UNIT-IV : FIRE SAFETY

DESIGN AND GENERAL GUIDELINES OF EGRESS

DESIGN

UNIT-IV : FIRE SAFETY

DESIGN AND GENERAL GUIDELINES OF EGRESS DESIGN.
Principles of Fire Behavior
Fire Safety Design Principles
NBC Planning Considerations in Buildings.
Combustibility of Materials
General Guideline for Egress System
Exit, Exit Access, Exit Discharge
Distance between Exits, Arrangement of Exits.
Maximum Travel Distance
Exterior Corridor
Window Egress
Accessibility for Disabled
Lift Lobbies
Stairways
Ramp Design
Fire Doors
Fire Escape
Protected Enclosure

Guidelines for Egress Design for

Auditorium
Concert Halls
Theatres
Other Buildings/Special Structures
Building Services
HVAC/Smoke Management
Electrical System

Principles of Fire Behavior

The underlying science of fire protection engineering rests on the following
principles:
1. An oxidizing agent, a combustible material, and an ignition source are
essential for combustion. (The exception is spontaneous combustion,
which does not require an independent ignition source.)
2.

The combustible material must be heated to its piloted ignition temperature

before it can be ignited or support flame spread.

3.

Subsequent burning of a combustible material is governed by the heat

feedback from the flames to the pyrolyzing or vaporizing combustible.

Fire Triangle

Typical Room Fire

Principles of Fire Behavior

4.

The burning will continue until one of the following happens:

a. The combustible material is consumed.
b. The oxidizing agent concentration is lowered to below the concentration necessary
to support combustion.
c. Sufficient heat is removed or prevented from reaching the combustible material,
thus preventing further fuel pyrolysis.
d. The flames are chemically inhibited or sufficiently cooled to prevent further
reaction. All the material presented in this handbook for the prevention, control, or
extinguishment of fire is based on these principles.

Initial Ceiling Effect

Smoke Discharge from Compartment of Fire

Origin

Principles of Fire Behavior

Compartment Fire Pressure & Air Flow

Flashover Transition to full-room involvement.

Principles of Fire Behavior

Full-Room involvement (post Flashover).

Leading cause of Fire

Cooking equipment
Heating Equipment
Incendiary or suspicious causes
Electrical distribution system, Appliances,
tools.
Smoking materials
Child play (juvenile fire setter)
Exposure to other hostile fire or heat source.
Natural Causes.

Fire Safety Design Principles

OBJECTIVES

FIRE SAFETY DESIGN STRATEGIES

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

1. Prevent fire ignition.

2. Control the combustion
process.
3. Control fire by construction.
4. Detect fire early and
provide notification.
5. Automatically suppress fire.
6. Manually suppress fire.
7. Manage the exposed.

Life safety
Property protection
Continuity of operations
Environmental protection
Heritage conservation

NBC Planning Considerations in Buildings

NBC Content :
Part 0: Integrated Approach Prerequisite
for Applying Provisions of the Code
Part 1: Definitions
Part 2: Administration
Part 3: Development Control Rules and
General Building Requirements
Part 4: Fire and Life Safety

Fire Prevention

Life Safety

Fire Protection

Additional Occupancy-Wise
Requirements
Part 5: Building Materials

New or Alternative Materials

Third Party Certification

Used Materials

Storage of Materials

Methods of Test

List of Standards

NBC Content : (Contd...)

Part 6: Structural Design
Part 7: Construction Practices and Safety
Part 8: Building Services

Lighting and Ventilation

Electrical and Allied Installation

Air Conditioning, eating and

Mechanical Ventilation

Acoustics, Sound Insulation and

Noise Control

Installation of Lifts and Escalators

Part 9: Plumbing Services

Water Supply, Drainage and

Sanitation (Including solid waste
Management)

Gas Supply.
Part10: Landscaping, Signs and Outdoor
Display Structures

NBC Planning Considerations in Buildings

Part-3 :

Development Control Rules and General Building Requirements, Clause

3.6 states :

Buildings shall be so planed, designed and constructed as to ensure fire safety

and this shall be done as per Part 4 Fire and Life Safety.
Part 4 :
Fire and Life Safety has classified Occupancies based on usage,
and related hazards :

content

General Classification
Group-A Residential
Lodging & Rooming Houses, Dormitories, Hotels, One & Two Family
Dwellings etc.
Group-B Educational
Schools and other educational/training institutions.
Group-C Institutional
Hospitals, Sanatoria, Custodial Institutions, Penal & Mental Institutions.
Group-D Assembly
Theatres with stages, motion picture, Sports Stadia, with or without
permanent seating arrangement, Banquette Hall, Night Club and other similar
occupancies. Building with mixed occupancies having shopping malls, cinema
theatres, restaurants etc.

