase and under the
staircase shall be 2.2 m.
For building 15 m in height or more, access to main staircase shall be through a fire/smoke
check door of a minimum 2 h fire resistance rating. Fire resistance rating may be reduced to
1 h for residential buildings (except hotels and starred hotels).
No living space, store or other fire risk shall open directly into the staircase or staircases.
External exit door of staircase enclosure at ground level shall open directly to the open
spaces or through a large lobby, if necessary.
The main and external staircases shall be continuous from ground floor to the terrace level.
No electrical shafts/AC ducts or gas pipes, etc, shall pass through or open in the staircases.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
LIFE SAFETY
EXTERNAL STAIRCASE
The external stairs shall be constructed of non-combustible materials, and
any doorway leading to it shall have the required fire resistance.
The use of spiral staircase shall be limited to low occupant load and to a building
not exceeding 9 m in height.
A spiral stair case shall be not less than 1500 mm in diameter and shall be
designed to give adequate headroom.
Unprotected steel frame staircase will not be accepted as means of escape.
However, steel staircase in an enclosed fire rated compartment of 2 h will be
accepted as means of escape.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
LIFE SAFETY
HORIZONTAL EXITS
For buildings more than 24 m in height, refuge area of 15 sq.m or an area equivalent to 0.3
sq.m per person to accommodate the occupants of two consecutive floors, whichever is
area, however flats without balcony shall provide refuge area as given above.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
LIFE SAFETY
HORIZONTAL EXITS
For buildings more than 24 m in height, refuge area of 15 sq.m or an area equivalent to 0.3 sq.m
Per person to accommodate the occupants of two consecutive floors, whichever is higher, shall
Be provided as under:
The refuge area shall be provided on the periphery of the floor or preferably on a cantilever
projection and open to air at least on one side protected with suitable railings.
For floors above 24 m and Up to 39 m — One refuge area on the floor immediately above
24 m.
Floor above above 39 m — One refuge area on the floor immediately above 39 m and so
on after every 15 m. Refuge area provided in excess of the requirements shall be counted
towards FAR.
NOTE—Residential flats in multi-storied building with balcony, need not be provided with refuge
area, however flats without balcony shall provide refuge area as given above.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
LIFE SAFETY
FIRE LIFTS
Where applicable, fire lifts shall be provided with a minimum capacity for 8 passengers and
fully automated with emergency switch on ground level. In general, buildings 15 m in height
or above shall be provided with fire lifts.
In case of fire only fireman shall operate the fire lift. In normal course, it may be used by
other persons.
Each fire lift shall be equipped with suitable inter-communication equipment for
communicating with the control room on the ground floor of the building.
AUTOMATIC SPRINKLERS
Automatic sprinklers shall be installed in:
Basements used as car parks or storage occupancy, if the area exceeds 200 sqm.
Multi-level basements, covered upper floors used as car parks, and for housing essential
services ancillary to a particular occupancy or for storage occupancy, excluding any area to
be used for sub-station, A.C. plant and DG set;
Any room or other compartment of a building exceeding 1 125 sqm. in area except if so
advised by local authority;
Departmental stores or shops, if the aggregate covered area exceeds 500 sqm.
Godowns and warehouses, as considered necessary; on all floors of the buildings other
than residential and educational buildings, if the height of the building exceeds 15 m (45 m
in case of group housing and apartments).
In hotels below 15 m, if covered area at each floor is more than 1000 sqm.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH RISE
FIRE PROTECTION BUILDINGS 15 m IN HEIGHT OR ABOVE
CONSTRUCTION
All materials of constructions in load bearing elements, stairways and corridors and facades
shall be non-combustible.
The interior finish materials shall not have a flame spreadability rating exceeding Class 1.
The internal walls or staircase shall be of brick or reinforced
LIFT
Walls of lift enclosures shall have a fire rating of 2 h; lifts shafts shall have a vent at the top
of area not less than 0.2 sqm. Landing doors in lift enclosures shall have a fire resistance of
not less than 1 h.
