FIRE SAFETY CONCEPTS
FOR BUILDINGS
PRESENTED BY :
RAMON D. AGUILOS, PME
GENERAL MANAGER
RD AGUILOS ENGINEERING CONSULTANTS
FIRE PROTECTION
ENGINEERING
Active fire protection-fire suppression & fire
alarm.
Passive-fire & smoke barriers,
compartmentation
Smoke Control & management
Building design, layout and space
planning.
Fire prevention programs
Fire dynamics and modeling
Human behavior during fire events
Risk anaylysis
PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION
MEASURES
Passive Fire Protection measures are intended
to contain a fire in the fire compartment of
origin, thus limiting the spread of fire and
smoke for a limited period of time, as
determined the local building code and fire
code. Passive fire protection measures, such
as firestops, fire walls, and fire doors, are
tested to determine the fire resistance rating
of the final assembly, usually expressed in
terms of hours of fire resistance (e.g., 1/3,
3/4, 1, 1 1/2, 2, 3, 4 hr.). A certification
listing provides the limitations of the rating.
ORIGIN
ORIGIN
ORIGIN
ORIGIN
PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION
MEASURES
European standards rely on passive fire
protection measures and their main
protection against fire is to contain the fire in
the room of origin and let the fire burn out.
They can determine the size of fire and based
on the size of fire, determine the required fire
resistance rating of the enclosure
This is their main line of defense.
PASSIVE FIRE PROTECTION
MEASURES
American standards have requirement for
passive fire protection system but they also
rely on the operation of automatic sprinkler
system to protect the building against fire.
Earlier editions of the life safety code had
requirements for subdivision of a building
space. Subdivision will mean that you will
have at least two fire compartments in each
floor. Later editions had removed that
requirement except in hospitals.
PROTECTION
VERTICAL OPENINGS
Connecting 4 stories or more-2
hour wall enclosure.
Connecting 3 stories or less-1
hour wall enclosure.
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (KOREA)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (KOREA)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
PASSIVE FIRE
PROTECTION
MEASURES (JAPAN)
MEANS OF EGRESS
The approach to designing means of
egress first requires a familiarity
with the reaction of people in fire
emergencies.
This reaction can differ widely,
depending upon the physical and
mental capabilities and conditions
of building occupants.
MEANS OF EGRESS
Safe exit from a building requires a
safe path of escape from the fire
environment
Proper exit design permits everyone
to leave the fire-endangered
areas in the shortest possible
time with efficient exit use.
DEFINITION OF MEANS
OF EGRESS
A continuous and unobstructed
way of travel from any point
in a building or structure to a
public way consisting of three
separate and distinct parts
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENT
MEANS OF EGRESS
Exit access - That portion of a means
of egress that leads to an exit.
Exit - That portion of a means of
egress that is separated from all
other spaces of the buildings or
structure by 1 hour or 2 hour wall
construction.
Exit Access
MEANS OF EGRESS
EXIT
MEANS OF EGRESS
EXIT
MEANS OF EGRESS
Exit discharge - That portion
of a means of egress between
the termination of an exit and a
public way.
Public Way – a street, alley or
other similar parcel of land
open to the outside air, deeded
to the public with clear width
and height of at least 10 feet.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Components of building or
structure that we encounter while
traversing a means of egress.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Doors including hardwares
Stairs and ramps including
handrails and guards
Horizontal exits
Exit passageway
Areas of refuge
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Doors
Minimum 71cm in Fire Code, 81cm,
NFPA 101.
Shall swing in the direction of exit
travel when used in an exit, or
serving a high hazard area or serving
an occupant load of 50 or more.
MEANS OF
EGRESS
COMPONENTS
DOORS
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Doors
Self closing device required for doors
designed to be kept normally closed
in a means of egress.
Revolving door shall not be used for
means of egress.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Revolving Doors
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Minimum width-112cm
Maximum height of riser 17.78cm
(7in.) in NFPA 101 and 19cm in FC.
Minimum width of tread 27.94cm (11
in.) in NFPA 101, 25 cm in FC.