NBC Planning Considerations in Buildings

Part 4 Fire and Life Safety - General Classification Contd..
Group-E Business
Offices, banks, professional establishments, like offices of architects, engineers,
doctors, lawyers, Laboratories, research establishments, libraries, Telephone
exchange, broadcasting station.
Group-F Mercantile
Shops, stores, departmental stores, Malls etc.
Group-G Industrial
Any building or part of that where materials of all kinds & properties are
fabricated, assembled, manufactured process etc. e.g. assembly plants, dry
cleaning plants, power generating units, pumping stations, Industrial laundries,
gas plants, refineries, dairies, saw-mills, etc.
Group-H Storage
Warehouse, cold storage, freight depots, truck & marine terminals, garages,
hangers etc.
Group-J Hazardous
Building or part of that which is used for the storage, handling, manufacture
or processing of highly combustible or explosive materials which are liable to
bum with extreme rapidity and/or can cause explosion.

Combustibility of Materials
Noncombustible Materials :
Materials that produce a negligible amount of heat when exposed to a thermal environment
representative of a postflashover fire. These materials are referred to as noncombustible.
Steel and Concrete are considered as noncombustible.

Reaction to Fire of a Product:

Ignition, surface flame spread, and heat and smoke release rate determine how a product
reacts when exposed to thermal conditions that are representative of a preflashover
fire. These characteristics collectively describe the reaction-to-fire of the product.
Building codes restricts Interior Finishes pertaining to its reaction-to fire. That is, wall and
ceiling linings and floor coverings.

Materials considered ideal :

Flame Spread Index < 25
Smoke Development Index < 450

Combustibility of Materials
Terms related to Reaction to Fire
Fire resistant signifies the ability of a
structure, material, or assembly
to resist the effects of a large-scale
severe fire exposure.
Typical Steel Column Protection of
Concrete, Masonry or Sprayed Fibers

Fire retardant signifies a lesser degree of protection than

fire resistant. It should be used in reference to chemicals, treatments,
or coatings used to reduce the combustibility of building
materials and other such treated materials.
Flame retardant and flame resistant denotes decorative materials that, due to
chemical treatment or inherent properties, do not ignite readily or propagate
flaming under small-to-moderate fire exposure.

Combustibility of Materials

Interior Finish
Interior finish affects fire hazard in four ways.
(1) Affect the rate of fire build-up to flashover conditions.
(2) Contribute to fire extension by flame spread over its surface.
(3) Add to the intensity of a fire by contributing additional fuel.
(4) Produce smoke and toxic gases that can contribute to life hazard and property
damage.
From a fire safety standpoint, the most desirable interior finish is one made of a
relatively dense and non-combustible material that is a good conductor of heat,
does not speed up flashover, does not add fuel to the fire, provides no path for
surface flame spread, and produces little or no smoke or toxic gases.

General Guideline for Egress System

Exit, Exit Access, Exit Discharge
NBC Definition : Means of Egress A continuous and unobstructed way of travel
from any point in a building or structure to a place of comparative safety.
Notes on Means of Egress :

Means of Egress :
Most of the building codes describes the term Means
of Egress as a continuous path from any point inside
the building to a public way, outside at open air, at
ground level. Egress consists of three separate and
distinct parts.
The Exit Access : From any point in the floor to the
entrance of an exit. E.g. doors, corridors etc.
The Exit : The portion of a means of egress that
provides the protected path to the exterior of the
building. E.g. protected stairways, corridors, ramps etc.
The Exit Discharge : Portion of means of egress
between termination of exit and the public way. E.g
courtyard etc.

