Question 1

Answer 1

Water is a renewable resource that is provided

naturally through the earth’s water cycle, in the
form of precipitation. While water is provided by
nature, many of us rely on a complex network of
pipes, pumps, equipment, and people provided by
our community’s municipal water systems to
safely deliver clean water to our taps, and remove
used water from our homes and businesses.
 How does water get from the source to our taps?

1. 86% of the water that feeds into municipal water systems comes from
rivers and lakes – these are called surface water sources. 14% of the water
that feeds into municipal water systems comes from underground aquifers –
these are called ground water sources.
2. In municipal water systems, water is withdrawn from the water source
and treated before it is pumped to our homes and businesses.
3. The quality of the source water determines the type of treatment method.
Most systems will include several stages of filtration (to remove suspended
particles, debris and algae) and disinfection (to remove bacteria and viruses and
purify the water). Disinfection methods include chlorination and treatment
with UV (ultra violet) light.
4. After treatment, municipal water systems distribute water to homes and
businesses in large pipes called water mains that are usually buried under our
roads and sidewalks. Water mains are maintained by our local governments,
and paid for by water rates and property taxes.
5. Water lines are smaller pipes that transport the water from water mains to
individual homes, apartments and businesses. Water lines are the
responsibility of the property owner.

How do we know our water is safe to drink?

Water in municipal systems is required to meet strict water quality standards
established in provincial regulations, and is tested regularly to ensure that it is
safe to drink.
WATER OUTLETS FROM HOME:
Common steps in municipal sewage treatment:
Preliminary treatment
This stage of treatment removes grit, like sand and gravel,
egg shells, coffee grounds etc. from raw sewage. 12% of
municipal sewage in Canada receives no treatment or
preliminary treatment before it is discharged into the
environment.
Primary treatment
This stage of treatment starts with temporary holding of
sewage to allow the solids to sink to the bottom, and oil
and grease to float to the top. The settled and floating
material is removed, and the remaining liquid is moved to
the next stage of treatment or discharged to the
environment. 30% of municipal sewage in Canada receives
preliminary and primary treatment before it is released
into the environment.
Secondary treatment
This stage of treatment removes dissolved and suspended
biological matter and the remaining liquid is moved to the
next stage of treatment or discharged to the environment.
51% of municipal sewage in Canada receives preliminary,
primary and secondary treatment before it is released back
into the environment.
Tertiary treatment
In this stage of treatment, water is treated with chemicals
and filtered prior to being released to the environment. 7%
of municipal sewage in Canada receives preliminary,
primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment before it is
released back into the environment.
Question 2
Answer 2

Fire is the
rapid oxidation of a
material in
the exothermic chemical
process of combustion,
releasing heat, light, and
various reaction products.
The state of burning that
produces flames that send
out heat and light, and
might produce smoke.
The fire resistance of an element of construction is a measure
of its ability to withstand the effects of fire in one or more
ways, as follows:
Resistance to collapse, i.e. the ability to maintain load bearing
capacity (which applies to load bearing elements only).
Resistance to fire penetration, i.e. an ability to maintain the
integrity of the element.
Resistance to the transfer of excessive heat, i.e. an ability to
provide insulation from high temperatures.

Fire Resistant is a material so impervious to fire that, for a

specified temperature and time, there will be no structural
failure and the side away from fire will not be hotter than a
certain temperature.
Question 3
Answer 3

The city or area under jurisdiction of the authority shall, for the purpose
of the Code, be demarcated into distinct Zones, based on fire hazards
inherent in the buildings and structures according to occupancy, which shall
be called as Fire Zones.

The number of fire zones in a city or area under the jurisdiction of the
authority depends upon the existing layout, types of building construction,
classification of existing buildings based on occupancy and expected
future development of the city or area. In large cities or areas, three fire
Zones may be necessary, while in smaller ones, one or two may be
adequate.