Maximum height between landings
3.66 cm in NFPA 101, 2.75m in FC
Minimum headroom-2.03m
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Risers &
tread
dimensions,
7, 11
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Headroom
6ft-8inches
or
2030mm.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Identification
Floor level &
terminus at
the top and
bottom of the
stair
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Identification
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs,
Handrails
Required
on both
sides of
stairs
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs,
Handrails
Clearance
from walls,
1.5 inches
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs,
Handrails
Clearance
from walls,
1.5 inches
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs,
Handrails
Can be
grasp
firmly, 1.5
to 2 in dia.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Outside
stairs need
to have
protection
also, within
10 feet of
the stairs.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Unprotected
vertical
opening
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Required
protection, 1
hr for stair
connecting 3
storeys and
2hr for stair
connecting 4
or more
storeys
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Reentry is
required for
stairwell
doors
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
SMOKE PROOF STAIRS
OPEN AIR VESTIBULE
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
SMOKE PROOF STAIR
OUTSIDE BALCONY
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
SMOKE PROOF STAIRS
MECHANICAL VENTING
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
SMOKE PROOF STAIRS
STAIR PRESSURIZATION
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
Scissors
stairs
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Stairs
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Fire Escape Stairs and ladders
Can be used as means of escape on existing facilities
and depending on the occupancy chapter.
Disadvantages
Unsightly appearance
Expense of maintenance
Possibility of users being trapped from a fire below
Fear of height and hence objection to using fire escape
stairs and ladders.
There are cases of corroded stair that have collapsed.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Ramps
They are permitted as part of means of
egress and are preferred over stairs under
some circumstances.
Width=112cm
Maximum slope= 1 in 12 for >6in rise
1 in 10 for >3in & =<6 in rise
1 in 8 for =< 3 inches rise
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit Passageway
Serves as horizontal means of exit travel
that is protected from fire in a manner
similar to an exterior exit stair.
It can be used to connect interior stair to
another stair or to direct one stair to the
public way.
It can also be used to keep travel distance
to become excessive.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passageway
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passageway
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passageway
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passageway
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Horizontal Exits
A way of passage from one building to another
on approximately the same level or a way of
passage though or around a fire barrier to an
area of refuge on approximately the same level
in the same building that affords safety from
fire and smoke originating the room of fire
origin.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Horizontal
Exits
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Horizontal
Exits
HORIZONTAL EXITS
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Area of Refuge
A storey in a building where such building
is protected by an approved, supervised
automatic sprinkler system and has at
least two accessible rooms or spaces
separated from each other by smoke
resisting partitions.
Serves as staging area.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Discharge from exits
All exits to terminate at a public way or an
exterior exit discharge.
Not more than 50% of the required
number of exits and not more than 50%
of the required egress capacity shall be
permitted to discharge through areas on
the level of discharge.
MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Only 50% is
allowed to
discharge
through the
areas on
the level of
exit
discharge.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
The number of occupants
that the exit can handle
safely during evacuation of
the building.
Can be determined by using
the occupant load factor in
NPPA -101.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
1. Determine occupant load=
actual maximum number of
occupants but not less than
Floor area/Occupant load factor
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
TAKE NOTE OF THE AREA
NET AREA
GROSS AREA
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE
OFFICE BUILDING WITH 2,000SM
AREA.
OCCUPANT LOAD FACTOR OF
9.3SM GROSS PER PERSON
OCCUPANT LOAD=215 PERSON
MAXIMUM ALLOWED
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE
OFFICE BUILDING WITH 2,000SM
AREA.
IF THIS OFFICE BUILDING IS USED
AS A CALL CENTER, ACTUAL
OCCUPANTS ARE MUCH HIGHER
THAN 9.3SM/PER, SOMETIMES
4SM/PERSON
OCCUPANT LOAD=500 PERSON
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Now that you have the occupant
load, how do you determine if
your corridors, doors and stairs
have sufficient width to
accommodate all the building
occupants?
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
1. Determine occupant load.
2. Determine clear widths of
components.
Door widths, corridor widths, stair
widths
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
1. Determine occupant load.
2. Determine clear widths of
components.