An exit may also include a horizontal

exit leading to an adjoining building at
the same level.
Lifts/Escalators are not considered as
Exits.
All exits shall provide continuous means
of egress to the exterior of a building or
to an exterior open space leading to a
street.
Exits shall be so arranged that they may
be reached without passing through
another occupied unit.

General Guideline for Egress System

Exit, Exit Access, Exit Discharge
Notes on Means of Egress :
Every building meant for human
occupancy shall be provided with exits
sufficient to permit safe escape of
occupants, in case of fire or other
emergency.

Examples of Exits, Exit Access & Exit Discharge.

General Guideline for Egress System

Arrangement of Exits, Maximum Travel Distance

General Guideline for Egress System

Arrangement of Exits, Maximum Travel Distance
Notes :
1. The unit of exit width shall be minimum 500mm & 250mm as half-width for
additional occupants.
2. Exit doorway width shall be min. 1000 mm. except assembly buildings where
min. door width shall be 2000 mm. Doorways shall be not less than 2000 mm
in height.
3. the following is the min width of staircases to be provided for occupancy
classes:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Residential Building (dwellings)

Residential Hotel Buildings
Assembly Buildings like auditorium,
theatres and cinemas
Educational buildings up to 30m ht.
Institutional buildings hospitals etc.
All other buildings

1.0m
1.5m
2.0m
1.5m
2.0m
1.5m

General Guideline for Egress System

Corridors, Windows Egress, Accessibility for Disabled
Corridors :

Exit corridors and passageways shall be of width not less than the
aggregate required width of exit doorways leading from them in the
direction of travel to the exterior.

In the case of buildings where there is a central corridor, the doors of

rooms shall open inwards to permit Smooth flow of traffic in the
corridor.

Where stairways discharge through corridors and passageways, the

height of corridors and passageways shall be not less than 2.4 m.

All required exits that serve as egress from hospital or infirmary

sections shall be not less than 2 m in clear width including patient
bedroom doors to permit transportation of patients on beds, litters, or
mattresses. The minimum width of corridors serving patients
bedrooms in buildings shall be2400 mm.

General Guideline for Egress System

Corridors, Windows Egress, Accessibility for Disabled
Windows Egress:

Windows are not exits. They may be used as access to fire escapes in
existing buildings if they meet certain criteria concerning the size of
window opening and the height of the sill from the floor.

Windows may be considered a means of escape from certain

residential occupancies, e.g. Schools, one - two family dwelling etc.

Windows are required in school rooms subject to student occupancy,

unless the building is equipped with a standard automatic sprinkler
system, and in bedrooms in one- and two-family dwellings that do not
have two separate means of escape.

These windows are for rescue and ventilation and must meet the
criteria for size of opening, method of operation, and height from the
floor.

NBC (2005) C-1.7 states - Openable windows on external walls shall be

fitted with such locks that can be opened by a firemans axe.

General Guideline for Egress System

Corridors, Windows Egress, Accessibility for Disabled
Special Considerations for the Handicapped

Handicapped people have a variety of limitations like sensory problems, such as

deafness, blindness, mobility problems, intellectual problem, mental retardation,
Buildings where the use of elevators is not allowed in a fire, adequate areas of refuge
must be provided for handicapped, sick and elderly occupants.

In general, households with handicapped or elderly occupants need a higher level of

protection to provide additional escape time.

Some handicapped/elderly persons need continuous assistance, provisions should be

made for them to provide help.

Audio-visual alarm, bed vibrator for be used for hearing impaired persons.

Ramps for non-movable persons to facilitate evacuation using wheel chair.

For high rise buildings, assembly occupancies etc. providing wheel chair at the area of
refuges.

Provision for Horizontal exits.

General Guideline for Egress System

Unsafe Evacuation

General Guideline for Egress System

Lift Lobbies, Stairways, Ramps

Fire doors with 2 h fire resistance shall be provided at the entrance to lift lobby
and stair well where a funnel or flue effect may be created.

Suitable arrangements such as providing slope in the floor of lift lobby, shall be
made to prevent water used during fire fighting, etc, at any landing from
entering the lift shafts.

For buildings 15 m in height or above non-combustible materials should be used

for construction of lift shaft and staircase enclosure. This should be made of brick
work or reinforced concrete or any other material having minimum of 2h rating.

