PART VIII

FIRE ALARMS, FIRE DETECTION,

FIRE EXTINGUISHMENT AND
FIRE FIGHTING ACCESS
Section 225 Detecting and extinguishing fire

Every building shall be provided with means of detecting

extinguishing fire and fire alarms together with illuminated
exit signs in accordance with illuminated as specified in
the Tenth Schedule to these By law

Every building shall be served by at least one fire

hydrant located not more than 92.5 meters from
the nearest point of fire brigade access.

Depending on the size and location of the

building and the provision of access for fire
appliances , additional fire hydrant shall be
provided as may be required by Fire
Authority.
Section 226 Automatic system for hazardous occupancy.

Where hazardous processes, storage or occupancy are of such

character to require automatic sprinklers or other automatic
extinguishing system, it shall be of a type and standard
appropriate to extinguish fires in the hazardous materials stored
or handled or for safety of the occupants.

Section 227 Portable extinguishes

Portable extinguishes shall be provided in

accordance with the relevant codes of practice and
shall be sited in prominent positions on exit routes
to be visible from all directions and similar
extinguishers in a building shall be of the same
method of operation.
 228. Sprinkler Valves
Sprinkler will discharges water when the effects
of a fire have been detected, such as when a
predetermined temperature has been reached.
Sprinkler valves shall be located in a safe and
enclosed position on the exterior wall and shall be
readily accessible to the Fire Authority.
All sprinkler systems shall be electricity
connected to the nearest fire station to provide
immediate and automatic relay of the alarm when
activated
 229. Means of Access and Fire Fighting
in Buildings Over 18.3 Metres High.
provided with means of gaining access and fighting fire from
within the building consisting of fire fighting access lobbies,
fire fighting staircase, fire lifted and dry or wet riding systems.
Fire fighting access lobbies shall be provided at every floor
level and shall be so located that the level distance.
A fire fighting staircase shall be provided to give direct
access to each fire fighting access lobby and shall be directly
accessible from outside the building at fire appliances access
level.
A fire lift shall be provided to give access to each fire
fighting access lobby or in the absence of a lobby to the fire
fighting staircase at each floor level.
 230. Installation and Testing of Dry
Rising System.
Main vertical pipe intended to distribute water to
multiple levels of a building or structure as a component
of the fire suppression systems.
Dry rising system shall be provided in every building
in which the topmost floor is more that 18.3 metres but
less than 30.5 metres above fire appliance access level.
A hose connection shall be provided in each fire
fighting access lobby.
Dry riser shall be tested hydrostatically to withstand
not less than 14 bars of pressure for two hours in the
presence of the Fire Authority before acceptance.
231. Installation and Testing of Wet Rising System.

 Wet rising system shall be provided in which:

◦ Topmost floor more than 30.5 metres above fire

appliance access level.
◦ Minimum 152.4 mm diameter and tested at a pressure
50% above the working pressure required and not less
than 14 bars for at least 24 hours.
◦ Outlet comprise 63.5 mm instantaneous coupling fitted
with a hose not less than 38.1 mm diameter equipped
with approved typed cradle and a variable fog nozzle.
Hose connection provided in each fire fighting
access lobby.

◦ Provide in every staircase which extends from

the ground floor level to the roof and equipped
with 3-way 63.5 mm outlet above the roof line.

Stage of the wet riser not exceed 61 m, unless

permitted by D.G.F.S but still not exceed 70.15
m.
232. Wet or Dry Rising System for Buildings Under
Construction.

 Rising systems shall be installed when building

reached a height above the level of the fire brigade
pumping inlet with connections there to locate
adjacent to a useable staircase.

 Risershall be extended to:

◦ Within 2 floors of the topmost floor under
construction.
◦ Where the designed height of the building requires the
installation of a wet riser system fire pumps, water
storage tanks and water main connections shall be
provided to serve the riser.
 233. Foam inlets.

