INDUSTRIAL PLANTS

WINDOWS
Old factories had to have small windows because of the cost of construction . The introduction of
large, steel-sash windows brought their cost down . Today windows are often cheaper than walls. On
the other hand, windows make buildings more subject to changes in outside temperature. Plants
having products or processes especially subject to changes in temperature, light or humidity find it
better to have no windows at all. Chocolate factories, for
instance, have to watch temperatures . Many of these plants control this condition by ventilating and
air conditioning . Their light is artificial . Other plants reject windows because of the dust they let in,
even with slightly pressurized
air inside .
The layout man who must contend with windows recognizes that they may both help and
hinder his arrangement (see Fig. 5) .
The following is a list of points to check where windows may affect the layout:
" Brightness or glare
" Angle of light-morning and evening,
winter and summer
" Heat effects to personnel and/or materials
from sun on windows
" Resistance to wind, shock, fire, acids,
rust
" Drafts on personnel when opened
" Access for washing or repair

FLOORS
The levels and strengths of floors are the most important floor influence on layout . Adjoining

buildings, and even those far removed that may someday be connected to the main plant,
should have floors at the same level. Handling systems can then be tied in without ramps or
elevators. As for floor strength, it should be checked with the architect.
Early factories had dirt or wood floors . Today, various combinations of steel and concrete
give the least expensive floor. It wears well ; it is strong and easy to clean. But workers
who stand or walk a great deal object to the hardness of concrete floors . Also, certain
materials dropped on concrete are likely to be damaged. Concrete is difficult to cut into
to rearrange wiring or piping in the floor.
Workers' foot fatigue is overcome by providing wooden or rubber mats. The objections
of damage to dropped parts and difficulty of rearrangement can be met by covering the concrete with
wood block, wood flooring, or composition
block or coating.
The following list gives floor characteristics desired, though no floor will have them all:
" Various buildings at the same level
" Strong enough to carry machines and equipment
" Made from inexpensive materials
" Inexpensive to install
" Immediately ready for use
" Resistant to shock, abrasion, conducting heat, vibration
" Not slippery under any condition
" Noiseless and sound absorbing
" Attractive to the eye
" Numerous colors available
" Unaffected by changes in temperature and humidity, or by oils, acids, alkalies, salts,solvents, or
water
" Odorless and sanitary
" Resilient enough to seem soft underfoot and to minimize damage to articles dropped on
It
" Easy to fasten machines and equipment to
" Will dissipate static electricity and is nonsparking when struck
" Easily kept clean
" Large sections easily and quickly removed and replaced
ROOFS AND CEILINGS
Roofs and ceilings affect layouts chiefly by their height above the floor. Table 1 has some
generally recommended heights for use as a rule of thumb.
Roofs and ceilings are also affected in many cases by the type of construction . Figure 6
shows the several types of roof construction most commonly used .
The usefulness of overhead space may be limited by what can be attached to the roof
or ceiling. Very few plants hang their machinery from the roof or ceiling . But a great
many suspend material-handling equipment, service pipes or wiring, and other equipment.
Such considerations as natural light, heat conduction, and dust accumulation also relate
to the type and condition of the roof .

WALLS AND COLUMNS

Unlike early plants which depended on thick stonework or masonry to hold up their walls
and roofs, modern buildings place their load on beams and supportmg structures, generally
of steel or reinforced concrete . This way, the column carries the load and no wall is needed,
except to keep out the elements . This is a great help to production for it means large, unobstructed
working areas.
Inner walls today are only partitions . When certain operations must be segregated, partitions that are
generally built up in standard sections can easily be installed or removed.
They can be made as high as necessary to shield or protect the area or can be suspended
from the ceiling. This latter type of baffle keeps the floor area free but holds fumes, noise, heat, and
the like from circulating throughout thebuilding .
One feature easy to overlook is the size of openings in walls. Doors that are too low or
too narrow, for example, will limit the size of material-handling equipment.
Even without interior walls, there is still the obstruction of columns used for roof support
to plague the layout man. These columns interfere with spotting of machinery, aisles,
storage areas, and overhead handling equipment
. Columns cause two basic problems :
1 . The way they line up tends to confine the basic flow patterns .
2 . Their individual location limits the location of all facilities, especially large equipment.
The layout man will undoubtedly want to line up major aisles, stock shelves, and service
lines with the columns. Large operations will lie lengthwise down through the bays with the
wider spacing. Smaller materials and equipment will generally run in the narrowed spacing
(see Fig. 7) .
As for columns that act as obstructions to the spotting of individual machinery and equipment, the
layout man must plan a column arrangement that will tie in with his layout .
Yet a lot of unnecessary money can be put into a building that calls for too-wide column spacing.
Some layout men admit they always consult their architect and then call for about 15
percent greater spacing than he feels is economicallyjustified . Another layout problem is
to take whatever column spacing and arrange merit is planned or already exists in the building and use
it to best advantage. By experimenting with various alternative plans, it is
often possible to juggle a neat arrangement of machinery, equipment, and supporting activities into
the column layout . Then the layout man can often use the columns to advantage as follows:
" To support overhead handling equipment
" To brace up storage racks
" To fasten or fence in treating equipment
" To support balconies, catwalks, auxiliary
service lines, instrument panelboards, and
machinery itself
Since columns mean lost floor space, place against them and in between them other non-productive
equipment that takes floor space (drinking fountains, drains, firefighting equipment, time clocks, and
the like).