A staircase shall not be arranged round a lift shaft.

No gas piping or electrical panels shall be allowed in the stairway. Ducting in

stairway may be permitted if it is of 1 h fire resistance rating.

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 or as required by
local fire department.

General Guideline for Egress System

Lift Lobbies, Stairways, Ramps

No living space, store or other fire risk shall open directly into the
staircase or lift lobby.
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.

General Guideline for Egress System

Fire Escape, Protected Enclosure
Fire Escape:
Fire escapes should be stairs, not ladders. Fire escapes are, at best, a poor substitute for
standard interior or exterior stairs.

The same principles of design apply to fire escapes that apply to interior stairs, though
requirements for width, pitch, and other dimensions are generally less strict.

Fire escape stairs should extend to the street or to ground level. When sidewalks would be
obstructed by permanent stairs, swinging stair sections designed to swing down may be
used for the lowest flight of the fire escape stairs.

The area below the swinging section must be kept unobstructed so the swinging section
can reach the ground.

Preferred access to fire escapes is through doors leading from the main building area or
from corridors, never through rooms that may have locked doors except where every room
or apartment has separate access to a fire escape. Although preferred access to fire
escapes is by doors, windows may be used, in which case sills should not be too high above
the floor.

General Guideline for Egress System

Fire Escape, Protected Enclosure
Fire Escape:

Outside Stairs Providing Direct Exits to

the Outside for a Multistory Building.

Fire Escape

Spiral Fire Escape

Windows should be of ample size, and, if insect screens are installed, they should be of a
type that can be opened or removed quickly and easily. Decorative grilles or security bars
should not be installed over windows that provide access to fire escapes.

General Guideline for Egress System

Fire Escape, Protected Enclosure
Fire Escape:

Fire escapes became

useless during fire.

Fire escapes can create a severe fire exposure to people

if flames come out from windows beneath them.

The best location for fire escapes is on exterior masonry

walls without exposing windows, with access to fire
escape balconies by exterior fire doors. Where window
openings expose fire escapes, fixed wired-glass in metal
sashes should be used.

General Guideline for Egress System

Fire Escape, Protected Enclosure
Protected Enclosure:

A protected enclosure is designed and used for the purpose of safe evacuation.
The aim is to provide a smoke, heat & dust free environment during fire or any
other emergency.

The walls and floors of any protected enclosure should be fire rated for suitable
duration, generally for 2 hrs.

Only those openings are allowed which are necessary for access to the enclosure
from normally occupied spaces and for egress from the enclosure.

Penetration of enclosures by ducts, pipes or other utilities constitutes a point of

weakness and may result in entrance of smoke to the enclosure during a fire and
should not be permitted.

It is not good practice to use protected enclosures for any purpose that could
interfere with their value as safe means of egress. For example, exit stair
enclosures should not be used for storage or any other use not associated with
egress or areas of refuge for mobility impaired persons.

General Guideline for Egress System

Fire Escape, Protected Enclosure
Protected Enclosure:

A building of fire-resistance-rated construction is designed to permit a burnout of

contents without structural collapse. Fire resistance rating is important to ensure
that the frame of the building will not collapse and will ensure safe evacuation of the
occupants.

Where a 2-hr fire-rated exit enclosure is required, a fire-resistance-rated structural

frame of the building, capable of withstanding stresses imposed by fire for a similar
period is also necessary.

The doors at the opening of the enclosure should be fire rated and self closing type.

Electrical cables required for lighting (both normal and emergency) of the enclosure
should be the only services inside a protected enclosure.

The gap between any service penetrating the wall and floors should be filled with fire
rated sealant to protect it from smoke from occupied area.

The Exit Enclosure should preferably be pressurised. This will stop the smoke to enter
the enclosure through the doors during operation.

General Guideline for Egress System

Fire Escape, Protected Enclosure
Protected Enclosure:

The Material of construction of structures, walls, floors should be of

non-combustible materials.

Combustible materials should not be used for wall and floor finishes.

Should be provided with emergency lights.

Fire Door
Fire doors are necessary to prevent a fire from
spreading from one fire area to another. Fire
doors should be properly rated and close
automatically in the event of a fire.

