FIRE CODE

OF THE
PHILIPPINES
khristinedc@yahoo.com

PART 1

PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
1185
FIRE CODE

DEFINITION OF TERMS
ABATEMENT
- Remove/neutralize fire hazard
ADMINISTRATOR
- Agent of the owner; manages the building
BLASTING AGENT
- Fuel + Oxidizer used to set off explosives
CELLULOSE NITRATE/NITRO CELLULOSE
- Highly combustible/explosive cmpd. (nitric aid +
cellulose)
CELLULOSE NITRATE PLASTIC (PYROXYLIN)
- Any plastic substance with cellulose nitate
COMBUSTIBLE, FLAMMABLE OR INFLAMMABLE
- Materials easily set on fire
COMBUSTIBLE FIBER
- Free burning fiber (cotton, oakum, hay, straw, etc.)

COMBUSTIBLE LIQUID
- Liquid w/ flash pt. ^37.8 deg.C (100deg.F)
CORROSIVE LIQUID
- Liquid w/c causes fire when in contact w/ organic
matter/chemicals
CURTAIN BOARD
- Vertical panel of non-combustible/fire-resistive
materials attached and extending below the bottom
chord of roof trusses; divide the underside of the roof
to several compartments so that heat and smoke will
be directed upwards to a roof vent.
CRYOGENIC
- Any material w/c produces rapid drop of temperature to
its immediate surroundings.
DAMPER
- Device installed inside an airduct w/c automatically
closes to restrict smoke or fire.
DISTILLATION
- Raising temperature, cooling & condensing to produce
a nearly purified substance

DUCT SYSTEM
- Continuous passageway for transmission of air
DUST
- Finely powdered substance when mixed w/ air and
ignited will cause explosion.
ELECTRICAL ARC
- Extremely hot, luminous bridge formed by the passage
of electric current across a space between 2
conductors due to the incandescence of the
conducting vapor.
EMBER
- Hot piece or lump partially burned, still oxidizing w/o
the manifestation of flames.
FINISHES
- Final coasting of a surface (ornamental or protective)
FIRE
- Active principle of burning
FIRE TRAP
- Building unsafe in case of fire

FIRE ALARM
- Visual/audible signal, device or system; warn the occupants or
fire fighting elements of presence/danger of fire.
FIRE DOOR
- Fire resistive door
FIRE HAZARD
- condition/act which increase probability of fire;
delay/hinder/interfere fire fighting, safeguarding of life &
property.
FIRE LANE
- Portion of road/publicway kept opened/unobstructed for fire
fighting units.
FIRE PROTECTIVE & FIRE SAFETY DEVICE
- Built-in protection system (sprinklers, automatic extinguishing
system, heat/smoke detectors, warning system)
- Personal protective equipment (fire blankets, helmets, fire
suits, gloves)
FIRE SAFETY CONSTRUCTIONS
- Design & installation of walls, barriers, windows, vents, means
of egress; treatment of building components with flame
retardant chemicals; to minimize danger of fire and safe
evacuation of people.

FLASH POINT
- Minimum temperature a material gives off vapor to
form ignition.
FORGING
- Metal is heated prior to changing shape/dimension
FULMINATE
- Stable explosive compund; explodes by percussion
HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS/PROCESS
- manufacturing, fabrication, conversion w/c
uses/produces materials that cause fires or explosions.
HORIZONTAL EXIT
- Passageway from one building to another or through or
around the wall in approximately same floor level.
HOSE BOX
- Box/cabinet where fire hoses, valves and other
equipment ware stored.
HOSE REEL
- Cylindrical device where fire hose is wound and
connected

HYPERGOLIC FUEL
- Rocket or liquid propellant
INDUSTRIAL BAKING & DRYING
- Industrial process of heating materials to remove
solvents/moisture, and fuse certain salts to form
uniform glazing on the surface of treated materials.
JUMPER
- Piece of metal or conductor used to bypass a safety in an
electrical system
OCCUPANCY
- Intended use/purpose of a building
OCCUPANT
-Any person occupying/using a building (or portions) by
virtue of lease contract/permission with the
owner/administrator
ORGANIC PEROXIDE
- Strong oxidizing organic compound w/c causes fire when
in contact w/ combustible material under condition of
high temperature.

OVERLOADING
- Use of electrical appliances/devices beyond the designed
capacity of existing electrical system.
OWNER
- Person who holds the legal right of possession or title to a
building/property.
OXIDIZING MATERIAL
- Yields oxygen; stimulates/supports combustion.
PRESSURIZED/FORCED DRAFT BURNING EQUIPMENT
- Type of burner where pressurized fuel is discharged to
combustion chamber which includes fans for introduction of
air.
PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BUILDING
- building/structure; 50 or more people
congregate/gather/assemble
PUBLIC WAY
- street, alley, strip of land unobstructed from ground to sky
intended for public use
PYROPHORIC
- Ignites spontaneously when exposed to air