SITE FEATURES
Features of the site are important in any layout that involves expansion of buildings or a layout of
more than one building . Rail lines and supportings, roadways, canals, and outbuildings may have to
be provided, or, if they exist, may limit the layout or may have to be moved or altered .
For railroad car and highway truck dimensions that may affect building features, see the data
in Tables 2 to 4 .
The location of an underground storage tank will limit construction or heavy outside storage
in that area ; dust and smoke from a foundry building should blow away from the main administration
building ; rail siding curves can occupy an unusually large area . These and
many features of the site may be involved in any layout other than those strictly within one
building (see Fig. 8) .

RAILROAD CLEARANCES AND FREIGHT CAR DIMENSIONS

Normal Clearances Nominal clearances are required as a matter of safety between locomotives and
cars, and structures near tracks . These are averages for straight track-some companies and states
require more as noted. The clearances are based on standard 4ft 81/2in . track gauge. (See Figs . 9 and
10 .)

Clearances for Curves Allowances must be made on curves, due to the increase in effective
width of equipment . The increase inside curves depends on the distance between truck
centers and the increase outside curves depends on length beyond trucks . Tilt of equipment
toward inside of curve due to banking of rails must be included as well as any stewing
action caused by tire wear and other lateral play . As a rule, the front of a locomotive will
govern effective width for a foot above top of the rail and the rear of the cab for the remainder of the
height.
For preliminary calculations of clearance outside curves, it will usually be ample to allow 1 in . per
degree of curve plus 2 in . for all curves . For inside clearance, a general allowance of 1'/ in . i n
addition to the middle ordinate distance for a 45-ft chord will be sufficient .
In cases involving new construction, a sketch of clearances should be submitted to
the railroad for approval .
Tracks Entering Building Some railroads permit special clearances when tracks enter coal
lipples and buildings . Railroad company engineers can be contacted for requirements .

7 CLASSIFICATION OF BUILDINGS
7.0 Buildings are classified based on occupancy and
types of construction.
7.1 For the purpose of the Code, the following shall be the occupancy classification and types of
construction; for more detailed information, reference may be made to Part 4 Fire and Life Safety.
7.1.1 Occupancy Classification
a) Residential;
b) Educational;
c) Institutional;
d) Assembly;
e) Business;
f) Mercantile (will include both retail and
wholesale stores);
g) Industrial (will include low, moderate and
high fire hazards);
h) Storage; and
j) Hazardous.
8.3 Other Occupancies
8.3.1 Open spaces for other occupancies shall be as
below:
a) Educational buildings Except for nursery schools, the open spaces around
the building
shall be not less than 6 m.
b) Institutional buildings The open spaces around the building shall be not less
than 6 m.
c) Assembly buildings The open space at front shall be not less than 12 m and
the other open
spaces around the building shall be not lessthan 6 m.
NOTE However, if assembly buildings are permitted in purely residential zones,
the open spaces around the building shall be not less than 12 m.
d) Business, mercantile and storage buildings The open spaces around the
building shall be
not less than 4.5 m. Where these occur in a purely residential zone or in a
residential with shops line zone the open spaces may be
relaxed.

e) Industrial buildings The open spaces around the building shall be not less
than
4.5 m for heights up to 16 m, with an increase of the open spaces of 0.25 m for
every increase of 1 m or fraction thereof in height above 16 m.
NOTE Special rules for narrow industrial plots in the city, namely plots less
than 15 m in width, and with appropriate set-backs from certain streets and
highways,
shall be applicable.
f) Hazardous occupancies The open spaces around the building shall be as
specified for
industrial buildings [see 8.3.1 (e)].