The fire zones shall be made use of in land use development plan and shall
be designated as follows:
(a) Fire Zone No. 1,
(b) Fire Zone No. 2 and
(c) Fire Zone No.3
Fire Zone No. 1: This shall comprise areas having residential (Group A),
educational (Group B), institutional (Group C), assembly (Group D),
small business (Subdivision E-l) and retail mercantile (Group f)
buildings or areas which are under development for such occupancies.
Fire Zone No.2: This shall comprise business (subdivision E-2 to E-5)
and industrial buildings (Subdivision G-1 and G-2), except high hazard
industrial buildings (Subdivision G-3) or areas which are under
development for such occupancies.
Fire Zone No. 3: This shall comprise areas having high hazard industrial
buildings (subdivision G-3), Storage buildings(Group H) and buildings
for hazardous uses (Group J) or areas which are under development for
such occupancies.
Change in the Fire Zone Boundaries: When the boundaries of any Fire
Zone are changed, or when it is intended to include other areas or types
of occupancies in any Fire Zone, it shall be done by following the same
procedure as for promulgating new rules or ordinances or both.
Question 4
Answer 4

FIRE SECURITY MEASURE:

The measures to mitigate or lessen fire hazards are normally called “fire
protection measures”.

• WATER TYPE
• FOAM TYPE
• CO₂
 CARBON
DIOXIDE TYPE
Class B Fire : petroleum, oil,
diesel, paint, varnish, solvent,
aviation, flammable and
volatile liquids etc.
Class C Fire : flammable gases,
live electrical equipment,
industrial gases, electrical
installation, power grid etc.
Available range : 2.2kg, 3kg,
4.5kg, 6.8kg, 9kg, 22kg
FOAM TYPE
Class A Fire : wood, textile,
paper, cloths, cotton mill, jute
mill etc.
Class B Type : petroleum, oil,
diesel, paint, varnish, solvent,
aviation fuel, flammable and
volatile liquids etc.
Foam type available range : 9
Ltr.
 Carbon dioxide
4.5 kg

Foam type
6 kg

CARBON DIOXIDE
FOAM TYPE
Types of water type extinguishers :-

MANUAL AUTOMATIC
Hose rail Sprinklers
The hose rail is
30mts long. It is Gets started when the
placed in the temperature reaches to
parking and at 57⁰C.
site boundary .
 HOSE RAIL

Thermoplastic Hose
REINFORCED RUBBERLINED FIRE HOSE Available Type: Type-I, Type-II, Type-III
Available with: Male Female Coupling – Available Colour: Red/Black
Aluminium, Gun Metal, Stainless Steel Available Length : 20mtr, 25mtr, 30mtr,
Bindings Available: G.I/ Copper 36mtr
Available Length : 15mtr / 30mtr Available Size : 12mm, 20mm, 25mm
 DETECTORS
A) Smoke detectors :
• Detects dust and smoke.
• Installed on all practice room.

B) Heat detectors :
• Detects heat and gets activated when temperature reaches to 58 degree
Celsius.
• Installed in parking area.
 Hooter
• It is the red coloured
speaker that produces
alarming sound when
the fire is detected.
• It is installed in parking,
auditorium and every
rooms.
MCP ( Manual Call Point)
• Placed near exits.
• In case of fire, people
can switch on the MCP
near fire exits, which sets
on the alarm.
• It is installed in parking,
auditorium and every
rooms.
 FIRE ALARM
CONTROL PANNEL
Jockey pump Diesel pump Diesel tank
(automatic) (manual)
HOSE RAIL AND HYDRANT AT BOUNDRY WALL
 Escape Route:
• Permanent structures that
allow occupants to escape/ fire
escape to safety on their own
without any help.
• It is important to provide
openings so that smoke is
displaced from the escape
routes to the outside air.
• A common sign of
compartmentalization is
a FIRE DOOR. Fire doors
should be rated to a minimum
of 30 minutes fire resistance
and are designed to completely
seal off a doorway to prevent
flames and smoke from passing
through. Fire doors must be
accompanied by fire resistant
walls and ceilings in order to
prevent the spread of fire.
FIRE RATED DOORS:
• Provides an effective barrier for
the passage of fire and/or smoke.
• Provide safe egress and increase
protection for first responders.
• Also serves for safety, security,
accessibility, control, privacy &
isolation.
• Can also serve as environmental
weather seal for heat, cold,
moisture, dust and debris.
Fire mains:
• Where there is an outbreak of fire high above the fire and rescue
service access level, the time taken to set up a forward control point,
assess the situation and carry hoses up several flights of stairs can be
considerable.
• Therefore, in a building where the topmost storey is more than 7.5m, a
fire main should be installed in the fire-fighting lobby to help reduce
fire attack time. Fire mains are also necessary to help fire-fighters to
attack large fires in basement storey.

