Benda WOnd DEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING CONTROL DIVISION PWD FIRE PRECAUTIONS FOR BUILDINGS 1982 feDEVELOPMENT AND BUILDING CONTROL DIVISION FIRE PRECAUTIONS FOR BUILDINGS 1982 This Code is primarily intended to serve as a guide to Architects, Professional Engineers and the Government Departments concerned with regard to the Means of Escape and Fire Pre- caution requirements in connection with the construction of new buildings and the submission of building plans to the Building Control Branch of the Development and Building Control Division (PWD) Singapore for approval. CONTENTS | Page | Chapter 1 = Definitions ard Interpretations 1 Chapter 2. — Means of Escape 9 Chapter 3. — Structural Fire Precautions 27 Chapter 4 — Fire Extinguishing Appliances, Detection and Atarm Systems and Installations 93 Chapter §. — Special Uses, Occupancies and Structures 109CHAPTER 1 DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS. Reg.2” = Definitions Reg. 2A Abbreviations and symbols Reg. 2B — Reference to “regulation” Reg. 2 — Designation of purpose groups Reg. 2D — Table to Regulation 2¢ 2. In theso Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, the following expressions have the meanings hereby respectively assigned to them, and other expressions have the meanings assigned to them by the Building Control (Administration) Regulations 1979, ‘Phe Building Control (Space, Light & Ventilation) Regulations 1979 or the Building Control (Construction) Regulations 1979: “accepted codes of practice’ means codes, standards or manuals acceptable to the Building Authority; “aggregate” means any material other than cement and water used in the making of concrete and complying with the requirements of Singapore Standard SS 31(1971); “air conditioning” means the process of treating air so as to control simultaneously its temperature, humidity, purity, distribution and movement to meet the requirements of the conditioned space; “approved” means approved by the Building Authority; approved plan” means a plin of a building or any building works approved by the Building Authority in accordance with the Act and these Regulations; “balcony” means any stage, platform oriel window or other similar structure projecting outwards from the wall of a building beyond the other face of an external wall of the building and supported by brackets or cantilevered; “base”, in relation to a wall or pier, means ~ (a) the underside of the course immediately above the footings, if any, or in the case of a wall carried by a beam, above the bbeum; and (b) in any other case the bottom of such wall or pier: “basement storey” means — (a) a storey of a building which is below the first storey and the floor of which is situated at such a level that more than half the height of such storey is below the level of the ground adjoining its perimeter walls for more than hall the length of such perimeter walls; and (b) where the building has no storey above ground, a storey, the floor of which is situated at such a level that eitl the whole storey is below ground or more than hal! the height of such storey is below the level of the ground adjoining its perimeter walls for more than hall the length of such perimeter walls; Definitions.“bressumer™ means a beam or girder which carries a wall; “British Standard Code of Practice” means the Practice issued by the British Standards Institution: “BSS.” means British Standard Spe “Building Authority” means the Deputy Director (Development and Building Control) of the Public Works Department and includes any officer authorised by him generally or specially to exercise the powers, functions and duties conferred by the Building Control (Administration) Regulations 1979; “business premises” means a building or part thereof designed, adapted or used for the carrying on of a business or profession but does not include a school, hospital, factory or godown: “car parks” rent Code of fication: (@) “covered car park” means a parking area which is housed in a building or a part of a building which is roofed over as distinct from a car parking area in the open air; (b) “multi-storeys car park" means a covered car park’ as defined above comprising two or more storeys above ground level; “ceiling” means the covering to the underside of a floor joist, ceiling Joist or floor slab excluding in every case any supporting beam, and where no such covering exist, means the underside of a floor joist, floor slab, roof collar or tie excluding any supporting beam; “column”, in relation to structural steel or reinforced concrete, means a part of a construction which by its resistance to com. pression in the direction of its length and to bending actions induced by such compression, supports and transmits a load; “concrete” means concrete complying with specifications for conerete set out in the Building Control (Construction) Regulations 1979; “dead load” or “dead loading’ means the weight of all walls, floors, roofs, partitions and other like permanent structures “depth”, in respect of a building, means the measured distance at ground level between the front line of the building and the back line of the rear main wall which separates the main building from the open space; “detached building” means a building not attached to another build- ings “dwelling” means a building or part thereof which is used-or is intended, adapted or designed to be used for living purposes and isa self-contained unit; “factory” means a building or past thereof de: ned, adapted or used for — (@) the making of any article, commodity or product or part thereof; or (b) the altering, repairing. ornamenting, finishing, cleaning, washing or the breaking up or demolition of any article commodity or product or part thereof; or (©) the adapting for sale or assembly of any article, co ot product or part thereof modity“fire doors”, “fire windows” and “fire shutters” means respectively, doors, windows and shutters constructed in conformity with the relevant provisions of Chapter 3 of this Code; “fire resistance rating? Yeans the minimum period of time during which an element of a structure may be expected to function satisfactorily while subject to the standard fire test provided for in Chapter 3 of this Code; “flat” means a separate dwelling used or constructed or adapted to be used wholly or principally for human habitation for a single family, where the kitchen, lavatory, bathroom or water-closet are contained within the separate dwelling and that dwelling is contained in a building comprising two or more such dwellings joined vertically; “flat roof” means a roof having no inelination or having an incl of not more than seven and a half degrees with the horizontal; ation “floor” includes any horizontal platform forming the surface of a storey and any joist board, timber, stone, concrete, steel! or other substance connected with or forming part of such platform; footing’ means the construction by which the weight of a building is transferred to the foundation or pile of the building; “footway” Includes a footway or verandah way at the side of any street; “foundation” means that part of the construction immediately below the footings of a building, which is in direct contact with and through which the weight’ of the building is transmitted to the ground; “garage” includes any premises or part thereof — (a) used for the repairing, painting, washing, storing, housing or parking of motor vehicles; or (b) where a pump is maintained from which petrol or oil is supplied to motor vehicles; “godown means a building or’part thereof designed adapted or used for the storage but not for sale of goods in connection with the carrying on of any trade or business; “first storey" means that storey of a building where the main entrance to the building is located at or above the level of the ground at the front of the building. Where however the main entrance floor level is below the ground in front of it, it may be considered to be the first storey provided not more than half the storey is below the ground; “habitable room” means any room not less than 65m? in area but does not include any bathroom, water-closet, open verandah, terrace, garage, lift motor room or ancillary plant room which is not permanently occupied except for repair purposes; “hardwood timber” includes Chenghai (Chengal), merbau, Bala, Kapor (Kapur), Ressak (Resak), billian, Tembusu, Keruing, Tampenis, Teak or any other timber approved as hardwood timber by the Building Authority; Definitions,Definitions, “height” in relation to — (a) a room means the vertical distance measured between the finished floor level and the underside of the ceiling (b) any storey means the vertical distance measured between the upper surface Of its floor £0 the upper surface of the Moor immediately above it; (©) a wall means the vertical distance measured from the base Of the wall to its highest part or, in the case of a gable to half the height of the gable; (A) a building, except as otherwise defined in Regulation 127, means the vertical distance measured from the mean level of the ground pavement or road abutting outside of the building to the floor level of the highest storey of the building; “highly flammable liquid’ means liquid petroleum, kerosene and any Oil, liquid, spirit or similar liquid which will fash or emit an inflammable vapour at or below a temperature of 65 degrees Celcius, Abel Close Test; “hospital” means any building or part thereof designed, adapted or used for the care or treatment of the sick, infirm, aged, convales- cent or pregnant; “hotel” means a building specifically designed and constructed or substantially adapted to be used to accommodate persons for the Purpose of gain or profit, with or without arrangements for communal feeding, and includes a boarding house, lodging-house or guest-house “intel” means a beam supporting walling over an opening or recess: “load bearing” in relation to a part of a building (including its founda- tion), means that the part of the building bears a load other than that due to its own weight and wind pressure on its own surface: “mechanical ventilation” means the process of supplying or removing air to or from a building or part thereof by mechanical means or devices; “mesh”, in relation to the measurement of materials, means the mesh of a sieve complying with B.S.S, for Test Sieves numbered 410 of 1931; “mezzanine” means any subsidiary storey interposed between two main storeys of a building: “natural ventilation” means the supply of outside air to a building or removal of inside air from a building by means of windows and other openings due to wind outside and convection effects arising from temperature or vapour pressure differences (or both) between inside and outside of the building “non-combustible material” means any material which neither burns nor gives off an inflammable vapour in sufficient quantity to ignite when subjected to the test for combustibility prescribed in BS 476 Part 4: 1970 4 |“partition” means a temporary or easily removable vertical structure made of panel work, covered with metal, wood or plaster sheets or other similar material used for the subdivision of spaces within a building; “party structure” means any partition wall or floor required to have a fire resistance rating and used for the purpose of separating storeys or rooms in separate occupancies to resist the spread of fire in accordance with Chapter 3 of this Code; “pitched roof” means a roof having an inclination of more than seven and one-half degrees with the horizontal; “place of public resort” means a building or a defined or enclosed place used or constructed or adapted to be used either ordinarily or occasionally as a church, chapel, mosque, temple or other place where public worship is or religious ceremonies are performed, not being merely @ dwelling-house so used, or as a cinema, theatre, public hall, public concert room, public ballroom, public lecture room, or public exhibition room, club, association, restaurant, hotel, coffee house, eating house or milk bar, or as a public place of assembly for persons admitted thereto by ticket or otherwise or used or constructed or adapted to be used either ordinarily or occasionally for any other public purpose; “prestressed concrete” means concrete in which predetermined stresses are induced to counteract the stresses due to dead and superimposed loading for the purpose of eliminating or decreasing the tensil stresses due to bending and shear; “public building” means a building or part thereof used or con- structed or adapted to be used as a shop, office, hospital or place of public resort, not being church, chapel, mosque, temple or other place where public worship is or religious ceremonies are performed: “einforced concrete” means concrete not inferior to that set out in the Schedule to the Building Control (Construction) Regulations 1979 and strengthened by reinforcement complying with the relevant provisions contained in the said Schedule; “repair garage” means any premises or part thereof where repairing, painting or washing of motor vehicles, automobile body and Fender work or any process connected therewith is carried on; “residential building” means a building or part thereof designed, ‘adapted of used for human habitation such as a detached, semi: detached or terrace house or a residential flat and includes any outbuilding and other covered structure which are intended for the enjoyment of the occupiers of the building or part thereof or are otherwise appurtenant to a residential