Use of Fire Doors in Protected Enclosure

& Fire Barrier

General Guideline for Egress System

Auditorium, Concert Halls, Theatres, Other Buildings/Special Structures

Every place of assembly, every tier or balcony and every individual room used as a
place of assembly shall have exits sufficient to provide for the capacity thereof as
determined in accordance with Part-4. Door width for assembly buildings shall not
be less than 2000mm.

Every place of assembly of having theatrical or motion picture or any other stage
having fixed seats for over 1000 persons, shall have at least four separate exits as
remote from each other as practicable.
Three exits shall be required for over 600 persons.
Two exits shall be provided as a minimum.

For any place of assembly having theatrical or motion picture or any other stage, at
least half the required means of exits shall lead directly outdoors or through exit
ways completely separated from exits serving other parts of the building.

Seats in places of public assembly, accommodating more than 300 persons, shall be
securely fastened to the floor, except if permitted in NBC or by local fire authority.

General Guideline for Egress System

Auditorium, Concert Halls, Theatres, Other Buildings/Special Structures

Arrangement of Seats and Aisles in an Assembly

Occupancy with Normal Seating

Clear aisles not less than 1.2min width shall be formed at right angles to the line of
seating.
No seat shall be more than seven seats away from an aisle.
Aisles should directly meet the Exit Doors.
In case, the above is not feasible, cross aisles should be provided for every 10 rows,
parallel to the rows, directly meeting the Exit Doors.
Cross aisles shall have no steps, slopes of 1 in 10 shall be provided to overcome
level difference.

General Guideline for Egress System

Auditorium, Concert Halls, Theatres, Other Buildings/Special Structures
Exhibition Halls:

General Guideline for Egress System

Auditorium, Concert Halls, Theatres, Other Buildings/Special Structures
Exhibition Halls:
Exhibition Halls are large assembly areas those are multipurpose in nature.
These might have excessive quantities of combustible materials. e.g. packing materials , the
displays, surplus quantities of literature, products etc. resulting in heavy fuel load.
Provision for storage of such materials to be provided as these will cause large and rapid fire
spread.
Recent trends in exhibit booth design are toward larger and multilevel booths.
Special attention is required to the travel distance to the aisle within an exhibit booth or
display.
Multilevel and/or large exhibit booths with ceilings, can shield the booths contents from the
buildings automatic sprinkler system.
In these cases, consideration should be given to providing sprinkler protection for the booth
itself.

General Guideline for Egress System

Auditorium, Concert Halls, Theatres, Other Buildings/Special Structures
Exhibition Halls:

Booths should be constructed of non-combustible, limited combustible, or fireretardant-treated materials.

Exhibition halls should be provided with sprinkler system.

Special diligence regarding control of display and sitting arrangement must be exercised
to ensure unimpeded egress and to maintain the proper travel distances to exits.

Building Services
Electrical System
Special consideration for Electrical System:

Transformer Room should be louvered, cross ventilated, if required mechanical

ventilation to be provided.

Bus bar should be installed in dedicated electrical room at every floor, generally required
for high rise towers.

Electrical rooms should be provided with CO2 type extinguishers.

Wet services to be kept away from electrical service equipments.

Fire hazard from electrical system is generally due to short circuit or heating due to over
loading,

Building Services
HVAC & Smoke Control System
Special consideration for HVAC & Smoke control System:

Ducted system should be design in accordance

with the fire compartments.

Incase, ducts are crossing fire walls, gaps

between wall and ducts to be filled with fire
sealant.

Ducts for kitchen extract system must be fire

rated and automatic fire dampers to be
provided to stop fire and smoke propagation
through ducts.

Air Handling system to be interfaced with Fire

Alarm System, the same should be shut down
during fire.

A dedicated shaft is required beside the

staircase, for pressurization during fire, this is a
requirement of protected enclosure.

Shaft for staircase

pressurization

End of Slide Show

Prepared & Presented by

Sumon Kr. Dey MIFireE, CFPS

Fire Engineer at

Address :
Building # 99 (new), First Floor,
19th Main Road, 1st N block,
Rajaji Nagar, Nagapura Ward# 14,
Bangalore- 560 010.
Email : sumon@ckr.co.in; vinod@cke.co.in