( Reaffirmed 1998 )

IS:12456 -1988

Indian Standard

CODE OF PRACTICE FOR FIRE PROTECTION OF ELECTRONIC DATA PROCESSING INSTALLATION

0. 0.1This Indian FOREW ORD
Data Handling Area - Where the data is processed through the computer media, for example, punched cards, punched paper tape, magnetic tape or disk, etc.

Standard was adopted by the Bureau of Indian Standards on 3d June -1988, after the draft finalized by the Fire Safety Sectional Committee had been approved by the Civil Engineering Division Council. 0.2 Electronic data processing (EDP) equipment is a machine or a group of machines that uses electronic circuitry to perform arithmetic or logical operations automatically by means of an internally, or externally stored programme of machine. The development and the use of EDP system is a direct result of the technological breakthrough. With increased complexity of modern industry, business and research work, it has become a vital tool in recent years and As the obviously warrants proper protection. equipment is used for processing large amount of statistical, problematical and experimental information, its malfunctioning can put the whole programming operation in jeopardy. This speaks for the importance of its safeguarding against any fire hazard since a rise in temperature of the surroundings of the system exceeding 45C will cause its malfunctioning and a sustained ambient temperature above 50C may cause irreversible failures. 0.3 The electronic data processing area should be deemed to include the following areas: a) Central Processing Area - Where the central processing unit and its associated equipment are installed.

C>Media Stores-

Ready use paper store and magnetic media library.

d) Output Printing Area - Where the printing

of output data is carried out. Communication e> communication Area -Where the EDP telesystem is installed.

and effective-__ 0.4 The tackling of. fire with speed -_ ness assumes great Importance. I he security staff and the other staff should be trained in the use of fire fighting equipment. 0.5 The provisions relating to all safety aspects including the fire safety aspect have been included and the aspects other than fire will be deleted when these are covered separately. 0.6 For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, the final value, observed or calculated, expressing the result of a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in accordance with IS:2-1960. The number of significant places retained in the rounded off value should be the same as that of the specified value in this standard.
*Rules for rounding off numerical values ( revised )

1.SCOPE
standard lays down the minimum requirements for the protection of electronic computer/data processing equipment from damage by fire covering the structural environment and its protection.

2. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
2.1 The electronic computer/data processing system should be housed in fire resistance building of Type I Construction ( see IS : 1642-1987* ).

1.1This

2.2 The EDP installation should be housed in a separate building or in a separated part of the building. NOTE- This code is not intended to apply to micro2.2.1 If the communication is essential, the processors, desk type units or to EDP equipment limited opening should be protected to retain the approin value. However users may decide to apply whole of a part of the recommendations given in this code to such priate standard of fire resistance.
*Code of practice for fire safety of buildings ( general ): Details of construction (first revision ).

equipment, depending on the importance of the system, the information recorded and the consequences of any loss of use.

IS : 12456 - 1988 2.3 The floor of any storey immediately above the EDP areas should be made waterproof and precaution should be taken to prevent water entering the EDP area. 2.4 All ventilation or service ducts serving other parts of the building should not pass through the EDP area. 2.4.1 Where because of the planning difficulty, it is required that ventilation or service ducts pass through an EDP area, the same should be fire resistant shafts with fire resistance as for the fire separating walls and the floors. 2.4.2 The sections of ducting serving the EDP area and external to it should also be treated as the fire resistant shafts. 2.5 The EDP area should be so located that it is not exposed to fire, water, corrosive fumes and smoke from adjoining areas directly or indirectly. 2.6 ?he computer room, training area and the peripheral equipment rooms should be segregated from the rest of the area by 2 h fire resisting walls (see IS : 1642-1988 ). The walls should be constructed up to the structural ceiling. All openings should be protected by 1 h fire resisting automatic closing doors. 2.7 The treatment of the walls, partitions, etc, should be non-combustible and have flame spread rating of Class 1 ( see IS : 1642-1988* ). 2.7.1 The raised floor panels may be covered with tiles having flame spread of Class 1. These panels should screw down to the structural frame and should be so constructed that any panel could be removed with speed for putting down fire that may break out under the raised floor. The structural floor beneath the raised floor should be given a slope for draining out water and also checking entry of any pests. 2.7.2 False Flooring - The false floor material should be antistatic. Provision of facing on underside of panels with GI sheet/non-combustible material is preferable. 2.7.3 Wall Pane&g - Timber frame work coated with fire retardent paint may be used. 2.8 All cable openings IS : 12459-19887 ). should be sealed ( see
3. AIR CONDITIONING