building as such; “restaurant” means a building or part thereof to which the public has access and used for the carrying on of any business where the primary purpose is the sale of foodstuffs for consumption in the building or part thereof and includes a bar, coffee shop, coffee house, eating house or milk bar “room means 2 portion of a building enclosed by walls or partitions; 5 Definitions,Definitions. “school” means a building or part thereof designed, adapted or used for the dissemination of knowledge and includes a creche: “service road” means a road required by the Competent Authority under the Planning Act (Chapter 279) and shown as such on the Jayout plan approved by such authority; “shop or shopping centre” means a building or part thereof to which the public has access and used for the carrying on of a trade or business where the primary purpose is the sale of goods and includes a building used for the purposes of a hairdresser, ticket agency, pawnbroker, dispensary or receiving office for goods to be washed, cleaned or repaired or any other similar trade or busi- ness; “shophouse’” means a terrace building the first storey of which is designed, adapted or used for business purposes and of which the first and other storey or storeys have a common entrance; “Singapore Standard Code of Practice” means the current Code of Practice issued by the Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research; “storey” means the space between the upper surface of every floor and the surface of the floor next above it, or if there is no such floor next above it, or if there is no such floor then the underside of the tie or collar beam of the roof or other covering or if there is neither a tie nor a collar beam then the level of half the vertical height of the underside of the rafters or other support of the roof; “superimposed load” or “superimposed loading” means all loading other than dead loading; “terrace house” means a residential building designed as single dwelling unit and forming part of a row or terrace of not less than three such residential buildings; “verandah.way” means a covered foot-way at the side of a street; “walls” — (@) “boundary wall” means any wall, fence, enclosure or screen built on or along a boundary line of a parcel of land for the purpose of separating such land from another adjoining parcel of land; (B) “cross wall” means an internal wall dividing a party wall or an external wall into distinct lengths; (©) “external wall” means an outer wall or vertical enclosure of a building not being a party wall even though it may adjoin a wall of another building; (@ “load bearing wall” means a wall which supports any load in addition to its own weight; © “non-load bearing wall” means a wall which supports no load other than its own weight: (“panel wall” means a non-load bearing wall in frame construc- tion built between columns or piers and wholly supported at each storey: 6i i i | I j i | (@) “partition wall” means an internal wall used for the purpose of subdividing a storey of a building into sections and which supports no load other than its own weight; + (h) “party wall” means a wall forming part of a building and used or constructed to be used along any part of its height or length for the separation of adjoining buildings, lands, or parts of the building that belong to different owners or are intended to be occupied by different persons. 2A. The abbreviations and symbols listed in the following Table are used in these regulations:- ‘Abbreviation or Symbol | Definition BS c cp db ° kg KN kw m | British Standard Centigrade Code of Practice decibel degree kilogram Kilonewton Kilowatt metre square metre cubic metre millimetre square millimetre minute newton Regulation Singapore Standard Singapore Institute of Standards and Industrial Research. Watt 2B. In this Code, any reference to a regulation which is not otherwise identified is a reference to a part of this Code. 2C. For the purpose of this Code wherever reference is made to “purpose groups”, every building or part of a building shall be regarded as falling within one of the groups set out in Table 2D to this Regulation, Where a building is divided into different parts used or intended to be used for different purposes, the purpose group of each part shall be determined separately; provided that where the whole or part of a building (as the case may be) is used oF intended to be used for more than one purpose, only the main purpose of use of that building oF part of the building shall be taken into account in determining into which purpose group it falls. 7 Definitions. Abbreviations and symbols, Reference to “Regulations” Designation of purpose groups2D. Table to Regulation 2C (Designation of purpose groups) Purpose Group Descriptive Title Purpose for which building or part of the building is used or intended to be used 0 Mt Vv VI Vil vu ‘Small residential Other residential Institutional Office Factory Place of public resort Storage and general Private dwelling house such as bungalows, semi- detached houses and terrace houses. Accommodating for residential purposes, other than any premises comprised in Groups I and III viz flats, maisonettes, apartments etc. Hospital, nursing home, school or other similar establishment used as living accommodation or for treatment, care or maintenance of, persons suffering from disabilities due to illness or old age or other physical or mental disability Office or premises used for office purposes meaning the purposes of administration, clerical work (including book-keeping, accounting, drawing and editorial work etc) telephone and telegraph operat- ing and banking or as premises occupied with an office for the purposes of the activities therein carried on. Shop or shopping centre as defined in Regulation 2 of this Code as well as departmental. stores, shopping arcades, supermarkets, drugstore and showrooms for sale of goods. “factory"’ as defined in the definitions in Regulation 2 of this Code. “Place of public resort” as defined in the definitions in Regulation 2 of this Code as well as any building ‘or premises used -for other social recreational, educational or business purposes not comprised within Groups I to VI Place of storage (including godowns, warehouses, stores etc) deposit or parking of goods and materials (including vehicles) and other premises not com- prised in Groups | to VIL.Table72A 0 — Reg 73 - Table 734, Diagrams 73A-D Reg 74 ~ Reg 75 = Reg 76 - CHAPTER 2 MEANS OF ESCAPE General Definitions and general requirements (@) Exit (b) Occupant load (c) Travel distance (a) External staircase (e) Protected staircase (A) Exit passageway (g)__ Sprinkler system (h) Corridor (High hazard occupancy Area of refuge (k) Vertical exit ()_ Direct distance (m) Two-way escape Occupant loads Determination of exit requirements (1) Mixed occupancy (2) Multiple occupaney or use (3) Non simultaneous occupancy (4) Capacity of exits (5) Minimum width (6) Maximum width (7) Measurement of width (8) Number of exits from rooms and spaces (9) Number of staircases or exits per storey (10) Exit reduction (11) Location of exits (12) Smoke free approuch staircase (13) Exemption Determination of exit requirements Illustration of application of travel distances and concept of direct distance Means of escape requirements (1). Exit passage ways (2) Internal staireases (3) External staircases (4). Scissor stairs (8) Hardwood staircases (6). Spiral staircases (7) Ramps (8) Doors Exit lighting Exit and directional signs Page n 14 IsCHAPTER 2 MEANS OF ESCAPE 71, The provisions of this Chapter of the Code shall control the design, construction, protection, location, arrangement and maintenance of required exit facilities to provide safe means of escape from all buildings hereafter erected, altered or changed in occupancy; except that exit requirements for special uses and occupancies, as are provided in Chapter 5 of this Code shall be additional to or take precedence over the provisions of this Chapter, as the case may be. 72. For the purpose of this Code the following definitions and associated requirements shall be applicable: (a) Exit ‘A means of ogress from the interior of the building to an exterior space which is provided by the use of the following either the singly or in combination: exterior door openings, protected staircases, exit passageways or exterior stairs, but not including access stairs, aisles, corridor doors or corridors. (&) The “occupant load” of a building or part thereof means the total number of persons that may occupy such building or part thereof at any one time. The “occupant load” shall be established either: (i) by the actual number of occupants for whom each occupied space of the building is designed as shown on the plans, or (ii) by applying to the floor areas available for occupation the appropriate areas per person as laid down in Table 72A, whichever is the greater, (c) “Travel distance" means the distance required to be traversed from the most remote point in any room or space to the centre of a door opening directly to a protected staircase, or an open exterior space, oF an exit passageway, provided that in the case of a residential flat or apartment the travel distance should be measured from the door of the furthermost room, and in the case of a hotel bedroom or suite, the travel distance should be measured firstly from the most remote point in the room or suite to its exit door, and secondly from its exit door to the protected staircase, open exterior space or exit passageway. " General Definitions and geneval requirement.The maximum travel distance for the respective type of occu Pancies shall be not greater than as laid down in Table 73 read in conjunction with the following (Dn the case of a Moor area designed with twoaway escape provisions, the maximum travel distance as given in Table 73A. shall be applicable to both escape routes ‘measured from the most remote equidistant point (in relation to the 2 exits) in the room or space to the relevant exits, (See diagram 73A), (ii) In a large floor area subdivided into rooms, corridors and so forth, the travel distance requirements of the fore- going parayraphs of this Regulation shall be deemed to be satisfied if the “direct ined in Reg 72(1) does not ¢ ble maximum direct distance as specified in Table 73. (ii) For the purpose of this Regulation the most remote point from which the travel distance is measured shall be | taken as being 400mm from the enclosure wall of the 1 room or space. (iv) The maximum direct distance in a dead end to either the nearest exit from the storey or to a point from which escape is available in separate directions to alternative exits, should not exceed the permissible one way escape direct distance subject fo the overall travel distance to the nearest exit from the storey not exceeding the two way, escape permissible travel distance. (¥) In the case of a hotel bedroom storey, the travel distance from the most remote point in a room or suite to its exit door shall not exceed 9 metres and then from the furthermost of such room or suite exit door on the storey to a protected staircase or exterior open space, the travel distance shall not exceed that sp. hotels in Table 73 @) External Staircas Any staircase constructed of non-combustible materials open to the outdoor air, that serves as a required exit ©) Protected Staircase: A staircase which has its walls, ceilings and floors so constructed of non-combustible materials, having a fire. resistance for not less than the minimum period required by Regulation 132 in Chapter 3 for elements of structure for the part of the building in which it is situated. The doors to such staircases shall have a minimum % hour fire-resistance, shall be self-closing, and be opening in the direction of escape. A protected staircase shall discharge at ground level either directly or in_close proximity to an exterior open space ot to an exit passageway or to the first storey, which is protected by a sprinkler system, having direct access to an exterior open space. | 12wo (h) @ oO (k) “Exit passageway” means a horizontal extension of a vertical exit viz protected staircase, or a passage leading from a yard ‘or court to an open external space, complying with the re- quirements of Reg 137 for protected shafis in respect of the fire resistance ratings of its enclosure walls, floors, ceilings and doors. In addition to the doors connecting the exit passage- way to a protected staircase or other vertical exit or external open space, there shall be not more than 2 doors opening into an exit passageway and such doors shall be self-closing and complying in every respect with the relevant provisions of Reg 138, except that in the case of an external exit passage way along the side of a storey of a building the limitation as to the number of doors shall not be applicable “Sprinkler system” means an automatic sprinkler installation conforming to the requirements of an accepted Code of Practice. Corridor: ‘A passage providing a means of access from rooms or spaces to.an exit. “High hazard occupancy” means any occupancy in which the type of goods or materials stored or the nature of the trade or manufacture be such as to increase the fire probability and cause the rapid burning of its contents or produce poisonous or noxious fumes or explosions in the event of a fire or in any way accentuate the fire hazard “Area of refuge” in relation to the means of exit of a building ‘means an area in adjoining building or an adjoining part of the same building