 Boilerrooms and storage areas below ground level

where automatic extinguishing installations are not
provided shall be equipped with foam inlets.
 234. Underground Structures And
Windowless Building
•All underground structures, windowless
buildings depending on:
 type of occupancy
 storage
 processes
 type of protection installed
shall be provided with foam inlets as may
be required by the Fire Authority.
 235. Fixed Installations
Depends on the nature of hazard process
and occupancy (required by Fire Authority)
 total flooding system or
unit protection system
 236. Special Hazards
 Places constituting special hazards or risk
due to the
 nature of storage, trade,
 occupancy or
 size
shall be required to be protected by fixed
installations, protective devices, systems and
special extinguishers (required by Fire
Authority)
 237. Fire Alarms
 Fire alarms – refer the Tenth Shedule to these By-
Laws.
 All premises and buildings with
 gross floor area excluding car park
 storage areas exceeding 30.5 metres in height
shall be provided with a two-stage alarm system
with evacuation (continuous signal) to be given
immediately in the effected section of the
premises while an alert (intermittent signal) be
given in adjoining section.
 Provision shall be made for the general evacuation
of the premises by action of a master control.
 238. Command & Control Centre
Every large premises or building exceeding 30.5
metres in height shall be provided with a command
and control centre located on the designated floor

It shall contain a panel to monitor the public

address, fire brigade communication, sprinkler,
waterflow detector, fire detection and alarm
systems and with a direct telephone connection to
the appropriate fire station by-passing the
switchboard.
239. Voice Communication System
There shall be two separate approved
continuously electrically supervised voice
communications systems

◦ a fire brigade communications system;

◦ a public address system between the central
control station.
239. Voice Communication System (cont…)

The area involve are:-

Lifts,lift lobbies, corridors and staircases;

In every office area exceeding 92.9 square
metres in area;
In each dwelling unit and hotel guest room
where the fire brigade sytem may be
combined with the public address system.
 240. Electrical Isolating Switch
Every floor or zone of any floor with a net area
exceeding 929 square metres shall be provided
with an electrical isolation switch located within
a staircase enclosure to permit the disconnection
of electrical power supply to the relevant floor or
zone served.

The switch shall be of a type similar to the

fireman’s switch specified in the Institution of
Electrical Engineers Regulations then in force.
 241. Special requirements for
fire alarm systems
1. Fire detection and alarm system are design to provide
warning of the outbreak of fire and allow appropriate fire
fighting action to taken before the situation get out of
control.

2. The design depends on:

a. Type of building –UBBL Requirement, Bomba
Requirements.
b. Type of system to be installed.
c. Type of fire detection system.
 242. Fire fighting access lobbies
Fire fighting access lobby is a protected lobby designed for
firefighting access.

According to Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL):

1. Buildings in which topmost floor is more than 18.3 metres
above fire appliance access level shall be provided with
means of gaining access and fighting fire from within the
building consisting of fire fighting access lobbies, fire
fighting staircases, fire lifts and dry or wet rising systems.

2. Fire fighting lobbies shall be provided at every floor level

and shall be so located that the level distance from the
furthermost point of the floor does not exceed 45.75 metres.
 Fire fighting access lobbies shall
conform to the following requirements:
1. Each lobby shall a floor area of not less than 5.57
square metres.

2. The open able area of windows or area of

permanent ventilation shall be not less than 25% of
the floor area of the lobby and, if ventilation is by
means of open able windows, additional permanent
ventilation having a free opening of 464 square
centimetres shall be provided except that
mechanical pressurisation may be provided as an
alternative.
 243. Fire lifts
1. In a building where the top occupied floor is over 18.5
metres above the fire appliance access level fire lifts
shall be provided.

2. The fire lifts shall be located within a separate

protected shaft if it opens into a separate lobby.