3.1 The air conditioning plant and ducting should be designed so as to avoid the spread of fire and smoke by incorporating the following features :

a) A separate air handling plant exclusively for

the EDP area ( see 3.2); EDP area;

b) Maintaining a positive air pressure within the 4

Good house keeping in the plant rooms specially if the plant rooms form part of the air circuit; The avoidance ducting; of combustible materials for

e) Automatic control to stop the AC blowers in

the event of fire alarm inside the EDP area, in addition to manual centre;

f, Provision of a facility for extracting smoke

from the EDP area, and provision of a suitable and effective means of ventilating the EDP area after the discharge of the fire extinguishing media; (e) and ( f) to be located area; and to in outside the EDP

8) Manual controls for facilities referred

h> Where

ducting passes walls or floors, automatic be provided (see 3.5) manual operation within

through separating fire dampers should with facilities for the EDP area.

3.2 Plant Room 3.2.1 The plant room should be fire separated from the EDP area by the construction of a minimum fire resistance of 1 h. Combustible material, oil and other fire hazards should be excluded for the plant room. 3.2.2 Automatic fire dampers should be fitted in the ducting where it penetrates the plant room wall and: in the plant room cannot be as above, b> the plant room is common to areas outside the EDP area, and Cl there is no facility within the EDP area for emergency control of the fans or recirculation. 3.3 Ducting - Where insulation is used, noncombustible material may be applied to the inside or the outside of the ducting. 3.4 Fire Dampers 3.4.1 Dampers of 1 h rating should close automatically under emergency conditions. They should be held in the open position by means of an electromagnetic device operated by a smoke detector. 3.5 Air conditioning units for installation within the EDP area units which embody the following design features are likely to have the least inherent 2 conditions a> controlled

2.9 All office furniture should be of metal construction or any other non-combustible material. 2.10 Paper and other combustible materials should be kept in totally closed metal cabinets or receptacles. 2.11 The magnetic tape, job assembly, supervisor and maintenance rooms should be located on the periphery of the computer room.
*Code of practice for fire safety of buildings (general): Materials and details of construction (first revision ). tCode of practice of fire protection of cable runs.

IS : 12456 - 1988 risk of fire or smoke and are recommended: a) Non-combustible thermal insulation and filters wherein the combustion properties have been considered; and b) Thermal cut outs which operate if components overheat, that is, in the event of fan failure. 4. ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION 4.1 The source of supply should be an independent circuit (feeder). There should be provision for emergency supply of power in case of failure. 4.2 All electrical wirings and lighting should conform to IS: 1646-1982*. surges

4 Where the operation of a system is intended

to effect fire suppresion in addition to action giving alarm, the system should operate when two separate signals derived from independent zones have been received at the controls. The system should give caution alarm when detector in any one zone goes into alarm condition.

NOTE- The object of this requirement is to reduce the possibility of an unwanted operation as a result of: 1) Accidental or, or malicious triggering of a detector,

2) Electrical accidents such as short circuits.

4.3 The number of junction boxes in underfloor areas should be kept to a minimum. If they are to be used, they should be of metal, completely enclosed, easily accessible, properly grounded and in accordance with the requirements of the relevant electrical code. No connection should be made in the underfloor area except within junction boxes, or approved type receptacles, or the connector. 4.4 The iliumination 500 lux. should not be less than

e) The automatic fire detection system should, in

an unattended situation, stop fans and close dampers in the air conditioning system and cut-off all power supplies to the EDP area.

f) Where the EDP area is attended and the

automatic cut-off of the power supplies to the EDP installation by the system referred to in (e) would result in serious damage, arrangements should be made for immediate manual shut down in a pre-determined manner as soon as a fire is indicated by a fire detection system.