REFINING
-partial distillation & electrolysis; removing
impurities/deleterious materials from mixture
SELF-CLOSING DOORS
- Automatic closing doors; confines smoke & heat; delays
spread of fire.
SMELTING
- Melting/fusing metal ores; separate impurities from pure
metals.
SPRINKLER SYSTEM
- Integrated network of hydraulically designed piping with
outlets w/c automatically discharges water when activated
by heat.
STANDPIPE SYSTEM
- Vertical pipes to which firehoses can be attached on each
floor; includes system where water is made available to
outlets as needed.
VESTIBULE
- Passage hall/antechamber between outlet doors and interior
parts of building
VERTICAL SHAFT
- Vertical space/passage extending from floor to floor, base to

SEC 5. GRACE PERIOD =

2 YEARS

(Compliance with Fire Safety Constructions,

Protective and Warning Systems as
Prescribed
by the Director
General)
SEC
6. RESPONSIBILITY
FOR
THE
ENFORCEMENT OF
CODE

THE

FIRE SERVICE >DIRECTOR GENERAL

of the
Integrated National
Police

Implements Regulations
b. Reorganize Fire Service
c. Negotiates
d. Enter into MOA w/ other departments, offices,
a.

PART 2

IMPLEMENTING RULES &

REGULATIONS

GENERAL SAFETY
REQUIREMENT FOR BUILDING,
STRUCTURE OR FACILITY

FIRE SUPPRESSION DEVICES,

EQUIPMENT OR SYSTEMS
FIRE SAFETY CONSTRUCTION
FIRE PROTECTION AND
WARNING SYSTEM

DEFINITIONS
AIRCRAFTS SERVICE STATION
- That portion of an airport were flammable
liquids are stored or dispensed
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
- Integrated system of underground or overhead
piping connected to extinguishing agent
actuated by automatic detecting device to
suppress fire.
BOILING POINT
- Temperature at which liquid is transformed to
vapor
CHIEF OF THE LOCAL FIRE SERVICE
- Official duly designated to head the local Fire
Service (in cities or municipalities, the Station
Commander of the Integrated National Police)

CLASS A FIRE
- Combustible materials (wood, cloth, paper, rubber
& plastics)
CLASS B FIRE
- Flammable liquids and gases
CLASS C FIRE
- Electrical
CLASS D FIRE
- Combustible metals (magnesium, sodium,
potassium, etc.)
COMBINATION STANDPIPE
- Pipeline system filled with water and connected to
a constant water supply for the use of Fire
Service and occupants of the building solely for
suppression purposes.
COMBUSTIBLE FIBER LOOSE HOUSE
- Isolated structure where loose fibers are stored.

DIP TANK
- Tank, vat, container of flammable/combustible liquid in
which articles or materials are immersed for the
purpose of coating, finishing, treating, or similr
processes.
DRY STANDPIPE
- pipes not filled with water; water is introduced thru
Fire Service connections
EXPLOSIVE MAGAZINE
- Building, structure or facilities used for the storage of
explosives, shells, projectile and ammunition.
FIRE ALERTING SYSTEM
- Fire alarm system transmitted to designated locations
instead of sounding a general alarm to prevent panic.
FIRE PROTECTIVE ASSEMBLY
- An assembly incorporated in a structure designed to
prevent the spread of fire (dampers, curtain board,
fire stoppers)
FIRE RESISTANCE RATING
- Time duration a material can withstand the effect of
hundred fire test

FIRE WALL
- A wall designed to prevent the spread of fire w/ fire
resistance rating of not less than 4 hours and structurally
stable.
FLAME SPREAD RATING
- Time w/c flame will spread over the surface of a burning
material.
FLAME RETARDANT
- Compound/mixture w/c improves fire resistant quality of
fabrics and other materials.
HAZARDOUS FIRE AREA
- Land covered with dry grass, cogon, reeds, brush and other
highly combustible growth that fires are likely to occur
and hard to suppress.
HIGHRISE BUILDING
- Buildings, structures, facilities 15 meters or more in height.
MEANS OF EGRESS
- Continuous unobstructed route of exit from any point in a
building, structure or facility to a public way.

OCCUPANT LOAD
- Maximum number of persons that may occupy a building,
structure or facility or portions thereof.
ORGANIC COATING
- Liquid mixture of binders (alkyd, acrylic) w/c when
spread on surface becomes protective and decorative
finish.
PANIC HARDWARE
- Mechanical device consisting of linkages and a horizontal
bar across a door, which when pushed from the inside
will cause the door to open and facilitate exit from a
building, structure or facility.
PICKING ROOMS
- Rooms where baled, bundled or piled materials are
segregated into desired sizes or groups.
PLENUM
- Air compartment or chamber w/ one or more ducts are
connected to form part of an air distribution system.
SMOKE DEVELOPED RATING
- density and volume of smoke developed within a certain
period of time.