If the lift shaft and lobby is in the core of the building, a positive pressure between 25 and
30 Pa shall be maintained in the lobby and a positive pressure of 50 Pa shall be maintained
in the lift shaft. The mechanism for pressurization shall act automatically with the fire alarm;
it shall be possible to operate this mechanically also.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH RISE
FIRE PROTECTION BUILDINGS 15 m IN HEIGHT OR ABOVE
FIRE LIFT
To enable fire services personnel to reach the upper floors with the minimum delay, one fire
lift per 1200 sqm. of floor area shall be provided and shall be available for the exclusive use
of the firemen in an emergency.
The lift shall have a floor area of not less than 1.4 sqm. It shall have loading capacity of not
less than 545 kg (8 persons lift) with automatic closing doors of minimum 0.8 m width,
The electric supply shall be on a separate service from electric supply mains in a building
and the cables run in a route safe from fire, that is, within the lift shaft.
The words ‘Fire Lift’ shall be conspicuously displayed in fluorescent paint on the lift landing
doors at each floor level.
The speed of the fire lift shall be such that it can reach the top floor from ground level within
1 min.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH RISE
FIRE PROTECTION BUILDINGS 15 m IN HEIGHT OR ABOVE
BASEMENTS
Each basement shall be separately ventilated. Vents with cross-sectional area (aggregate)
not less than 2.5 percent of the floor area spread evenly round the perimeter of the
basement shall be provided in the form of grills, or breakable stall board lights or pavement
lights or by way of shafts.
A system of air inlets shall be provided at basement floor level and smoke outlets at
basement ceiling level.
The staircase of basements shall be of enclosed type having fire resistance of not less than
2 h.
In multi-storey basements, intake ducts may serve all basement levels, but each basement
levels and basement compartment shall have separate smoke outlet duct or ducts.
Mechanical extractors shall be designed to permit 30 air changes per hour in case of fire or
distress call.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH RISE
FIRE PROTECTION BUILDINGS 15 m IN HEIGHT OR ABOVE
ELECTRICAL SERVICES
The electric distribution cables/wiring shall be laid in a separate duct.
The duct shall be sealed at every floor with non-combustible materials having the same fire
resistance as that of the duct.
Separate circuits for fire fighting pumps, lifts, staircases and corridor lighting and blowers for
pressurizing system shall be provided directly from the main switch gear panel and these
circuits shall be laid in separate conduit pipes, so that fire in one circuit will not affect the
others.
Such circuits shall be protected at origin by an automatic circuit breaker with its no-volt coil
removed.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH RISE
FIRE PROTECTION BUILDINGS 15 m IN HEIGHT OR ABOVE
AIR-CONDITIONING
Escape routes like staircases, common corridors, lift lobbies, etc, shall not be used as
return air passage.
Where duct crosses a compartment which is fire rated, the ducts shall be fire rated for same
fire rating.
Area more than 750 sqm. on individual floor shall be segregated by a fire wall and
automatic fire dampers for isolation shall be provided
SUB-STATION
A sub-station or a switch-station with oil filled equipment shall not be located in the building.
The sub-station structure shall have separate fire resisting walls/surroundings and shall
necessarily be located at the periphery of the floor having separate access from fire escape
stair case. The outside walls, ceiling, floor, openings including doors and windows to the
sub-station area shall be provided with a fire resisting door of 2 h fire rating. Direct access
to the transformer room shall be provided, preferably from outside fire escape staircase.
The sub-station area needs to be maintained at negative air pressures and area in sub-
station shall not be used as storage/dump areas.
When housed inside the building, the transformer shall be of dry type and shall be cut off
from the other portion of premises by walls/doors/cutout having fire resistance rating of 4 h.
NATIONAL BUILDING CODE 2005 & NFPA
FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS FOR HIGH RISE
FIRE PROTECTION BUILDINGS 15 m IN HEIGHT OR ABOVE