5. FIRE DETECTION AND EXTINCTION AND EQUIPMENT 5.1 Automatic Fire Detection System 5.1.1 The EDP area and EDP installation should be protected by an automatic fire alarm system using smoke detectors to detect fire at an early stage (see IS : 2189-1988~ ). 5.1.2 In addition to the requirement given in IS : 2189-1988t, the following provisions should also be adhered to:

5.2 Fire Fighting Equipment 5.2.1 Portable fire extinguishers of Halon type conforming to relevant Indian Standard should be provided in the EDP area near the EDP installation and the associated equipment. 5.2.2 In addition, to the portable fire extinguishers, hose-reels conforming to relevant Indian Standard should be provided near the equipment handling large quantities of paper outside the computer rooms. 5.2.3 Suitable heat resisting gloves or clothes should be provided to facilitate the removal of heated components when cabinets are of necessity opened in the event of fire. 5.2.4 Where modular false floors are installed, appropriate lifters should be provided. 5.3 Automatic Fire Extinction 5.3.1 Where an installation is attended not at all times during the operation periods, the need for an automatic fire extinguishing system should be considered throughout the EDP area and the airconditioning installation. 5.3.2 The automatic operation of a total flooding system in any part of an EDP area should have provision to be prevented by a suitable lock off system. Provision should be made for manual operation of the system by controls located outside the area and should be identifiable. The lock off should be an effective system ensuring that the compressed gas cannot escape from its primary storage vessels under forseeable fault conditions. 3

a) One disconnection switch should be provided

at the exit of the area except the light. The switch should also simultaneously stop air conditioning system and operate the fire damper. There should be some similar parallel switch in the control room. The switch when operated, should have an indicating light and should also give an audible firm alarm.

b> The fire damper should be provided in the air

conditioned air ducts and the return passage at the point of entry, and should automatically close in the event of fire alarm or power disconnecting switch operations. C>Both types of smoke detectors should be used alternately and the spacing as given in IS: 2189-19887 be followed with the modification that the coverage per detector should not be more than 30 sq m.
*Code of practice for fire safety of buildings ( general ): Electrical installations (first revision ). tCode of practice for selection,.installation and maintenance of automatic fire detectlon and alarm system ( second revision ).

IS : 12456- 1988 5.3.3 If the fire extinguishing system is made inoperative, for example, because maintenance is being undertaken, a continuously sounding audible or visual alarm should be brought into operation automatically.

6. PRECAUTION 6.1 Smoking should be prohibited. 6.2 Waste paper or rubbish should not allowed to accumulate in the EDP area but should be removed daily. It is equally important that the plant room is cleaned regularly and should not be used as a store for rubbish, wastes, etc. Floors and ceiling voids should be inspected at frequent intervals to avoid accumulation of the combustible materials. 6.3 The building should be provided with a lightning conductor whose efficiency should be periodically checked on. 6.4 The area around the building should be kept away from weeds and the wild growth of vegetation. The space heater with exposed conductor element or hot surface should not be used. 6.5 No combustible material, equipment or operation which constitute a hazard and which are not directly associated with the computer system, should be permitted in a computer room. 6.6 Personnel working in the installation should be trained in safe use of all available fire fighting equipment. 6.7 Notices should be provided to work personnel, of the hazard associated with the gaseous fire extinguishing system and warning plates indicating of an automatic fire extinguishing system should be fixed to all doors.

5.3.4 Prior to and during the discharge of the extinguishing medium, whether by automatic or manual means, an audible warning should sound inside and outside the protected area. This warning should be distinguishable from any other warning devices in the area. 5.3.5 In addition to the audible warning, an indicating panel should be provided outside each door to the protected area. The panel should indicate the action to be taken and by labelled visual signals display: a) Red - Do not enter-system b) YeZlow-Do controls. c) Green -Entry locked off. not enter-system has operated. on automatic system

permitted -automatic

5.3.6 Gas extinguishing installations with single supply for spaces that may be occupied by people, should incorporate an automatic stop valve (which could be a distribution valve) in the line between the gas storage and the protected space. This is to prevent gas being discharged into the space as a result of accidental release from the storage vessel(s). The automatic stop valve should be monitored so as to raise an audible warning whenever it is not in the fully closed positions.