adequately fire separated from it by a construction having fire resistance for a period of at least 2 hours, to which egress is made through supplemental exits such as'a balcony, a bridge, a tunnel, staircase and so forth, ‘An area of refuge shall be adequate in size to hold the occupant load it receives from the floor area it serves in addi. tion to its own occupant load on the basis of 0.3m? per person and shall be provided with at least one protected staircase d exit facilities of adequate width discharging at ground level directly to an exterior open space. Doors providing access to an area of refuge shall be kept unlocked at all times when the floor area served by the area of refuge is occupied. Such doors shall be swinging and self: closing doors having a fire resistance rating of 1% hours except that doors in fire divisions of 3 or 4 hours fire resistance rating shall have a fire resisting rating of 3 hours. They shall swing in the direction of exit travel. “Vertical exit” means a staircase or ramp serving as an exit from one or more storeys above or below ground level, 13() “Direct distance” — means the shortest distance from a point in the floor area, measured within the external enclosure walls of the floor area, to the relevant exits ignoring internal walls, partitions and fittings other than the enclosure walls of protected staircases (see diagram 73B & 73C). Where the “direct distance” concept is adopted, the maximum per- missible direct distance shall be taken as being 2/3 of the maximum permissible travel ice given in Table 73A.. (m) “Two-way escape” — means a situation on where there are 2 independent escape routes and the subtended angle between the 2 lines of travel from the relevant point in the floor area to the exits shall not be less than 45° (see diagram 73D). If the subtended angle is less than 45°, then it should be con- sidered as a one-way escape arrangement, notwithstanding the fact that there are 2 exits, TABLE 724 OCCUPANT LOADS ‘Areas of ‘occupied Intended use or type of occupancy of the room floor space or storey of the building er person Sq. metres Places of public resort not otherwise provided for in this table 1 Dance halls (calculated on dancing area) 1 Restaurants (calculated on dining area) 1s Public lounges and hotel lobbies (calculated on usable area) 25 ‘Shops and showrooms (calculated on usable area) 5 Offices, hotel service areas (calculated on usable area) 10 Dormitories and self-contained single room flats 3 (Calculated on living area) Apartments and flats (calculated on living area) is Schools 1s Warehouses, godowns, bulk storage, public garages and 28 ‘motor showrooms Factories (9, 3 Hospitals G 18 G@) For any occupancy not specified in this Table the Building Authority shalt determine the scale to be used. ©) Whore the provisions of this Table are inapplicable or where certain cir cumstances would ‘render their application unreasonable, the. Building Authority may, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, determing the basis on which exit provisions shall be calculated. (©) Hotel bedrooms to be taken as persons per bedroom. (@) For a factory building, a deduction of 30% in the computed floor area may e allowed! when applying the applicable rate in calculating occupant load.a 73. The determination of exit requirements for a building shall be based upon the type of use or occupancy of the building, the occupant load, the floor area, the travel distance to an exit, and the capacity of the exits as provided in Table 73A and herein, Every storey of a building shall be provided with exit facilities for its occupant load. Vertical exits (staircases or ramps) provided from any storey above ground level may serve simultaneously all storey above ground level and vertical exits provided from any storey below ground level may serve all storey below ground level, subject to the provisions of Reg 204 which prohibits basement staircases being continuous with staircases serving upper storey, (1) Where different parts of a building or storey of a building are designed for different types of occupancies or used for different purposes at the same time, the exit requirements of the entire building or storey of the building shall be determined on the basis of that type of occupancy or usage having the strictest exit requirements, or the exit requirements for each building section shall be determined separately. (2) Where a building, or storey of a building or a part of a building, is used for multiple purposes involving different activities at different times, that purpose or usage involving the greatest number of occupants shall form the basis of determining the exit requirements. (3) The floor areas of toilets, locker rooms, meeting rooms, storage rooms, staff canteens and similar rooms and spaces that serve other rooms and spaces on the same storey but are not occupied at the same time as such other rooms or spaces, may be omitted from the occupant load calculations of that storey of the building on which they are located. In the case of factory and office buildings only, the floor area of a corridor may also be omitted from the vccupant Joad calculations of that storey of the building on which the corridor is located (4) The capacity of exits, staircases and other exit facilities shall be measured in units of width of one half of a metre and the number of persons per unit of width shall be determined by the type of occupancy and type of exit as listed in Col (III) of Table 73. Fractions of a unit of width less than 50mm shall not be credited. Where 250mm or more are added to one or more full units, half of a unit of width shall be credited, (5) Notwithstanding any of the above computations no exit or staircase shall be narrower than the minimum width requirements specified in Col (IV) of Table 734. (6) The maximum width of staircases shall not be more than four units of width unless divided by handrails into sections of not less than two units of width or moze than four units of width. For the purpose of determining the exit capacity of a staircase that is wider than 4 units of width and forms part of the required means of escape from any storey of the building, that part of its width in excess of 4 units of width shall hot be taken into account (7) The width of a staircase shall be the clear width between — (a) the finished surfaves of the walls, if the staircase is enclosed on both sides by walls only; or Determination of exit requirements, Mixed ‘occupancy. Multiple ‘occupancy or use ‘Nom-simultaneous occupancy. Capacity of exits, Minimum width, Maximum, width, Measurement of width,(b) the finished surface of the wall and the inner side of the balustrade or handrail, if the staircase has a wall on one side and a balustrade or handrail on the other side: or (©) the inner sides of the balustrades or handrails if the staircase has balustrades or handrails on both sides. Number of exits (8) There shall be at least. two. door openings remote from each other from rooms and and leading to exits, from every room or enclosed space in which the total spaces. occupant load exceeds the maximum permissible occupant load for one door as listed in the following table Maximum Occupant ‘Type of Occupancy load with one door High hazard eee 10 Godowns, storage buildings ...... 50 Shops, departmental stores and business premises 78 Factory buildings without high hazards 50 Place of public resort . . 8 Educational buildings... . ce 78 Hospitals... 22.00.02... eben eee 15 Hotels, boarding houses, hostels ete 20 (a) The application of the above table shall be subject to the travel distances being in accordance with Regulation 72(c), (b) In a block of residential flats, there shall be not less than two exit doors from each flat, that shall have direct access to the stair- case or staircases that are required to be provided for such block of flats under subsequent paragraph (9) of this Regula- tion, except that only one exit door may be provided when - there is a ke dispersal condition within the flat to the H sors ender sctisfaction of the Building Authority and the travel distance Oysdaas eK from the furthermost bedroom door to the exit door does not SewkewS exceed 13m, When there is an alternative escape route from the furthermost bedroom door to the single exit door, an extension of the aforesaid travel distance up to 15m may be permitted, (©) Every school classroom, other than the “educational buildings” referred to in the above table, shall have at least 2 exits.” @ Ina block of maisonettes, there shall be at least one exit door from each storey of each unit that shall have direct access to the staircase or staircases that are required to be provided for such block of maisonettes under subsequent paragraph (9) of this Regulation, provided that the upper storey of a mai sonette may be exempted from compliance with this require- ment if the following conditions are complied with: (i) the aggregate floor area of the upper storey of the mai- sonette should not exceed 60 sq. ms 16 f Sim ‘inet omen anteitcs SeaMIR Ea Sa:(i) the distance from the furthermost bedroom door to the main entrance door should not exceed 13m; ii) the escape route should not pass through or near an ‘unprotected opening of the kitchen; and (iv) the maisonette should not comprise more than 2 storeys, (9) There shall be at least two independent staircase or other exits from every storey of a building, except that only one staircase may be provided for storeys in the following (@) a detached, semi-detached or terrace type of residential building; (0) a block of flats, apartments etc of non-combustible construction not exceeding 24m in height, subject to: (® the staircase being in accordance with the provisions of Reg 74(2) if it is an internal staircase or Reg 74(3) if it is an external staircase; (ii) the staircase being entered or approached on all storeys from either @ balcony, external passage or smoke- free lobby as specified in Reg 73(12), if the building consists of more than four storeys; and ii) access to the building for Fire Brigade appliances being provided to the requirements of the Building Authority, if the building consists of more than four storeys; (©) an office building of non-combustible construction, not exceed- ing 15m in height or 4-storeys, whichever is the greater, having a maximum travel distance of 13m on any storey and the staircase conforming the requirements of either Reg 74(2) if it is an internal stairease or Reg 74(3) if it is an external staircase, and subject to access to the building for Fire Brigade appliances being provided as in sub-paragraph (b)(ii) of this Regulation. (10) When a floor area has access to areas of refuge conforming to the provisions of Regulation 72()) the number of persons for whom vertical exits are to be provided may be reduced to 30 per cent of the occupant load of the floor area when one area of refuge is provided and may be reduced to 33 1/3 per cent of the floor area when two areas of refuge are provided. (11) All exits and access facilities shall be located as follows: (a) They shall be clearly visible. or their locations clearly indicated and shall be kept readily accessible and unobstructed at all times. (b) When more than one tenant occupies a building or floor area, each tenant shall have direct access 10 the required number of exits without passing through premises occupied by other tenants. Number of staircases or exits per storey. Exit reduction, Location of exits.(©) When more than one exit is required from a storey of a building or any room, each exit shall be placed as remote as possible from the other to the satisfaction of the Building Authority. Door openings to scissor staircases shall be at least 5 metres distant from each other. ~ — Smoke free (12) The entry to a protected staircase of any building or part of a building approach of more than 4 storeys above ground level, other than a building of purpose staircase. group I, shall not be direct from any part of a storey of the building but only ‘through either: External (@) an external exit passageway conforming to the requirements of approach. Reg 74(1) or an external corridor or a balcony or landing open to a street, or to an open space not less than 10m? in hori zontal plane area open vertically to the sky for its full height: such corridor, balcony or landing being enclosed on its open side by only a Im high parapet wall or balustrade and separated from the interior of the building by an imperforate wall having the requisite fire resistance under Reg 132, in which only a Class A door conforming to the requirements of Reg 138(8) may be permitted, Areod Motawet Provided that in the case of an external corridor, ventilation vaccum to she=2 openings of non-combustible construction located above a level of 1.2m from the finished surface of the corridor floor and not less than 3m_from the protected staircase may also bbe permitted in the separation wall between the corridor and the interior of the building; or Smoke free (b) a smoke free lobby having a floor area of not less than 6m? if it lobby. also serves as a fire fighting lobby required under Reg 153(2), that is separated from the adjoining areas of the building by an imperforate wall having a fire resistance of at least 1 hour in which only self-closing doors conforming to the require- ments of a Class A door as specified in Reg 138(8) shall be provided; such lobby being ventilated by either (® permanent ventilation openings in an external wall to which the lobby abuts; such openings being not less than 15 per cent of the area of the lobby and located not more than 9m from any part of the lob: Mat Lies (ii) mechanical ventilation complying with the requirements of Reg 37 of the Building Control (Space, Light & Ventilation) Regulations; or (ai) permanent ventilation openings of similar size as in Clause (bX(i) of this Regulation, opening to an open air well having a superficial plan area of not less than m?