CLASSIFICATION
OF
OCCUPANCY

A. ASSEMBLY

Theaters

Assembly Halls

Auditorium
Exhibition Halls

Museum

Restaurants

Churches

Terminals of Air
Surface Underground
Recreation Piers

Court Rooms
Conference Rooms

Dance Halls
Club Rooms
Skating Rink
Gymnasium
Bowling Facilities
Pool Rooms
Armories
Passenger Stations
Marine Public
Transportation
Facilities

B. EDUCATIONAL

Schools
Universities
Colleges
Academies
Nursery Schools
Kindergartens
Child Day Care
Facilities

C. INSTITUTIONAL

Hospitals
Nursing Homes
Nurseries
Homes for the Aged
Mental Care
Institutions
Penal Institutions
Reformatories
Jails

D. RESIDENTIAL

One- & Two-Family

Dwellings
Hotels
Motels
Pension House
Inns
Apartments
Dormitories
Orphanages
Lodging or Rooming Houses

E. MERCANTILE

Stores
Markets
Supermarkets
Department
Stores
Shopping
Centers
Drugstore
Auction Rooms

F. BUSINESS

Office for Lawyers, Doctors, Dentists

and other Professionals
General Offices
City or Town Halls
Court Houses
Libraries

G. INDUSTRIAL

Factories of all
kinds
Laboratories
Dry Cleaning
Plants
Power Plants
Pumping Stations
Smokehouses

Gas Plants
Refineries
Sawmills
Laundries
Creameries

H. STORAGE

Warehouses
Cold Storages
Freight Terminals
Truck and Marine
Terminals
Bulk Oil Storage
Parking Garages
Hangars
Grain Elevators
Harns
Stables

I. MIXED OCCUPANCIES

2 OR MORE CLASSES OF
OCCUPANCY IN ONE BUILDING

J. MISCELLANEOUS
CANNOT BE CLASSIFFIED IN
ANY OF THE PRECEDING
OCCUPANCY GROUPS
Towers
Piers

and Water-Surrounded
Structure
Vehicle & Vessels
Underground Structures and
Windowless
Buildings

DEGREE OF HAZARD

- probability that a building,

structure or facility may catch fire

LOW .. 1
MEDIUM .. 2
HIGH 3
VERY HIGH 4

DEGREE OF HAZARD
DEPENDS UPON THE
FOLLOWING
FACTORS
:
1. Construction Materials
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.

Combustibility of Contents
Type of Occupancy
Load Capacity or Number of
Occupants
Height from the Ground Level
Longest Horizontal Travel Distance
Fire Safety Construction

FIRE SAFETY IN
BUILDINGS,
STRUCTURES AND
FACILITIES

MEANS OF EGRESS

PROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE
OF EXITS
3 STORIES OR LESS 1 HOUR
FIRE
RESISTANCE RATING
4 STORIES OR MORE 2 HOUR
FIRE
RESISTANCE
RATING

1. TRAVEL DISTANCE TO EXITS

INDIVIDUAL ROOM (Not more than 6 Occupants)
MAX. 15M from any point of the room to
exit door.
2. WIDTH OF ANY WAY OF EXIT ACCESS
- MIN. 71 cm
3. NO DEAD-ENDS IN EXCESS OF 6M
4. SINGLE DOOR WIDTH - MIN. 71 cm
(Fire Exit)
- MAX. 122 cm
PANIC HARDWARE
Width = MIN. 2/3 of the door width
Height = MIN. 76mm
= MAX. 112mm
5. HEADROOM (Ceiling Height) = MIN. 2.30M

RAMPS
CLASS A

CLASS

(100 Persons)
1.Width
cm

112 cm & greater

(60 Pe
76-112

(Outside Ramps = MIN.120 cm)

2. Slope
8-10%
3. Maximum height
between landings
No Limit
4. Capacity in persons (modified)
Down
60
Up
45
45

10-17%
3.66M
45

INTERIOR STAIRS
1.

Minimum width clear of all

obstruction except handrails w/c
may project MAX. 89mm each side
& stringers may project MAX.
38mm each side. ---------------------2. Maximum height of risers -------------3. Minimum width of tread exclusive of
nosing or projection ----------------4. Winders-----------------------------------5. Minimum Headroom ------------------6. Maximum height between landings -7. Minimum dimension of landings in
direction of travel --------------------8. Doors opening immediately on stairs
without landing (width) --------------

CLASS A
112cm B
CLASS

112cm ; 91cm

where total
occupancy of
all floors
served
by
19cm
20cm
stairway is less
than 50 persons.

25cm
None
2M
2.75M

23cm
None
2M
3.70M

112 mm

112m

NO

NO

TREADS, RISERS &

HANDRAILS

2R + T = 60cm to 63.5cm
Min. No. of Risers in 1 Flight = 3
Treads width variation = max. 5mm
Tread less than 25cm --- 25mm Nosing
Handrails
- Height = 76cm to 86.5cm
- Setback (from the edge) = 25mm
(NOTE: Stairways more than 223mm width shall
have immediate handrails.)
Vertical Balusters (spacing) = max. 15.25cm apart
Longitudinal Rails (top and bottom) = max. 25.5mm