6.

6 Study of fire in relation to the National Building Code

BUILDING CODE AND BUILDING REQUIREMENTS

Building Code
A standard rules for safety in the construction of buildings. Building codes vary in their
fire-resistance requirements in accordance with the occupancy classification.

Building Code Requirements

1. Intended Occupancy and Use
2. Life Safety
3. Fixed Fire Protection System
4. Spacing of Structures -
5. Height Requirements
6. Fire Retarding Features
Intended Occupancy and Use
A building design is based upon the occupancy of the individual structure, considering
both the combustibility of the contents and the human factors of occupancy. Buildings wherein
large occupants are assembled such as dormitories, schools, hospitals, where crowds may
generate panic hazards, call for a higher and greater degree of fire safety protection than do
warehouses and building which are less populated. Buildings that contain high combustible
materials call for a greater degree of fire resistance in the structure.

Life Safety
The provision of adequate exits is the most important feature in designing a building for
life safety. Once fire is notified, occupants can leave the building in the least possible time
through exits free from fire, heat, and smoke. Although panic in a burning building may be
uncontrollable, it can be eased with the measures designed to help prevent panic-an example
of this is the exit signs. Panic seldom develops in a burning building as long as the occupants
are moving towards exits that have no obstructions in the path of travel.

The life safety factor is affected by many building designs and features-designs and
features that prevent, reduce, or retard the spread of the fire, such as: fire stops, fire walls, and
fire doors.

Fixed Fire Protection System

Fixed fire protection system installed will be in accordance with sound economical and
engineering practices. These systems insure the maximum life safety-or maximum degree of
property protection where the size, type of construction, occupancy, or other conditions create
severe monetary fire-loss potential.

Spacing of Structures
Planning and construction of an adequate separation of buildings and structures is very
important to prevent the spread of fire from an adjacent building or from area to area. Spacing
requirements that restrict types of occupancies or specified areas have an important bearing
upon fire safety. Consideration will be given to convenience, efficiency, and savings. When
buildings have different occupancies and different types of construction are adjacent, maximum
spacing requirements have to be observed.

Height Requirements
Owing to the life hazard involved, it is a good practice to limit the height of structures that have
an unusually high degree of combustibility.
The height of buildings of masonry or concrete wall and wood construction is generally limited
to a height assumed to be the maximum at which the fire departments can operate and fight fire
effectively, working from the street level. The operational limit is usually three (3) or four (4)
stories. Wood frame construction is generally given lower height limits. Fire resistive, buildings
are commonly permitted without any height limit, on the theory that the structural integrity of the
buildings will be maintained.

Fire Retarding Features

While a facility is still being designed, everything possible should be planned and done to make
the facility eventually fire safe. Fire retarding features must be specified in the plans. For the
safety of personnel, important provisions in preventing the spread of fire (both vertically and
horizontally in buildings should be constructed).

a. Fire Stops
Wood is used as a fire stop, it must be at least 2 inches thick. Concealed spaces in the building
should be filled with noncombustible material. Fire stops must be inspected during the
construction.

b. Fire Partitions
Fire partitions are installed to separate areas of hazardous occupancies from areas of ordinary
or light hazard occupancies that resist the passage of fire from one area to another. Fire
partitions must be constructed to have fire-resistance ratings of 1 or 2 hours. The degree of fire
resistance will be governed by the following factors:

 type of building construction;

 size of the hazardous area;
 the severity of the fire hazard

c. Fire Walls

Fire walls are installed for the purpose of preventing the passage of fire from one building to
another, or from one fire area of a building to another area. Fire wall must be structurally sound
and may serve as an important wall if no combustible structural members are framed into the
walls. It has a particular fire resistance rating depending on its construction and thickness. Fire
walls must have a parapet with a minimum height of three (3) feet above the roof for all types of
roof construction except roofs top floor assemblies with a minimum fire-resistance rating of two
(2) hours. Wing walls are required except where exterior walls of building are of concrete or
made up of masonry construction. Fire walls will be bonded into exterior walls.

Combustible eave construction should be interrupted by fire wall parapets corbelled out two (2)
feet beyond the building wall. Fire wall returns at exterior building walls will be twenty (20) feet
long of unbroken exterior concrete or masonry without windows, doors, or other openings, and
without combustible cornices or roof overhangs.