_for each 300mm of height of the ig Whichever is the greater. The enclosure walls of such air well shall be of a similar standard of fire resistance as that required for the enclosures of the protected staircase and shall be imperforate except for the ventilation openings for the lobby, staircase and toilets; or 18 1 i(©) a cross ventilated corridor having openings in at least 2 external walls; such openings being not less than SO per cent of the superficial area of the said walls and within 13m of any part of the corridor. (13) Where a protected staircase of any building or part of a building of more than 4 storeys above ground level, other than a building of Purpose Group 1, is either fully pressurized or adequately cross ventilated through permanent ‘openings, in accordance with the provisions of Reg 20(g) of the Building Control (Space, Light & Ventilation) Regulations 1979 respectively, it shall be exempted from compliance with the requirements of Reg 73(12) provided that: (a) it is not a fite fighting staircase adjacent to a fire lift as required under Reg 153(2); (b) the doots opening into such protected staircase conform to the requirements of a Class B door as specified in Reg 138(8); and (©) a suitable smoke exhaust system is provided to the adjoining floor areas of the building to the satisfaction of the Building Authority, if required, 19 ry a on TE ventilated corridor. Exemption,eardas poansracu ouaptunds, WN | UN aN UN AN | sesnoy soesi01 pure paystrap.was ‘poyeiag oe | oF os Sp Fog SIU 30 819018 oc | oF 0s sb of sosnoy furpreoq st | of oe sp o€ I 09 | 08 oor 09 se Ing yeuoneonpe ¥ s[Oouss 09 | 08 oor 09 Se soured 289 pue y20s01 angqnd Jo s900 09 | 08 oor 09 st (219 seouo ‘sdous) ssousna, 09 | 08 oot Sb of sunopo8 ‘sdousirom ‘Satorory) sSupyng jemsnpuy el 1 1 os oc | ov os se v4 ” . 7 prezey win she stoop | pay o8esseq | sosea | sopusoo | punos? we sixa | -ims | pues | szoopino sropiioy | stopuzey | snmg | siopiie9 raino oL | sdurey, © @) | © stumedg 1000 Aouedno99 30 ad, ) pu (uo SLA UT (©) tapes jo mun Jad suosiod yo saquinu Prec xen ALDvavo ) cc SLNAWAUINDAY LIX JO NOLLVNINWALAG eee VEL ATaVL 20DIAGRAMS 73 A — D ‘Travel Distance not to exceed permissible values in Table 738, Most remote point equidistant from both exits DIAGRAM 73A (in reterence to Res. 72¢¢)(i)) (inustrating application of Travel Distance requirements to 2 exits) (tlustrating concept of Direct Distance) F Direct Distance 1 DIAGRAM 738 (in reterence to Reg. 72 (1) Note: In this concept, internal wats and partitions are ignored t ' | Direct Distance DIAGRAM 736 (in reference to Res. 72(1)) (Iitustrating concept of Direct Distance) Gublonded angie > a5 subtended angie < 4 2 Thigis.a two escape situation. This s 3 one way escape situation DIAGRAM 73D (in reference to Ree. 72(m)) {inustrating concepts of one way & two way escapes)‘Access requirements. abt. Exit Passageways, Internal staircases. 74. Means of escape shall be provided for all buildings by one or more Of the facilites listed in the following paragraphs of this coule. Access and exit facilities not specifically covered in this code shall not be used to satisfy the exit requirements of Regulation 73, without the approval of the Building Authority. In addition to the requirements of Regulation 73, all new buildings comprising more than four upper storeys, other than the fist storey shall be provided with passenger lifts or elevators or escalators. The lifts, elevators and escalators shall not be used to satisfy the exit requirements of Regulation 73. (1) Internal and external exit passageways that serve as means of escape OF required exits from any building other than detached, semi-detached and terrace type of dwelling houses shall have the requisite fire resistance under Regulation 132. The enclosure walls of exit. passageways shall have no openings other. than fire doors conforming to the relevant provisions of Reg 138, provided that in a building having an external exit passageway, the wail between the Passageway and the rest of the floor space may have ventilation openings ti above a level of 1.8m from the finished floor level of the passageway and no less than 3m from a protected staircase. The minimum width and capacity of Exit Passageways shall be as listed in columns (iii) and (iv) of Table 73A. and their clear heights shall be not less than 2300mm over 75 per cent of their oor areas with no point less than 2100mm in height. Changes in level requiring less than 2 risers shall be by a ramp complying with the provisions of Regulation 74(7). eee passageway shall be roofed and protected along its Outer side by solid balustrades or parapets of not less than 1 metre in height All passages shall be kept readily accessible and unobstructed at alf times, (2) (@) The risers, treads, stringers, landings, platform and guards of internal staircases of any storey of a building other than a detached, semi-detached or terrace type dwelling not exceeding 3 storeys in height, shall except where otherwise Provided, have fire resistance for a minimum period as re- Quired by Regulation 132 for elements of structure for the parts of the building in which the staircases are situated. Where such staircases serve as the required exits of buildings under Reg 73 they shall be enclosed with construction complying with the provisions of Reg 72(e) in respect of protected staircases: Provided that where an internal staircase is directly approached from an external exit passageway or external corridor at every floor level it shall not be necessity to have such enclosed construction between the staircase and the passageway or corridor, (0) The requirement for enclosure of staircases shall not apply to two storeyed buildings, such storeys not being basements, provided the travel distances are within permissible limits as specified in Table 73A. Staircases which ate not enclosed shall be additional to and shall not obstruct or interfere with the required exit facilities. (©) The minimum width and capacity of staircases shall be as listed in Table 73A and such staircases shall comply with the follow. ing: (i) Headroom: The clear headroom shall be at least 2100mm except that in detached, semi-detached and terrace type of dwelling houses the minium headroom shall 22be 2000mm, Headroom in a flight of stairs shall be measured vertically between the upper front edge of each tread of the staircase and any point directly above that limits the headroom, (ii) Landings: Except for circular or geomettic stairs, all staircases shall be in. straight fights with landings provided at intervals of not more than 16 risers or less than 2 risers and at every.floor level. The minimum width of a landing (measured perpendicular to the direction of travel) and in length shall be not less than the width of the staircase except that on a straight- run staircase the distance between risers of upper and lower flightsdt intermediate landings need not be more than Im (iii) Winders: Winders shall not be permitted in any building other than residential buildings and in such cases there shall be not more than 1 winder per 90° turn. (iv) Risers and treads: In residential buildings the risers shall be not more than 175mm and the treads shall be not Jess than 225mm. In all_other buildings, the risers shall be not more than 175mm and the treads shall be not less than 275mm except that for the staircases that do not form the required exits the risers shall be not more than 175mm and the treads shall be not less than 225mm. Riser height and tread width shall be constant in any Might of stairs from storey to storey. “gt circular (including spiral) or geometric. stairs, the width of the treads measured — at the narrower end shall be not less than 100mm in residential buildings and 125mm in other buildings, and at a distance of half metre from the narrower end shall be not less than 225mm in residential buildings and 27Smm in other buildings. (a) Every staircase shall have walls, grilles, balustrades or handrails Handrails, on both sides exeept that stairs that are 1250mm or less in balustrades, width may have a balustrade or a handrail on one side only. Where the width of the stairs exceeds 4 units of width inter mediate handrails shall be provided in accordance with Regula- tion 73{6). There shall be no projection other than balustrades or handrails in staircases. (e) All staircases shall be lighted and ventilated by openings in the Lighting and extemal walls or mechanically ventilated in accordance with ventilation, the Building Control (Space, Light & Ventilation) Regulation 1979 except that in the case of an internal staircase serving more than 4 storeys, such staircase shall be pressurised to the satisfaction of the Building Authority. | | 1External staircases, Scissor stairs. Hardwood staizcases. Ramps. (3) External staircases may be used as exits in lieu of internal staircases provided they comply with all of the requirements of Rewulation 74(2) for internal staircases, except enclosure, and also comply with the provisions of Regulation 72(d), (4) Where 2 separate internal staircases are contained within the same enclosure (so called “scissor stairs”) each stair shall be separated trom the other by non-combustible construction having fire resistance for « :ninimum period equal to that required for the enclosure. Such scissor staircases shall conform to all the provisions of Regulation 74(2) for internal staircases. The location of their door openings shall comply with Regulation 73(11),C=) (3) Hardwood staircases shall only be permitted as internal staircases in detached, semiletached and terrace type dwelling houses nd other similar type of buildings which are not more than 3 storeys in height, at the discretion of the Building Authority of as otherwise permitted under Reaulation 140 (1), If permitted they shall conform to all the applicable provisions of Regulation 74(2), other than the provisions which refer to non-combustible construction, and also the provisions of Reg 53 of the Building Controi (Construction) Regulations 1979, (6) Spiral staircases may serve as access stairs between 2 storeys or levels but shall not serve as required exits except that external unenclosed spiral stair. cases when built of non-combustible materials and having a tread length of at east three quarter of a metre may serve as required exits 1:om mezzanines and balconies or any storey having an occupant load not exceeding 25 persons, Such spiral staircases shall be not more than 10m high. (7) Internal and external ramps may be used as exits in lieu of internal and external, staircases provided their exit capacities are as listed in Table 73A and except where otherwise provided, they comply with the applicable require- ‘ments of Regulations 74(2) and (3) and with the following: (2) Maximum slope: The slope of such ramps shall not be steeper than 1 in 8.3 except that in factory buildings and godowns the slope shall not exceed I in 12 and except as otherwise provided in any other Regulations. (b) Changes in direction: Ramps shall be straight with changes in direction being made at level platforms or landings, except that ramps having a slope not greater than 1 in 12 at any place, may be curved. (©) Length: The sloping portion of ramps shall be at least 1m but not more than 10m long between platforms or landings. : (@) Platforms: Level platforms or landings at least as wide as the ramp shall be provided at the bottom, at intermediate levels where required and at the top of all ramps, Level platform shall be provided at each door opening into or trom a ramp, having a minimum length in the direction of exit travel of Im (©) Guards and handrails: Guards and railings of ramps shall comply with Regulation 74(2\e) except that only ramps having a slope steeper than J in 10 need comply with the requirements of handrails and intermediate handvails shall not be required 4(1) Surface: All ramps shall be provided with non-slip surfaces, Provided that ramps serving as means of escape to only one basement storey need not be protected by enclosure walls. (8) Exit doors and doors providing access to exits shall open in the diree- tion of exit travel and comply with the relevant parts of the following: (a) Exit doors that fitted in openings in protecting structure and external walls shall be self closing swinging doors having the requisite fire resistance as laid down in Reg 137(7) provided that (i) External first storey exit doors having an exterior separa- tion of more than Sm need not have a fire resistance rating, and (ii) Doors into protected staircases shall have a fire resistance rating of at least % hour. (b) Width and height of doors: The capacity of exit and corridor door openings shall be as listed in Table 73A. Doors jambs or stops and the door thickness when the door is open shall not reduce the required width by more than 80mm, The cro ue. OPEN_ minimum width of exit and corridor door openings aceQh SP ershall be Im. The minimum clear height of the door_opening shall be 2000mm, (c) Doors that swing both ways: A door which is arranged to swing both ways shall be provided with a panel of clear glazings