• A DRY FIRE MAIN is a pipe installed in a building for fire-fighting

purposes, which is normally dry but is capable of being charged with
water by pumping from a fire and rescue service appliance. A dry fire
main is commonly referred to as a ‘DRY RISER’.
• The inlets to the risers should be located externally to the building and
not more than 18m from a parking space suitable for a pumping
appliance. There should be a clear hose route between the appliance
and the inlet.
• A dry fire main is a pipe installed in a building for fire-fighting
purposes, which is normally dry but is capable of being charged with
water by pumping from a fire and rescue service appliance. A dry fire
main is commonly referred to as a ‘DRY RISER’.

• The inlets to the risers should be located externally to the building and
not more than 18m from a parking space suitable for a pumping
appliance. There should be a clear hose route between the appliance
and the inlet.
WET FIRE MAINS- the pressure and flow rates delivered from fire mains
reduce with height above the ground and may not provide an effective
water jet from fire-fighting hoses.
• Therefore, where the height of the topmost storey is more than 50m
above the fire and rescue service access level, wet rising mains should be
installed.
• A wet fire main is a pipe which is constantly charged with water
supplied from a suction tank and pump.
• The suction tank should have an inlet for the emergency replenishment
of water and is clearly visible to the fire and rescue services. A wet fire
main is commonly referred to as a ‘wet riser’.
 Stairways:

• At least 1 fire-fighting stair should

be provided to assist fire-fighters
to access the fire and if necessary
escape from the fire in relative
safety.
• The fire fighting stair should be at
least 1.0 m wide measured between
handrails to provide fire and rescue
service personnel sufficient room
to carry fire-fighting and rescue
equipment.
 Fire-fighting lifts :
• A fire-fighting lift allows fire and rescue
service personnel to transport equipment to
a floor of their choice as quickly as possible.
The lift also allows fire-fighters to access
several floors quickly to assess the situation
and to rescue any casualties.
• The lift installation includes the lift car itself,
the lift well and the lift machinery space,
together with the lift control system and the
lift communication system
• A fire-fighting lift should be located within a
protected zone and constructed within its
own compartment having at least a medium
fire resistance duration. The lift landing
doors need only achieve a short fire
resistance duration.
• The lift should only be entered from:
• A fire-fighting lobby with not more
than 1 door to the room or storey it
serves or
• an access deck.
• A fire-fighting lift need not serve the
top storey of a building where:
• the top storey is for service plant use
only and
• access to the plant room is from the
fire-fighting stair from the storey
below and
• the foot of the fire-fighting stair is
not more than 4.5m from the fire-
fighting lift.
 Emergency exit:
• A fire escape is a special kind of
emergency exit, mounted to the outside
of a building.
• An exit sign is a device in a public
facility denoting the location of the
emergency exit, guiding people to the
closest exit in case of fire or other
emergency.
• Exit signs are designed to be absolutely
unmistakable and understandable to
anyone.
• Emergency exits are to highlighted
because during the fire it should be
visible from a distance so that people
can run in that direction to be safe.
 REFUGE AREA :
• An area of refuge is a location in a building designed to hold occupants
during a fire or other emergency, when evacuation may not be safe or
possible. Occupants can wait there until rescued or relieved by fire fighters.
• This can apply to the following:
• any persons who cannot access a safe escape route
• any persons assisting another person who is prevented from escaping
• patients in a hospital
• sick people
• people with disabilities
• old people
• very young children or infants
• medical personnel who may be operating on a patient at the time of the
emergency
• operators in a critical facility whose function must not be interrupted
(such as nuclear power station, a key military fortification, or a high
security prison)
 FIRE SAFETY IN BUILDING DESIGN
AND CONSTRUCTION