3. Determine capacity of
components
Clear width/capacity factor
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE 1, BUSINESS
OCCUPANCY
OCCUPANT LOAD =215
WE HAVE TWO EXITS SO, EACH
EXIT WILL HAVE 108 LOAD/PER
EXIT
DOOR CAP=.5cm/person
MINIMUM DOOR WIDTH
=108 x .5cm= 54 cm
Use minimum of 81 cm.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE 1
OCCUPANT LOAD =215
WE HAVE TWO EXITS SO, EACH
EXIT WILL HAVE 108 LOAD/PER
EXIT
STAIR CAP=.8cm/person
MINIMUM STAIR WIDTH
=108 x .8cm= 86.4cm
Use minimum of 112cm.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE 2, BUSINESS
OCCUPANCY
OCCUPANT LOAD =500
WE HAVE TWO EXITS SO, EACH
EXIT WILL HAVE 250 LOAD/PER
EXIT
DOOR CAP=.5cm/person
MINIMUM DOOR WIDTH
=250 x .5cm= 125 cm
Use minimum of 125 cm.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE 2
OCCUPANT LOAD =500
WE HAVE TWO EXITS SO, EACH
EXIT WILL HAVE 250 LOAD/PER
EXIT
STAIR CAP=.8cm/person
MINIMUM STAIR WIDTH
=250 x .8cm= 200cm
Use minimum of 200 cm.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
EXAMPLE 3
Door A=34inches (86.36cm)
Stair B=48 inches (121.92 cm)
Door C=36 inches (91.44 cm)
Corridor D=66 inches (167.64 cm)
Door E=2-32 inches (81.2 cm)
FIND THE CAPACITY OF THE
GIVEN EXIT.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
HEALTH CARE
Door 34 in., .5in/person, 68 persons
Stairs 48in, .6in/person, 80 persons
Door 36 in., .5in/person, 72 persons
Passageway 66 in., .5in/person, 132
persons
Door 2(32 in)., .5in/person, 128
persons
CAPACITY IS 68 PERSONS ONLY.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
BUSINESS OCCUPANCY
Door 34 in., .2in/person, 170 persons
Stairs 48in, .3in/person, 160 persons
Door 36 in., .2in/person, 180 persons
Passageway 66 in., .2in/person, 330
persons
Door 2(32 in)., .2in/person, 320
persons
CAPACITY IS 160 PERSONS ONLY.
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
CAPACITY OF MEANS OF EGRESS
NUMBER OF MEANS OF EGRESS
The minimum number of means of
egress shall be two.
Occupant load >500 but not more than
1000, minimum of 3
Occupant load more than 1000, 4
NUMBER OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Where more than one exit is required,
they shall be remotely located from
each other to minimize the possibility of
that more than one has the potential to
be blocked by any one fire or other
emergency condition
NUMBER OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Remote exit means that the distance
the required exist are at least ½ the
length of the maximum overall diagonal
dimension of the building or area to be
served (for sprinklered buildings, at
least 1/3 the diagonal).
NUMBER OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Exit
separation
NUMBER OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Exit
separation
½ of the
max
overall
diagonal
dimension
of the bldg
NUMBER OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Exit separation
½ of the max
overall diagonal
dimension of
the bldg
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
Travel distance
Dead Ends
Common path of travel
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
Dead Ends - occurs in a corridor
where the corridor continues past an
exit and creates a pocket into which
occupant might travel.
Common Path of Travel - exits
where a space is arranged so that
occupants with in that space are able
to travel in one direction to reach any
of the point at which the occupants
have a choice of 2 path of travel to
remote
COMMON PATH & DEAD END
DEAD END CORRIDORS
DEAD END CORRIDORS
RD AGUILOS
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
RD AGUILOS
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
Travel distance- Travel
distance is the distance
along the natural path of
travel to the closest exit.
The allowable travel
distance is specified in the
occupancy chapters
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
ILLUMINATION OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
Illumination shall be continuous during
the time that the building is occupied.
Source of power shall be reliable.
Battery operated electric lights shall not
be used for primary illumination.
EMERGENCY LIGHTING
Emergency lighting is not required
unless specifically called for in the
appropriate occupancy chapter.
MARKING OF MEANS OF EGRESS
Access to exits shall be marked by
approved readily visible signs in all
cases where the exit or way to reach it
is not readily apparent to the
occupants.
Sign placement shall be such that no
point in the exit access corridor is more
than 100 feet from the nearest sign
FEATURES OF FIRE PROTECTION
Construction & Compartmentation
Depending on the type of occupancy,
buildings are required to have a
minimum construction requirement in
accordance with NFPA 220.
The more fire resistive the building,
the bigger the allowable floor area.
FEATURES OF FIRE PROTECTION
Construction & Compartmentation
Compartmentation can limit the
spread of fire and the movement of
smoke.
Compartmentation
Subdivision of building spaces
Protection of Vertical openings
Separation of hazardous areas
Limiting the floor area depending on the
type of construction and the type of
occupancy.
Subdivision of bldg spaces
PROTECTION
Floor Openings
Atriums, allowed depending on the
type of occupancy.
Escalator openings, allowed with
closely spaced sprinklers and draft
curtain or with rolling steel shutters.
PROTECTION
VERTICAL OPENINGS
Connecting 4 stories or more-2
hour wall enclosure.
Connecting 3 stories or less-1 hour
wall enclosure.
PROTECTION
PROTECTION
VERTICAL
OPENINGS
PROTECTION
VERTICAL
OPENINGS
PROTECTION
VERTICAL
OPENINGS
PROTECTION
Smoke Barriers
Health Care
Special Hazard Protection
Areas having a higher degree of
Hazard greater than the normal
occupancy are required to be separated
from other areas by fire resistive
construction.
Interior finish
MODULE 6
OCCUPANCY
CHAPTERS