to minimise risk of collision. Such glazing shall not exceed 2000cm* and shall have a fire resistance rating equivalent to or not less than that of the door, (€) Door hardware: Any exit door which has to be kept shut and fastened whilst the building is occupied should be fitted with “panic bolts”, appropriately marked “PUSH BAR TO OPEN” in letters not less than 100mm high. An exception to this rule shall be made for exit doors which are kept locked back in the fully open position during the whole time that the building is occupied. All other exit doors shall be fitted with self closing devives other than rising butt hinges. and all exit doors shall be hung on strong metal hinges and not on any come bustible material, The panic bolt shaft be not more than Im fiom the floor and shall be capable of being operated by a horizontal thrust (c) Power operated doors: Power operated doors may be used as exit of corridors provided they remain closed in case of power failure but shall be manually operable. No such door shall be credited as required exit unless it swings in direction of travel (1) Revolving doors: Revolving doors shall not be used as required exits or as access Joors 10 exits, Doors,Exit lighting. excett BAR PARR Exit and tional (8) Sliding doors: Horizontal and vertical sliding or folding doors shall not be used as required exits or as access doors 10 exits in places of public resort, shopping centres and departmental stores, except only in exceptional circumstances with the approval of the Building Authority. Horizontal sliding doors. in such buildings where allowed, shail be clearly marked “slide to open” on both sides and shall be supplemented by hinged doors of the required exit width immediately adjacent and such exit shall be clearly marked accordingly. Sliding doors, providing exit to the outside at grade, where allowed and not supplemented as above, shall be kept open when such buildings are being occupied 75. (I) Exit passageways, staircases and exits of all buildings, other than detached, semi-detached, or terrace type of dwelling houses, shall be provided with artificial lighting facilities to the satisfaction of the Building Autho Mlumination shall be so-arranged that the failure of any one light shall not leave any area in darkness, (2) Where a total of 4 lights is required exit lighting shall be connected to an emergency power source, which shall automatically function upon failure of the normal power supply and shall maintain adequate illumination for at least 1 hour. The design and installation of the exit lighting system shall be in accordance with the Singapore Standard Code of Practice for the Installation and Maintenance of Emergency Evacuation Lighting and Supply Systems in Buildings. @) A block of tial_flats shall of paragraph (2) of this Regulation subject t (a) its escape routes being uncomplicated; and (b) all exit passageways, staircases. and exits being so arranged and Jocated_against_ external walls_having openings or glazed ‘windows to the satisfaction of the Building Authority so as not to be left in complete darkness in event of failure of the artificial lighting facilities. exempted from the provisions 76. (1) In_all buildings, other than cesidential buildings, the location of every exit on every floor and every exit door from an area used as a place of public resort, departmental store or shopping centre shall be clearly indicated by exit signs in letters not less than 100 mm high, placed over the exit doors. (2) Such signs shall be so placed so as to be clearly visible at all times, In long corridors, in open floor areas, and in all situations where the location of the exits may not be readily visible, direction signs in letters not less than 100mm high shall be provided to serve as guides from all portions of the corridors oF floors to the exits. (3) The iegends of the exit signs and glirectional signs shall be in green on a white background or. in white on a green background and the signs shall be electrically illuminated at all material times. The design and installation of the exit signs and directional signs shall conform with the relevant sections of the Singapore Standard Code of Practice for the Installation and Maintenance of Emergency Evacuation Lighting and Supply Systems in Buildings. (4) Notwithstanding the provision of paragraph (3), the use of self illu ‘minating exit and direction signs with letters in green and powered by radio. active material may be allowed in cinemas and theatres provided they conform to the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Regulation and the provi. sions of the Radiation Protection Act 1973 and the Regulations made there- under. 26 nettReg 125 Reg 126 Reg 127 Reg 128 Table 128A Reg 129 Reg 130 Reg 131 Reg 132 CHAPTER 3 STRUCTURAL FIRE PRECAUTIONS GENERAL Page Definitions 31 Designation of purpose groups 32 Rules for measurement of 33 (a) height of a building (b) area of a storey of a building or compartment (©) cubical extent of a building or compartment (@) cases where excess height above 4m may be ignored in computing cubical extent PROVISION OF COMPARTMENT WALLS AND. COMPARTMENT FLOORS (1) Excess floor area and cubical extent 4 (2) Building Authority may consent to greater sizes (3) Excess height (4) Other cases requiring compartment walls and compartment floors Table of size limitations of buildings and compartments 35 Exemption from Reg 128(1) 36 Buildings of high fire risk 36 Accessibility of site to Fite Brigade appliances 36 FIRE RESISTANCE OF ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURE (1) Minimum periods of fire resistance 37 (2) (a) Exemption for non-load bearing external walls (b) Exemption for single-storey building (3) Interpretation and application of the Regulation (4) Fire resistance for element of structure that carries another element (5) Fire resistance for compartment wall of flat (6) Fite resistance of floors with suspended ceilingsTable 132 Table 132B Reg 133 Reg 134 Reg 135 Reg 136 Page — Minium periods of fire resistance 39 Part | ~ Buildings other than single storey buildings Part I — Single storey buildings — Suspended ceilings 42 TESTS OF FIRE RESISTANCE — Meaning of fire resistance requirements — a2 “Deemed to satisty" provisions Table to Regulation 133 EXTERNAL WALLS — (1) Unprotected areas in any side of a building 44 (2) Requirements of external walls (3) Cladding on external walls (4) Reference to Parts I — III of Appendix B (5) Requirements when 2 or more buildings are on land in common occupation PARTY WALLS. ~ (1) Requirements of party walls 46 (2) Openings in party walls (3) Party wall — roof junction (4) Party wall — external wall junction (5) Prohibition of combustible materials in party walls (6) Non-combustibility of party walls COMPARTMENT WALLS AND COMPARTMENT FLOORS — (1) Compartment walls and floors to be imperforate a7, (2) Compartment walls and floors forming junctions with other structures (3) Compartment walls ~ roof junctions (4) Prohibition of combustible materials in compartment walls (5) Ducts passing through compartment walls and floors (6) Non-combustibility of compartment walls and floors (7) Exemption from sub-paragraph (6) (8) Beams and columns in compartment walls and floors 28Reg 137 Reg 138 Table 138A, Reg 139 Reg 140, Reg 141 a) Q) @) @) 6) © a @) @) (10) qa) Q) G) @) (6) (6) @ (8) PROTECTED SHAFTS Page Definition of “protecting structure” 49 Purpose of protected shaft Enclosure Non-combustibility of protecting structure Openings in walls or floors of protected shafts Fire stopping ‘ Doors in protecting structure Protected shaft for lift Protected shaft for ventilating duct Protected shaft of staircase FIRE RESISTING DOORS Application of regulation 31 Definitions — Automatic self-closing device Electro-magnetic or’electro-mechanical device susceptible tosmoke Provisions of closing devices and non-combustible hinge Door to be manually openable Direction of opening of door — do - 2 separate doors to one opening “Deemed to satisfy” provisions Classification of fite resisting doors 33 Doors in lift shaft 54 a) Q) a Q) @) (4) STAIRCASES Non-combustibility of structure 54 Special requirements for buildings of Purpose Group 1 exceeding 3 storeys FIRE STOPPING Fire stop to prevent passage of flame 55 Fire stop for pipe, duct or cavity Fire stop at junction of elements of structure Fire stopping of cavity in an element of structure 29RESTRICTION OF SPREAD OF FLAME OVER SURFACES OF WALLS AND CEILINGS Reg 142 Definitions, interpretations and classifications Reg 143 — Class of Flame spread to be not lower than specified in Table Reg 144 — Where class of flame spread may be of any class not lower than class 3 Table 142A — Table of classifications of surface of walls and ceilings relating to flame spread Reg 145 — “Deemed to satisfy” requirements ROOFS Reg 146 — Roof coverings and construction to be non-combustible Reg 147 — Special requirements for other types of roofs Reg 148 — _ Exemption from the requirements for non-combustibility f partitions in office buildings Reg 149 — Exemption from the requirements for non-combustibility of Partitions in shops and places of public resort Appendix ‘A’ to Reg 133 — Notional periods of fire resistance Appendix ‘B’ to Reg 134 — Part I — Calculation of permissible limits of unprotected areas Part I — Rules for calculation by reference to an enclosing rectangle Part IIT — Rules for calculation in respect of certain buildings of Purpose Group I or II 30 Page 35 37 37 39 60 60 60 61 81 81 81 92on RE a CHAPTER 3 STRUCTURAL FIRE PRECAUTIONS The purpose of this Chapter of the Code is to minimise the risk of the spread of fire between adjoining buildings by a stable and durable form of construction, 10 prevent the untimely collapse of buildings in the event of fire and to prevent the spread of fire between specified parts of buildings by the division of such buildings into compartments. 125. In this Chapter of the Code and the Tables and Appendices thereto — (a) “Basement storeys” has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 2 of Chapter i (b) “Compartment” means any part of a building which is separated from all other parts by one or more compartment walls or compartment floors or both such walls and floors; and for the purposes of this Chapter, if any part of the top storey of a building is within a compartment, the compartment shall also include any roof space above such part of the top storey. (©) “Compartment wall” and compartment floor” means respectively Wall and a floor which is provided for the purpose of dividing a building into compartments for the purpose of Regulation 128 and complies with Regulation 136. (d) “Door” includes any shutter, cover or other form of protection to an opening in any wall or floor of a building or in the structure surrounding @ protected shaft, whether the door is constructed of one or more leaves, (¢) “Element of structur Gi) any member forming part of the structural frame of a building or any beam or column (not being a member forming part of # roof structure only), means (ii) a floor. including a compartment floor, other than the jowest floor (in contact with the ground) of a building, (iii) an external wall, (iv) a party wall, (v) a compartment wall (vi) structure enclosing a protect shaft, (vii) a load bearing wall or load bearing part of a wall, and (vii) a gallery or mezzanine. (f) “External wall” has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 2 of Chapter | and complies with Regulation 134, (2) “Fire resistance” has the meaning ascribed to that expression in Regulation 2 of Chapter 1 and Regulation 133(1) of this, Chapter 3 Definitions,(h) “Fire stop” means 2 barrier or seal which would prevent or retard the passage of smoke or flame within a cavity or around a Pipe or duct where it passes through a wall or floor at a junction between elements of structural: and “fire stopped” shall be construed accordingly. (i) “First storey” has the meaning ascribed to it in Regulation 2 of Chapter i G) “Part of a single storey building” includes any part of a building Of two or more storeys if such part — (® consists of a first storey only, (i) has a roof that is only accessible for the purpose of ‘maintenance and repairs, and (ii) is completely separated from all other parts of the building by @ compartment wall or compartment walls in the same continuous vertical plane. (k) “Party wall” has the meaning ascribed 10 it in Regulation 2 of Chapter I and complies with Regulation 135 of this Chapter. () “Permitted limit of unprotected area” means the maximum aggregate area of unprotected areas in any side or extern: wall of a building or compartment, which complies with Fequitements of Appendix B to this Chapter. (m) “Protected shaft” means a stairway, exit passage way, duct or other shaft which enables persons, things or air to pass between different compartments and which complies with the requirements of Regulation 137 of this Chapter {n) “Relevant boundary” in relation to any side or external wall or part of any external wall of a building or compartment means the boundary of the land belonging to such building and adjacent to such side or external wall of the building or compartment. (Such land being deemed to inclide any abutting portion of any street, canal, river or drainage reserve up to the centre line thereof). (0) “Unprotected area” in relation to an external wall or side of @ building means — (i) a window, door or other opening, (ii) any part of the external wall which has fire resistance less than that specified by this Chapter for that wall, and . (iii) any part of the external wall which has combustible material more than Imm thick attached or applied to its extemal face, whether for cladding or any other purpose, Designation of 126. For the purpose of this Chapter every building or compartment shall Purpose groups. be regarded according to its use or intended use as falling within one of the Purpose groups set out in Table 2D of Chapter I and, where a building is divided into compartments used or intended to be used for different purposes. the Purpose group of each compartment shall be determined separately 32 Ta eee a RE Provided that where the whole or part of a building or compartment (as the case may be) is used or intended to be used for more than one purpose, only the main purpose of use of that building or compartment shall be taken into account in determining into which purpose group it falls. 