The design of any building and the type of materials

used in its construction are important factors in
making the building resistant to a complete burn-
out, and in preventing the rapid spread of fire and
smoke which may otherwise contribute to the loss of
lives and property
Types of construction

According to fire resistance, buildings shall be classified into four

categories:
1. Type 1 :Fire-Resistive construction
2. Type 2 :Non-Combustible construction
3. Type 3 :Exterior protected construction
4. Type 4 :Wood construction
TYPE 1. FIREPROOF CONSTRUCTION (Fire Resistive Construction)

• Construction of buildings that resist fire damage and prevent the spread
of fire.
• Fireproof building containing no burning components, Such as steel,
terra-cotta, plaster, and concrete
• Fire-resistance requirements can range from 3 to 4 hour For buildings 15
m in height or above.
• Buildings may be used as high-rise office buildings, shopping centers, or
residential units.
TYPE 2. NONCOMBUSTIBLE CONSTRUCTION

• Construction using masonry materials, Brick or concrete, on the outside walls of

the structure,
• And noncombustible materials for the roof and floor.
• For buildings 15 m in height or above
• Fire-resistance requirements can range from 2to 3 hour.
• Construction using masonry materials, Brick or concrete, on the outside walls of
the structure, And noncombustible materials for the roof and floor.
• Buildings may be used as office buildings.
TYPE 3. EXTERIOR PROTECTED CONSTRUCTION (Ordinary Building)

• Construction in which all structural elements of exterior walls are of non-

combustible materials
• Fire-resistance requirements for all elements can range from 0 to 1 hour.
• Buildings may be retail stores, dwellings, and apartment buildings.
• Only the exterior load-bearing walls shall be noncombustible or limited
combustible, and shall have as a minimum a 1-hour rating.
 TYPE 4. WOOD CONSTRUCTION
• The construction in which the exterior wall or bearing wall, roof and floor wholly
or partially of wood
• Structural members are entirely or partially made from wood or other approved
combustible material.
• Fire-resistance requirements for all elements can range from 0 to 1 hour.
SNo. Structural Element Type Of Construction
Typ Typ Typ Typ
e1 e2 e3 e4
1 Exterior walls :
a) Fire separation less than 3.7 m i) Bearing 4 2 2 1

ii) Nonbearing 2 1½ 1 1
b) Fire separation of 3.7 m or i) Bearing 4 2 2 1
more but
less than 9 m
ii) Nonbearing 1½ 1½ 1 1

c) Fire separation of 9 m or more i) Bearing 4 2 2 1

ii) Nonbearing 1 1 1 1

2 Fire walls 4 2 2 2
3 Fire separation assemblies (like 4 2 2 2
fire
check doors)
SNo Structural Element Type Of
. Construction
Ty Ty Ty Ty
pe pe pe pe
1 2 3 4
4 Fire enclosures of exit ways, 2 2 2 2
exit way
hallways, and stairways
5 Shaft other than exit ways 2 2 2 2
elevator
hoist ways
6 Exit way access corridors 1 1 1 1
7 Vertical separation of tenant 1 1 1 1
spaces
8 Dwelling unit separation 1 1 1 1
No-load bearing partitions At least an hour
half
9 Structural members support 3 1½ 1 1
walls
10 Floor construction including 3 1½ 1 1
walls
 Type Type Type Type
1 2 3 4
11 Interior bearing walls, bearing i) Supporting more than 4 2 2 2
partitions, columns, girders, trusses one floor
(other than roof trusses) and
framing

ii) Supporting one floor 3 1½ 1 1

only

iii) Supporting a roof 3 1½ 1 1

only
12 Roof construction i) 5 m or less in height to 2 1½ 1 1
lowest member

ii) More than 5 m but 1 1 1 1

less than 6.7 m in
height to lowest member

iii) 6.7 m or more in 0 2 0 0

height to lowest member
 FIRE RESISTIVE MATERIAL

COMMONLY USED BUILDING

MATERIAL

1. TIMBER
2. BRICK
3. STONE
4. STEEL
5. CONCRETE
6. GLASS
7. PLASTER OR MORTAR
 Design Bylaws
• The location of the fire escape stairs are located is extremely
important.
• It must be located in areas that are easily accessible from any
location in the building.