3. Fire lifts shall be provided at the rate of one lift in

every group of lifts which discharge into the same
protected enclosure of smoke lobby containing the
rising main, the fire lifts provided are located not more
than 61 metres travel distance from the furthermost
point of the floor.
 244. Standards required
According to the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL), all the fire fighting
installations and appliance shall conform to the current edition of the
following standards:
 
Fire Hydrants BS 750:1977, BS CP 402.101:1952
Hydraulic Hose Reels BS 5306 Part1: 1976
Portable Extinguishers BS CP 402 Part 3: 1964
Dry/ Wet Rising Mains BS 3980:1996, BS 5306: Part 1: 1076, BS 750:

1964, BS 3980: 1966

Automatic Sprinklers FOC Rules 29th Edition: 1973
Fire Alarm Systems FOC rules: 1973, BS CP1019: 1973, BS 3116:
Part1: 1970, BS 3116: Part4: 1974, BS 5445:
Part1: 1977
Fire Damper AS 1682: 1974
Fire Lifts BS 2655: Pat1: Appendix E
Smoke Control AS 1668: Part1: 1974
 245. APPROVAL OF D.G.F.S
All fire fighting installations and appliances other
than those conforming to the standards listed in by-
law 244 shall be of those as tested and approved by
the D.G.F.S.

Plans, drawings and calculations of all fixed

installations shall be submitted to the Fire Authority
in a manner prescribed by the D.G.F.S. before
commencement of work.

Every plan, drawing or calculation in respect of any

automatic sprinklers or other fixed installations shall
be submitted together with the relevant forms as
prescribed in the Tenth Schedule to these By-laws.
 246. CERTIFICATION ON
COMPLETION
When the fixed installation has been
completed and final tests carried out the
person submitting the plans shall certify to
the Fire Authority on Form B as set out in
the Tenth Schedule to these By-laws that the
work has been completed and the necessary
tests carried out in accordance with the
current D.G.F.S. rules for various fixed
installations.
 247. WATER STORAGE
Water storage capacity and water flow rate for
fire fighting systems and installations shall be
provided in accordance with the scale as set out
in the Tenth Schedule to these By-laws.

Main water storage tanks within the building,

other than for hose reel systems, shall be located
at ground, first or second basement levels, with
fire brigade pumping inlet connections
accessible to fire appliances.

Storage tanks for automatic sprinkler

installations where full capacity is provided
without need for replenishment shall be
exempted from the restrictions in their location.
 248 Markings on Wet Riser, etc

• Wet riser, dry riser, sprinkler and other fire

installation pipes and fittings shall be
painted red.

• All cabinets and areas recessed in walls for

location of fire installations and
extinguishers shall be clearly by identified
by Fire Authority.
249 Smoke and Heat Venting
Smoke venting facilities shall be provided
for the safe use of exit in

◦ windowless buildings,
◦ underground structures and
◦ large area factories
 250 Natural Draught Smoke
Vent
Natural draught smoke venting shall utilize
roof vents or vents in walls at or near the
ceiling level.

Such vent shall normally be in open

positions of if they are closed, they have to
design the vent open automatically in the
event of a fire.
251.Smoke Vent To Be Adequate To Prevent
Dangerous Accumulation Of Smoke
Where smoke venting facilities are install for
purpose of exit safety in accordance with the
requirement of this part they shall be adequate to
prevent dangerous accumulation of smoke during
the period of time necessary to evacuate the area
served using available exit facilities with a margin of
safety to allow for unforeseen contingencies.
252.Smoke Vent To Be Openable Fire
Authorities
The discharge apertures of all manual smoke vents
shall be arranged as readily openable by the Fire
Authorities working from the exterior.
 253.Emergency Power System
 

1) Emergency Power System shall be provided to supply

illumination and power automatically in the events of
failure of the normal supply or in the events of the
accident to elements of the system supplying power and
illumination essential for safety to life and property.
 
2) Emergency Power System Provide power for smoke
control system, illumination, fire alarm system, fire
pumps, public address systems, fire lift and other
emergency system.
 
 Cont……..
3) Emergency Power System Adequate capacity and
rating for emergency operation of all equipment
connected to the system including the simultaneous
operation of all fire lift and one other lift. 
 
4)All wiring for emergency system shall be in metal
conduit or of fire resisting mineral insulated cable,
laid along area of least fire risk.
 
5) Current supply shall be such that I the events
of failure of the normal supply to or within the
within the building or group of building
concerned, the emergency power or emergency
lighting, or both be available within 10 seconds of
interruption of the normal supply. The supply
systems for emergency purpose shall comprises
one or more of the following approved types:
a)Storage Battery
b) Generator Set
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