127. In this Chapter — (a) the height of a building, or (where relevant) of part of a building as described in the code means the height of such building or part, measured from the mean level of the ground adjoining the outside of the extemal walls of the building to the level of half the vertical height of the roof of the building or part, or the top of the walls or of the parapet (if any), whichever is the higher; (0) the area of — (H any storey of a building or compartment shall be taken to be the total area of that storey bounded by the inner finished surfaces of the enclosing walls or, on any side where there is no enclosing wall, by the outer- most edge of the floor on that side; Gi) any room or garage shall be taken to be the total area of its floor bounded by the inner finished surfaces of the walls forming the room or garage; (Gii) any part of a roof shall be taken to be actual visible area of such part measured on a plane paraliel to the pitch of the roof; (c) the cubical extent of a building or compartment shall be as- certained by measuring the volume of space contained within — (i) the inner finished surfaces of the enclosing walls or, on any where there is no enclosing wall, a plane extending vertically above the outermost edge of the floor on that side; (i) the upper surface of its lowest floor; and (iii) in the case of a building or of a compartment which extends to @ roof, the under surface of the roof or, in the case of any other compartment, the under surface of the ceiling of the highest storey within the compartment, including the space occupied by any other walls, or any unprotected shafts, ducts, or structure within the space to be so measured, but excluding protected lift walls, staircases ete and also any accommodation such as lavatory and locker rooms which are enclosed with walls having not less than a one hour standard of fire resistance and Class A fire doors Rules for ‘measurement.Cases where excest (@) In computing the cubical extent of compartments in. shops, height above 4m similar premises and in single storey factory building, a height oemtiee of 4m may be used where the actual height exceeds that cubical extent. figiire ‘Provided that this rule shall not be applied when a compartment comprises more than one storey or contains mezzanine, galleries or lofts. PROVISION OF COMPARTMENT WALLS AND. COMPARTMENT FLOORS Excess floor 128. (1) Any building other than a building of Purpose Group | which area and has — ‘cubical extent, (a) any storey the floor area of which exceeds that specified as relevant to a building of that height in column (2) of Table 128, or (b) a cubic capacity which exceeds that specified as so relevant in column (3) of Table 128A, shall be so divided into compartments by means of compartment walls or compartment floors or both that — @ no such compartment has any storey the floor area of which exceeds the area specified as relevant to the building in column (2) of the Table: and Gi) no such compartment has a cubic capacity which exceeds that specitied as so relevant in colunnn (3) of the Table, Building Authority (2) Where however, the Building Authority is satisfied that additional may consent to floor area and cubical extent is necessary for any such building steater sizes, or compartment or part thereof, as aforesaid, he may consent to such additional floor area and cubical extent provided: (@) such building or compartment thereof is fitted throughout with an automatic sprinkler system which complies with the relevant requirements of the accepted Code of Practice on Automatic Sprinkler Systems; (b) there is proper accessibility of site to Fire Brigade appli- ances as required in Regulation 131; and (©) all other measures have been or will be taken and main- tained for lessening so far as is reasonably practicable any danger from firé. Such consent shall continue in force only while such building or compartment thereof as aforesaid is actually used for the Purposes in respect of which such consent was given. Excess (3) In any building which exceeds 24m_in height, any floor which height. separates one storey from another storey, other than a floor which is — (a) within a maisonette; or 34 1 i(b) within a compartment which is permitted by the provi sions of Table 128A or paragraph (2) of this regulation to comprise two or more storeys; shall be constructed as a compartment floor. (4) The following walls and floors shall be constructed as compart- ‘ment walls or compartment floors — (a) any floor in a building of purpose group 11]; (0) any wall or floor separating a flat or maisonette from any other part of the same building; (©) any wall or floor separating part of a building from any other part of the same building which is used or intended to be used mainly for a purpose falling within a different purpose group in Table 2D. and (@) any floor immediately over a basement storey if such storey — (i) forms part of a building of purpose group I which has three or more storeys or a building or compartment of purpose group II or V; and (ii) has an area exceeding 100m? . TABLE 128-4 SIZE LIMITATIONS OF BUILDINGS AND COMPARTMENTS Other cases requiring compartment walls and compartment floors, ay @ @) Compartments Maximum Maximum ree Floor Area Cubical Extent Compartment below pavement level. No compartment to comprise 1900m* 710m? ‘more than one storey. Compartments between average pavement level and a height of 24m. 3800m? 14200m? No compartment to comprise more than 3 storeys Compartments above a height of 24m from average pavement Level 1900m? 7100m* No compartment to comprise more than one storey. Notes: (a) See Reg 129 reparding buildings exempted from Rey 128(1). (b) See Rey 130 regarding special size limitations for buildings of high fire risk (c) See Reg 128(2) regarding special eases where Building Authority may consent to greater sizes than given above. 35Exemption from 129. Buildings used solely for the sale, storage, processing and packaging tony aae of goods and substances of a non-combustible nature shall be exempted from the 28 operation of paragraph (1) of Regulation 128 provided: (1) Any portion used otherwise than as described above is separated from the remainder of the building by compartment walls, floors and protected shafts and comply with the limitations of size laid down in paragraph (1) of Regulation 128; (2) The relevant parts of paragraphs 3 and 4 of Regulation 128 on the provision of compartment floors are complied with; (3) Any special risks such as boiler rooms, electrical substations, packing rooms and the like are separated from the remainder of the building by compartment walls and floors; and. (4) The requirements of Regulation 131 on accessibility of the site to Fire Brigade appliances are complied with Buildings of 130, Pursuant to Regulation 128, the compartments of any building hhigh fire risk. of high fire risk or used for the bulk storage of goods or substances of a com. bustible nature shall not exceed one half of the sizes given in Table 128A and each compartment shall be limited to one storey only. No storey of a building, the floor level of which is more than 24m above average ground level, shall be used for the storage of combustible goods unless the building is provided with a sprinkler system in accordance with the requirement of Reg 155(1)(b) and complies with any other requirements which the Building Authority may deem fit to impose. Accessibility, 131. (1) In the case of any building that exceeds 7,100m? in cubical of site to extent, in order to provide adequate means of access in case of fire to stich Fire Brigade building, a portion of the building shall abut upon a street or road or open space 5 Cite of not less than 9m in width accessible to fire brigade appliances, the portion to i be in accordance with the following scale: (a) If the building exceeds 7,100m meter of the building. , at least one-sixth of the peri- (b) If the building exceeds 28,400m?, at least one-fourth of the perimeter of the building, (©) If the building exceeds 56,800m?, at least one half of the peri- meter of the building, (A) If the building exceeds 85,200m°, at least three-fourths of the perimeter of the building. + () If the building exceeds 113,600m?, it should be on an island i site, j 2) @ For the purpose of this Regulation, the 9m wide means of access shall be so provided such that at least 6m of its width on the far side away from building, which mvs San — it serves, shall be metalled or paved to withstand the weight of a 20 tonnes fire brigade appliance to the satisfaction of the Building Authority; 36Gi) The requirements of paragraph (1) of this Regulation shall include access into such building through open- able windows, skylights or other openings in the external walls of the building from the street, road or ‘open space which they abut to the satisfaction of the Building Authority; (ii) Where any building is required under the provisions of paragraph (1) of this Regulation to be provided with accessibility to fire brigade appliances in such a manner that more than one half of its perimeter shall abut upon a street or road or open space of not less than ‘9m in width and such building has adequate means of escape and built-in fire fighting facilities in accordance with Chapters 2 and 4 of this Code, the Building Authority.may consent to the required accessibility : being reduced so that only one half the perimeter of the building need abut upon the street or road or ‘open space provided that such accessibility shall afford opposite directional approach to the building, FIRE RESISTANCE OF ELEMENTS OF STRUCTURE 132, (1) Subject to any express provision to the contrary any element Minimum of structure shall be so constructed as to have fire resistance for not less than the _ periods of relevant period specified in Table 132A having regard to the purpose group of _ fire resistance. the building of which it forms part and the dimensions specified in that Table: Provided that: (@) any party_wall shall not have fire resistance of less than (b) any compartment wall or compartment floor which separatés a part of a building falling within purpose group Hor III from any other part of the building falling within a purpose group other than purpose group II or I shall not have fire resistance of less than ‘one hour. 2) (@) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall apply to any part of an external wall which is non-loadbearing and may, in accordance with Regulation 134 be an unprotected area, external walls. (b) In the case of a single-storey building or a building Exemption for consisting of 2 first storey and one or more basement sine storey storeys, nothing in paragraph (1) shall apply to any Hing. element of structure which forms part of the first storey and consists of — (a structural frame or a beam or column: Provided that any beam or column (whether ot not it forms part of a structural frame) which is within or forms part of a wall, and any 37column which gives support to a wall or gallery, shall have fire resistance of not less than the minimum period, if any, required by this code for that wall or that gallery: (i) an internal toadbearing wall or a loadbesring part of a wall, uniess that wall or part is. or forms part of, a compartment wall or a separating wall, or forms part of the structure enclosing 4 protected shaft or supports a gallery; or (iil) part of an external wall which does not support a gallery and which may, in accordance with Regulation 134 be an unprotected area, Interpretation GB) @ In this Regulation and in Table 132A thereto (subject and application to the provisions of sub-paragraph (b) of this paragraph of this and any other express provision to the contrary) any Regulation, reference to a building of which an element of structure forms part means the building or (if a build. ing is divided into compartments) any compartment of the building of which the element forms part. (0) In this regulation and in Table 132A thereto, any reference to height means the height of a building, not of any compartment in the building, but if any part of the building is completely separated throughout its height both above and below ground from all other parts by a compartment wall or compartment walls in the same continuous vertical plane, any reference to height in relation to that part means the height solely of that part, (©) If any element of structure forms part of more than one building or compartment and the requirements of fire resistance specified in Table 132A in respect of one building or compartment differ trom those specified in respect of any other building or compartment