Room/area Travel time Travel Distance

Lobby 30 sec-1 min 3m
Elevators 30 sec-1 min 3m
Offices 2-5 min 6m
Retail Shop 2-5 min 8m
Multipurpose Hall 2-5 min 6m
Rest Rooms 2-5 min 7m
Praying Room 2-5 min 10 m
Roof 2-5 min 6m
 Indian Standard Of Fire Safety
• The road which abuts a high rise building to be constructed
shall be more then 12 meter width.

• The road should be hard surfaced to carry a minimum

weight of 18,000 kgs, the maximum weight of a fire engine.
 Open Spaces
open spaces is important to facilitate free movement and
operation of fire service vehicles.
 Car Parking In Open Spaces

• If the setback area / open spaces is more then 12 meter, the

provision for car parking can be done in the setback or open
spaces at the periphery of the courtyard leaving the 6 meter
motor able road.

• Car parking shall have to be done at the basement with

provision for minimum 2 ramps one remote to other.
 Staircases
• Every high rise building have minimum 2 number of
staircases.
• Width of staircases varies from 1 m. to 2 m.
• For residential building width of staircases should be 1 m.
• Out of 2 staircases, 1 can be used as a fire escape staircase.
• Width of fire escape should be minimum 0.75 meter.
• Access to the basement from the ground should be through
a separate staircase, which is not connected to main
staircase.
 Lifts
• Minimum 1 lift capable of carrying minimum 8 persons
weighing 545 kgs. shall be provided for every high rise
building.
• 1 lift shall be designed as a “fire lift”.
• Fireman switch shall be provided for each lift.

Service ducts
• All the services ducts, if provided, should have to be enclosed
by walls
Question 5
Answer 5

Part-4 of NBC deals with the requirements necessary to minimise danger to

life and property from fire and adopts an integrated approach. Fire
Protection techniques should be based on fire characteristics of building
materials and elements of structure, and requirements of the Code should
be adopted for ensuring a fire safe design and construction of buildings.
General Classification:
All buildings, whether existing or hereafter erected, shall be classified according to
the use or the character of occupancy in one of the following groups:
Group A Residential
Group B Educational
Group C Institutional
Group D Assembly
Group E Business
Group F Mercantile
Group G Industrial
Group H Storage
Group J Hazardous
Group A Residential Buildings: These shall include any building in which
sleeping accommodation is provided for normal residential purpose with
or without cooking or dinning or both facilities, except any building
classified under Group C.
Buildings and structures under Group A shall be further subdivided as
follows:
Subdivision A-1 Lodging or Rooming houses
Subdivision A-2 One or two-family private dwellings
Subdivision A-3 Dormitories
Subdivision A-4 Apartment houses (flats)
Subdivision A-5 Hotels Subdivision A - 6 Hotels (Starred)