of Which the element fosms part, such element shall be so constructed as to comply with the greater or greatest of the requirements specified (4) Any element of structure shall have fire resistance of not less than the minimum period required by this code for any element which it carries, () Any compartment wall separating a flat or maisonette from any other part of the same building shall not be required to have fire resistance exceeding one hour unless — (i) the wall is a loadbearing wall or a wall forming part of a protected shaft; or Gi) the part of the building from which the wat! separates the flat or maisonette is of a different purpose group and the minimum period of fire resistance required by the provisions of this code for any element of structure in that part is one and a half hours or more, + (©) In the application of this regulation to floors, no account shall be taken of any fire resistance attributable to any suspended ceiling other than a suspended ceiling constructed as described in Table 132B, 38 aTABLE 132-4 (Minimum periods of fie resistance) In this Table ~ “cubical extent” means the cubical extent of the building or, ifthe building is divided into compartments, the compartment of which the elements of structure forms part; “oor area” means the floor area of each storey in the building or, if the building is divided into compart- ‘ments, of each storey in the compartment of which the element of structure forms part; “height” has the meaning assigned to that expression by regulation 132(3)(b). “NL" means No limit applicable. : PART | BUILDINGS OTHER THAN SINGLE STOREY BUILDINGS Minimum period of fire resistance (in Maximum dimensions hours) for elements of structure ¢*) forming part of — Purpose group ” Ground Floor | Cubical | storey or | Basement Height | area Extent | upper | storey (inm | nm’) | nm) | storey a @ @) @) 6) © 1 (Small residential) ‘y | House having not more than three | | storys BEEN NL NL % 1@) x House having four storeys... | NL 250 | NL 10) 1 House having any number of storey NL NL NL 1 1% 1 (Other residential) | - Building or part (4) having not more | than two storeys : / | NL soo | ne | 4% 1 x Building or part (+) having theee | | storeys : - fone | 250 | om 1) 1 Building having any numberof storeys | 28 | 3,000 | 8,500 1 % Building having any numberof storeys | NL | 2,000 | 5,500 % TH Cnstitutional) «| 28 [20007 | Ne 1 1% over 2,000 NL % 2 y 28 1V (Office) 18 250 } oo» | 1@ x 1S 500 % 1 1s NL 1) 1 28 5,000 1 m | oy NL NL % 2 39PARTI ~ continued BUILDINGS OTHER THAN SINGLE-STOREY BUILDINGS ~ continued Minimum period of fie resistance (in Maximum dimensions hours) for elements of structure (*) forming part of — Purpose group | Ground Foor | Cubical | storey or | Basement Weight | area | extent | upper | storey (inm) | Gam) | Gam?) | storey aM @ B) a (s) (6) V (Shop) 1s 150] NL % | 1@ x | 1 soo | NL 4 1 ; fas’ | ome | 3,500 | 1» 1 | 28 1,000 | 7/000 1 2 i NL 2000 | 7/000 2 4 y vi(Factory) 6. 15 250 | NL » | 1@ xf 15 NL | 1,200 % | ot : 1s NE | 4,250 | 10) 1 i 28 Ne | 8300 1 2 i 28 NL | 28,000 2 4 i over 3 28 2000 | 5500 2 4 a VII (Pace of public resort) . | as 230 | NL %» | 1@ x | 73 500 | NL % re 1s NL | 3500 | 10) 1 i 28 1,000 7,000 1 % ia NL NE | 7000 | 1% 2 y | VIL (Storage and general) . . [ts 150 | NL ” | 1@ x | 75 300 | NL ei I 1s NL | 1,700 | 10) 1 ; 1s NL 3,500 1 2 | 4 28 nt | 7000 2 4 i 28 Nt | 21,000 4 4 | 28 | 1000 | NL 4 4 : Notes to Part I For the purpose of Regulation 132(1), the period of fire resistance to be taken as being relevant to an clement of sttuctire i the period included Yo colunn (3) or (&h,whichonee appremin ieake se oh eatece Which specifies dimensions With sll of which there Ts conformity or If there are lwo or more such lines he Teg Yopmost of those Lin : (A floor which is immediately over a basement storey shall be deemed to be an element of structure forming part of a basement storey. (The expression “part” means u part which i separated as described in Regulation 132(3)(b) (@)_ The period is half an hour for elements forming part of a basement storey which has an area not excedding Som" (©) This period is reduced to natf an as to the beams which support th Support of the building as a¥whole. (x) The items thus marked are applicable only to buildings, not to compartments, except in relation to purpose group II; see also Regulation 134(2)(a) Proviso () and Reg 13806). () If the building is fitted throughout with an automatic sprinkler system which complies with the relevant recommendations of the aceepted Code of Practice on Automatic Sprinkler Systems: ane ‘maximum limits specttied in column (3) and (8) shall be doubled. | i Jour in respect of a floor which is not a compartment floor, except Tloor or any part of the floor which contributes to the structural 40 iTABLE 132-A ~ continued (Minimum periods of fire resistance) PART 2 — SINGLE STOREY BUILDINGS Minimum period of Maximum, fire resistance (in Purpose group floor area hours) for elements fin m?) of structure a @ @ 1 (Small residential) , 5 NL % z I (Other residential) 3,000 % z MI nstitutiona) . - 7 3,000 % z IV Office) a . 3,000 % z NE 1 i V_ Ghop) ey 2,000 % z 3,000 1 NL 2 VI (Factory) on a0 2,000 % z | 3,000 1 5 | NL 2 VII (Place of public resort) 5 3,000 % z NL 1 VIN (Storage and general). 6d 00 % z 1,000 1 3,000 2 NE 4 Notes to Part 2 For the purpose of Regulation 132(1), the period of fire resistance to be taken as being relevant to an element of structure is the period included’ in column (3) in the line of entries which specifies the floor area With which there is conformity or, if there are two or more such lines, in the topmost of those fines. (2) See Regulation 134(2)(a) Proviso (1) and Reg 135. 4)TABLE 132.8 (Suspended ceilings) Required fire Height of ‘Type of floor resistance of Description of building floor suspended ceiling wo @ 8) a) Less than 15m Non-Compartment 1 hour or less Surface of ceiling exposed within [> the cavity not tower than Compartment Less than 1 hour Class [ (as to surface spread of flame) Compartment 1 hour Surface of ceiling exposed within the cavity not lower than Class 0 (as to surface spread of flame); supports and fixing tor the ceiling non-combustible 15m or more Any 1 hour or less Surface of ceiling exposed within the civity not tower than Class © (as to surface spread oF flame) and joindess; supports and fixing for the ceiling non: combustible Any ‘Any More than hour | Ceiling of non-combustible con struction and jointless; supports and fixings for the ceiling non- combustible, Notes: (1) References to classes in the above table are to classes as specified in Regulation 142, (2) Where the space above a suspended ceiling is protected by an automatic sprinkler system it shall be exempted from the requirements for non-combustibility and surface spread of lame clasifieation ee specified in the above table provided the ceiling is not situated over an exit passageway, protected lobby or other required protected means of escape. TESTS OF FIRE RESISTANCE Meaning of 133. Any requirement in this Chapter that an element of structure, door or “fire other part of a building shall have fire resistance of a specified period shall be resistance’ construed as meaning that it shall be so constructed that a specimen constructed ‘eauirements. to the same specification, if exposed to test by fire in accordance with BS 476: Part 8: 1972, would (subject to any relevant provision in the Table to this Regulation) satisfy the requirements of that test as to stability, integrity and insulation for not less than the specified period: “Deemed to Provided that an clement of structure, door or other part of a buildin satay” shall be deemed to have the requisite fire resistance if — provisions. (a) it is constructed to the same specification as that of a specimen which prior to 31st August 1973 was cither exposed to test by fire in accordance with BS 476: Part 1: 1953 and (subject to any relevant provision in the Table to this regulation) satisfied the requirement of that test as to collapse, passage of flame and insulation for not less than the specified period o1 was assessed by an appropriate authority as capable of satisfy. ing those requirements; or 42a nee ene ne eee EE nero (b) in the case of a wall, beam, column, stanchion or floor to which Appendix A to this regulation relates, it is constructed in accordance with one of the specification set out in that Appendix and the notional period of fire resistance given in that Appendix as being appropriate to that type of construc- tion and other relevant factors is not less than the specified period: or (c) in the case of a door, to which Reg 138(8) and Table 138A relates, it is made in accordance with the provisions of that regulation and Table. TABLE TO REGULATION 133 Provisions as to method of test and minimum period of fire resistance Part of building Method Minimum period as to — of test BS-476: Part 1: 1953 Collapse Passage BS 476: Part 8: 1972 ‘Stability Integrity Insulation PSE Insulation « @ @ 4 oy 1 External wal situated 1m or more re of inside of * + 15min from relevant boundary (excluding test by fire any part of such a wall which is described in item 2) ‘External wall situated less than Im exposure of each side of | * + * from any point on relevant boundary structure separately to 3 Separating wall test by fire Compartment watt Steucture (Other than an enternal ‘wall enclosing protected shaft 6 Structure referred to in Regulation 14002.) 7 Compartment oor exposure of underside of | * * . floor to test by fire Floor of upper storey in building exposure of underside of | 30ming 15 mint 15 ming of purpose group T which has foo to test by fire two storeys 9 Door other than a door described exposure to vest by fre . + No require inten 10 ort wwhen fitted in ts frame ment 10 Dooy referred to in both regulation exposure to test by fre | 30min 20min No require 138(3) and regulation 13601 K@)G). won fitted ints frame ment or 140200) 11 Door referred te in both regulation exposure to wst by fre | 30min 30min No require 138(6) and reavlation 1377 }a)er When fitted Im any ment 13707100) rebated frame * denotes ‘period of fire resistance specified.” + These requirements ate referred 10 in Part VIL of Appendix A to Regulation 133 as ‘MODIFIED #4 HOUR®. 43Unprotected areas in any side of a building. Requirements of external walls Exemptions. EXTERNAL WALLS 134, (1) (a) Except where otherwise provided, any side of a building shall comply with any relevant requirements relating to the permitted limits of unprotected areas specified in Appendix B unless the building is so situated that such side might in accordance with Appendix B consist entirely of any unprotected area, (b) The extent of unprotected openings in an external wall of a building in relation to its distance from the lot boundary may be double that which is specified in Appendix B, when the building is protected by an auto matic sprinkler system in accordance with the provision of the accepted Code of Practice (c) Notwithstanding the requirements of sub-para (a) of this regulation, the unprotected areas in a side of a building or part of a building used for car parking conforming with the provisions of Reguiations 155(1)(a) and 210(1) shall be exempted from compliance with the relevant requirements relating to the permitted limits of unprotected areas specified in Appendix B (2) (@)_ Any external wall, which constitutes or is situated within a distance of Im from any point on the relevant boundary, or is a wall of a building which exceeds 15m in height shall — (1) be constructed wholly of non-combustible materials apart from any external cladding which complies with paragraph (3) of this regulation or any internal lining which complies with regulation 143; and (UD) be so constructed as to attain any fire resistance required by this Chapter without assistance from any combuti- ble material permitted by this sub-paragraph: Provided that the requirements of this sub-paragraph shall not apply to — (i) an external wall of a building which is within the fimits of size indicated by the letter “x” in Part I of Table 132A or of a building which is not divided into com- partments and is within the limits of size indicated by the letter “2” in Part 2 of that table if, in either case, that building does not exceed 15m in height; (ii) an external wall of a building or part of a building, of purpose group II which consists of flats or mai sonettes if that building has not more than three storeys or that part is separated as described in regulation 132(3)(b) and has not more than three storeys; Gi) an external wall of a part of building if that wall is situated Im or more from the relevant boundary and that part is separated as described in regulation 132(3)(b) and does not exceed 14m in height. (b) Any beam or column forming part of. and any structure carrying, an external wall which is required 10 be constructed of non combustible materials shall comply with the provisions of sub-paragraph (a) as to non-combustibility. 44(3) G@) Any cladding on any external wall, if such cladding is situated less than Im from any point on the relevant boundary, shall have @ surface complying with the requirements for Class O specified in regulation 142; and (b) Any cladding on any external wall situated 1m or more from the relevant boundary shall, if the building is more than 15m in height, have a surface complying with the requirements specified for Class 0 in regulation 142, except that any part of such cladding below a height of 15m from the ground may consist of timber of not less than 9mm finished thickness or of a material having a surface which, when tested in accordance with BS 476: Part 6: 1968, has an index of performance (I) not exceeding 20. Provided that if the building is of Purpose Groups VI or VIII such cladding material shall, when tested in accordance with BS 476: Part 6: 1968, have an index of performance (I) not exceeding 12 and a sub-index (is) not exceeding 6. , (4) For the purpose of this regulation — (@) any part of a roof shall be deemed to be part of an external ‘wall or side of a building if it is pitched at an angle of 70°_or more to the horizontal and adjoins a space within the building to which persons have access not limited to the purposes of maintenance or repair; (b) any reference to Appendix B shall be construed as referring to the provisions of Part | of that Appendix together with (at the option of the person intending to erect the build- ing) either the provisions of Part II or, if the building is ‘one to which Part III applies, those of Part II or of Part mM, (5) If (a) any building is to be erected on land occupied with any other building, or two or more detached buildings are to be erected on land in common occupation; and (b) either of those buildings is of purpose group I or Il (other than outhouses); in the application of the provisions of this regulation to any external wall of any building to be so erected which faces.an external wall of such other building — (i the relevant boundary shall be @ notional boundary passing between those buildings and such boundary must be capable of being situated in such a position as to enable the external walls of those buildings to comply with the requirements of this regulation; and (ii) if such other building is an existing building, it shall be deemed to be a building to be erected on the site wi it occupies, being of the same purpose group and having the same unprotected areas and fire resistance as the existing building. adding on external walls, Reference to Parts I — 111 of Appendix B. Requirements when 2 or more buildings are on land in ‘common ‘occupation.Requirements of party walls, Openings in party wall. Party wall = Roof junction. Party wall ~ External wall junetion Prohibition of combustible materials in party walls. PARTY WALLS. 135. (1) Any Party wall shall conform to the relevant provisions of the Building Regulations with regards to its thickness and non-combustibility of materials and shall have fire resistance for not less than the relevant period specified in Regulation 132 and subject to the exceptions specitied in paragraph (2) shall be imperforate and shall form a complete vertical separation between any buildings separated (including any root space therein). (2) Nothing in paragraph (1) shall prohibit ~ (a) the passage through a party wall of a pipe, if the pipe — (8) is not a flue pipe: and (ii) has a diameter not exceeding 25mm (if it is made of combustible material) or 150mm (ir it is made of non-combustible material); and (iii) is fire-stopped where it passes through the wall: of (b) an opening in a party wall which is necessary as a means of escape from fire, if the opening is fitted with a door which — (® complies with the requirements of regulation 138; and ii) has fire resistance which is not less than the period required by regulation 132 for the party wall (3) A party wall shall in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Building Regulations be either carried up to form a close joint with the underside of a pitched roof of non-combustible covering or cartied up to 450mm. above the level of such roof covering, and the junctions between such party Wall and such roof shall be properly fire stopped, so as not to render ineffective the resistance of such party wall to the effects of fire and the spread of fire. (4) If any external wall is carried across the end of a party wall, such external wall and party wall shall be bonded together or the junction of such walls shall be fire-stopped. (5) In addition to the relevant provisions of the Building Regulations, ‘no combustible material shall be carried through, into or across the ends of of over the top of any party wall of such a type or in such a way as to render ineffective the resistance of such party to the effects of fire and the spread of fire: Provided that — if @ building has a non-combustible roof covering and is of Purpose Group J, I, Il, IV or Vil, nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit the continuation over the top of the party wall of — (® any boarding, with or without sarking felt or sarking paper, if such boarding is used as a base for the roof covering and the boarding is solidly bedded on mort NOt less suitable material where it rests on the party wall: or (ii) any roof tiling, slating or sheeting battens, if the battens are solidly bedded on mortar or other not less suitable material where they rest on the party wall and the space between them is filled with mortar or other not less suit- able material up to the underside of the rool covering, 46(6) In addition to complying with the provisions of the Building Control (Construction) Regulations 1979, any party wall shall be constructed wholly of non-combustible materials apart from any surface finish which complies with regulation 143 and the required fire resistance shall be attained independently of any such combustible surface finish: Provided that the requirements of this paragraph shall not apply to: (a) a wall separating buildings, which ate defined as temporary buildings under the Building Control (Administration) Regulations 1979 and which are not divided into com- partments and are within the limits of size indicated by (i) the letter “X” in Part | of Table 132-A, if the buildings are of two or more storeys; oF (ii) the letter “Z” in Part I of Table 132-A, if the buildings are single-storey buildings: and (b) a wall_separating offices. shops or places of public resort of : separate tenancies in a building which is fully protected by ai automatic sprinkler system as stipulated in regulations 148 and 149. COMPARTMENT WALLS AND COMPARTMENT FLOORS 136. (1) Any compartment wall or compartment floor shall be imper- forate with the exception of any one or more of the following (a) an opening fitted with a door which has fire resistance for the following minimum period and which complies with i the provisions of regulation 138 or 139 — (i in the case of a wall separating a flat or maisonette from any space in common use giving access to that flat or maisonette, half an hour; or i (ii) in any other case, the period required by the provi- sions of regulation 132 for the wall or floor; (b) an opening for a protected shaft fitted with a door as in clause (a); (©) an opening for a ventilation duct (other than a duct in, or consisting of, 2 protected shaft) if any space surrounding the duct is fire-stopped and the duct is fitted with an automatic fire shutter where it passes through the wall or floor: (4) an opening for 2 pipe. which does not exceed ~ (i) 25mm in diameter. if the pipe is of combustible mate: (ii) 150mm in material neter, if the pipe is of non-combustible (e) an opening for 3 refuse chute, which complies with the requirements of the Building Control (Construction) Regulations 1979: (f) ventilation openings to an external exit passageway as permitted under Regulation 74(1):and Sy (g) ventilation openings to an external corridor as_permitted i under Regulation 73(12)(a). ws (2) Where a compartment wall or compartment floor forms a june- tion with any structure comprising any other compartment wall. or any external wall, party wall or structure enclosing @ protected shat, such structures shall be bonded together at the junction, or the junction shall be fite-stopped. Non- combustibaity of party walls Compartment walls and floors to be imperforate ‘Compartment walls and floors forming junctions ‘with other structures.‘Compartment walls ~ roof Junctions. Prohibition of combustible ‘materials in compartment walls, Duets passing through compartment floors and walls Non: ‘combustibility of compartment walls and floors. Exemption from sub- paragraph (6). (3) Where any compartment wall forms ajunction with a roof,such wall shall be carried up to form a close joint with the underside of the roof or carried up to 450mm above the level of the roof covering (as the case may be) and the junctions Between such party walls and such roof shall be properly fire stopped Jn accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulations 135(3). (4) No combustible material shall be built into or carried through, into or across the ends of any compartment wall or compartment floor or over the top of any compartment wall in such a manner as to render ineffective the resistance of such wall or floor to the effects of fire and the spread of fire: Provided that nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit the conti- nuation over the top of a compartment walls of any construction which complies with the requirements of Regulation 135(5), (5) Where any appliance ventilation duct or duct encs more flue pipes passes through a comp ing one or ment floor or compartment wall — (a) the passage in the appliance ventilation duct: or (®) the space within the duct encasing the flue pipe or pipes: shall be separated from that compartment floor or compartment wall and from each compartment adjoining that floor or wall by non-combustible construction having fire resistance of not less than half the minimum fire resistance required by Regulation 132 for the compartment floor or compartment wall through which it passes, (6) Any compartment wall or compartment floor which is required by regulation 132 to have fire resistance of one hour or more (except where that requirement arises solely by virtue of regulation 132(1)(b) shall be constructed wholly of non-combustible materials apart from — (i) any floor finish; or (i) any surface finish to wall or ceiling which complies with the requirements of regulation 142; or any ceiling which complies with the description specified in the Table 132B to regulation 132; and, apart from any such ceiling, the required fire resistance of the wall or Moor shall be obtained without assisiznce from any combustible material per. mitted by this sub-paragraph, (7) The requirements of paragraph (6) shall not apply to — (@) The following walls and floors in a building or part of Purpose group I! which consists of flats or maisonettes — (i) if that building has three storeys or that part is separated as described in regulation 132(3)(b) and has three storeys, any wall or floor other than a wall within a basement storey or a floor immediately over a basement storey; (ii) if that building has four storeys or that part is separated as described in regulation 132(3)(b) and hhas four storeys, any floor other than a floor immediately over a basement storey; and 48(b) any existing floor in a building or part of purpose group IV, V, VI, VIL oF VII which is altered or extended if, after alteration or extension, that building does not exceed 15m in height or that part is separated as described in regulation 132(3)(b) and does not exceed 15m in height. (8) Any beam or column forming part of, and any structure carrying any compartment wall or compartment floor which is required to be constructed of non-combustible materials, shall itself comply with the provisions of para- graph (6) as to non-combustibility PROTECTED SHAFTS 137. (1) In this regulation, “protecting structure” means any wall or floor or other structure which encloses a protected shaft other than (2) a wall which also forms part of an external wall, party wall or compartment wall; or (b) @ floor which is also a compartment floor or a floor laid directly on the ground; and (©) a roof. (2) No protected shaft shall be constructed for use for any purposes additional to those specified in regulation 125(m) other than the accommoda- tion of any pipe or duct. . (3) Subject to the provisions of this regulation, any protected shaft shall be completely enclosed by walls or floors having the necessary fire resistance rating under Reg 132. (4) (a) Any protecting structure which is required by regulation 132 to have fire resistance of one hour or more shall be constructed wholly of non-combustible materials apart from any surface which complies with the Tequirements of regulation 142: Provided that the requirements of this sub-paragraph shall not apply to a protecting structure which is situated within the ground storey or an upper storey of a building or part thereof of Purpose Group II consisting of flats or maisonettes if that building has three storeys or that part is separated as described in regulation 132(3)(b) and has three storeys (b) Any beam or column forming part of. and any structure carrying a protecting structure which is required to be constructed of non- combustible materials shall itself comply with the provisions of sub-paragraph (@) as to non-combustibility. (5) (@) Any wall or other structure enclosing a protected shaft but not being a protecting structure may contain such openings as shall be in aecordance with other provisions of this code. (b) There shall be no opening in any protecting structure other than any one or more of the following — (9 an opening for a pipe; 49 Beams and columns in compartment walls and floors. Definition of “protecting structure”. Purpose of protected shaft. Enclosure. Non: combustibility, of protecting structures, Openings in wall or floor of protected shafts