Group B Educational buildings: These shall include any building used

for school, college, other training institutions or day-care purposes
involving assembly for instruction, education or recreation for not less
than 20 students.
Buildings and structures under Group B shall be further subdivided as
follows:
Subdivision B-1: Schools up to senior secondary level
Subdivision B-2: All other/training institutions
Group C Institutional Buildings: These shall include any buildings or part
thereof, which is used for purposes such as medical or other treatment or care of
persons suffering from physical or mental illness, disease or infirmity, care of
infants, convalescents or aged persons and for penal or correctional detention in
which the liberty of the inmates is restricted. Institutional buildings ordinarily
provide sleeping accommodation for the occupants.
Buildings and structures under Group C shall be further subdivided as follows:
Subdivision C-1 Hospitals and Sanatoria
Subdivision C-2 Custodial institutions
Subdivision C-3 Penal and Mental institutions
Group D Assembly Buildings: These shall include any building or part of building,
where number of persons not less than 50 congregate or gather for amusement,
recreation, social, religious, patriotic, civil, travel and similar purposes; for example,
theatres, motion picture houses, assembly halls, auditoria, exhibition halls,
museums, skating rinks, gymnasiums, restaurants, places of worship, dance halls,
club rooms, passenger stations and terminals of air, surface and marine public
transportation services, recreation piers and stadia, etc.
Buildings under Group D shall be further subdivided as follows:
Subdivision D-1: Buildings having a theatrical or motion picture or any other stage
and fixed seats for over 1000 persons.
Subdivision D-2: Buildings having theatrical or motion picture or any other stage
and fixed seats up-to 1000 persons.
Subdivision D-3: Buildings without a permanent stage having accommodation for
300 or more persons but no permanent seating arrangement.
Subdivision D-4: Buildings without a permanent stage having accommodation for
less than 300 persons with no permanent seating arrangement.
Subdivision D5: All other structures including temporary structures designed for
assembly of people not covered by sub divisions D1 to D4, at ground level.
Subdivision D-6: Buildings having mixed occupancies providing facilities such as
shopping, cinema theatres, and restaurants.
Subdivision D-7 :All other structures, elevated or underground, for assembly of
people not covered by subdivisions D-1 to D-6.
Group E Business Buildings: These shall include any building or part of a building
which is used for transaction of business (other than that covered by group F and part
of buildings covered by 3.1.1.1) for keeping of accounts and records and similar
purpose, professional establishments, service facilities, etc. city halls, town halls, court
houses and libraries shall be classified in this group so far as the principal function of
these is transaction of public business and keeping of books and records.
Business buildings shall be further sub-classified as follows:
Subdivision E-1: Offices, banks, professional establishments like offices of architects,
engineers, doctors, lawyers and police stations;
Subdivision E-2: Laboratories, research establishments, libraries and test houses;
Subdivision E-3: Computer installation;
Subdivision E-4: Telephone exchanges;
Subdivision E-5: Broadcasting stations and T.V stations

Group F Mercantile Buildings: These shall include any building or part of a building,
which is used as shops, stores, market, for display and sale of merchandise, either
wholesale or retail,
Mercantile buildings shall be further sub classified as follows:
Subdivision F-1: Shops, stores, departmental stores, markets, with area up to 500 m2
Subdivision F-2: Shops, stores, departmental stores, markets, with area more than 500
m2 .
Subdivision F-3: Underground shopping centers.
Group G Industrial Buildings: These shall include any building or part of a
building or structure, in which products or materials of all kinds and
properties are fabricated, assembled, manufactured or processed; for
example, assembly plants, industrial laboratories, dry cleaning plants,
power plants, generating units, pumping stations, fumigation chambers,
laundries, buildings or structures in gas plant, refineries, dairies and saw-
mills etc.
Building under Group G shall be further subdivided as follows:
Subdivision G-1: Buildings used for low hazard industries.
Subdivision G-2: Buildings used for moderate hazard industries.
Subdivision G-3: Building used for high hazard industries.

Group H Storage Buildings: These shall include any building or part of a

building used primarily for the storage or sheltering (including servicing,
processing or repairs incidental to storage) of goods, ware or merchandise
(except those that involve highly combustible or explosive products or
materials), vehicles or animals; for eg., warehouses, cold storage, freight
depots, transit sheds, store houses, truck and marine terminals, garages,
hangars, grain elevators , barns and stables.
Group J Hazardous Buildings: These shall include any
building or part of a building, which is used for the
storage, handling, manufacture or processing of highly
combustible or explosive materials or products which
are liable to burn with extreme rapidity and (or) which
may produce poisonous fumes or explosions on
storage/handling, manufacturing or processing.