AREA AND HEIGHT LIMITATIONS

9.1 General
The limitation of area and height of buildings of different occupancy classes and
types of construction
shall be achieved by specifying it in terms of FAR, which shall take into account
the various aspects that govern in specifying FAR as given below:
a) Occupancy class;
b) Types of construction;
c) Width of street fronting the building and the traffic load;
d) Locality where the building is proposed and the density;
e) Parking facilities;
f) Local fire fighting facilities; and
g) Water supply and drainage facilities.
9.2 The comparative FARs for different occupancies and types of construction
are as given in Table 3 and the Authority shall select a basic FAR for one
occupancy and a type of construction and arrive at the FAR values for other
combinations taking into account the other local factors (see 9.1).
9.2.1 Unlimited Areas
The minimum fire separation on all sides of buildings of unlimited areas (see
Table 3) and of Type 1
construction shall be 9 m.
9.3 Street Width
The area limits shall apply to all buildings fronting on a street or public space not
less than 9 m in width accessible to a public street.
9.4 Height Limit
The height and number of storeys shall be related to FAR and the provisions of 8.
9.4.1 Where a building height is not covered by Table 3, the maximum height
shall be limited
according to the width of the street as follows:
a) The maximum height of building shall not exceed 1.5 times the width of road
abutting
plus the front open space;
b) If a building abuts on two or more streets of different widths, the building shall
be deemed
to face upon the street that has the greaterwidth and the height of the building
shall be regulated by the width of that street and may be continued to this height
to a depth of 24 m along the narrower street subject to conformity of 8; and
c) For buildings in vicinity of aerodromes, provisions of 9.5 shall apply.
4.3 Width of Means of Access
The residential plots shall abut on a public means of access like street/road. Plots
which do not abut on a street/road shall abut/front on a means of access, the
width and other requirements of which shall be as given in Table2.
4.3.1 Other Buildings
For all industrial buildings, theatres, cinema houses, assembly halls, stadia,
educational buildings, markets, other buildings which attract large crowd, the
means of access shall not be less than the following:

Further, in no case shall the means of access be lesser in width than the internal
accessways in layouts and subdivision.
5 COMMUNITY OPEN SPACES AND AMENITIES
5.4 Industrial Zones
In the case of sub-division of land in industrial zones of area 0.8 hectare or more, 5 percent of the total
area shall be reserved as amenity open space which shall also serve as a general parking space; when
such amenity open space exceeds 1 500 m2, the excess area could be utilized for the construction of
buildings for banks, canteens, welfare centres and such other common purposes considered necessary
for the industrial user, as approved by the Authority.
5.4.1 In all industrial plots measuring 1 000 m2 or more in area, 10 percent of the total area shall be
provided as an amenity open space to a maximum of 2 500 m2. Such an amenity open space shall
have a means of access and shall be so located that it could be conveniently utilized as such by the
persons working in the industry.
LIGHTING

DISTRIBUTION AND STORAGE

GENERAL BUILDING AREAS

9.5 Restrictions in the Vicinity of Aerodromes

9.5.2 This will apply specially to new constructions, overhead high
voltage/medium voltage lines,
telephones/telegraph lines, factories, chimneys, wire/ TV antennas.
9.5.2.1 No new chimneys or smoke producing factories shall be constructed
within a radius of 8 km
from the aerodrome reference point (ARP).
9.5.2.2 Overhead high voltage/medium voltage lines or telephone/telegraph
lines shall not be permitted in the approach/take-off climb areas within 3 000 m
ofthe inner edge of these areas.
12.13 Boundary Wall
In industrial buildings, electric sub-stations, transformer stations, institutional
buildings
like sanitoria, hospitals, industrial buildings like workshops, factories and
educational buildings like schools, colleges, including hostels, and other uses of
public utility undertakings and strategically sensitive buildings, a height up to 2.4
m may be permitted by the Authority.
12.18 Staircase/Exit Requirements

12.18.1 The minimum clear width, minimum tread width and maximum riser of
staircases for buildings shall be as given in 12.18.1.1 to 12.18.1.3 (see alsoPart
4 Fire and Life Safety).
12.18.1.1 Minimum width The minimum width ofstaircase shall be as follows:
a) Residential buildings (dwellings) 1.0 m
NOTE For row housing with 2 storeys,
the minimum width shall be 0.75 m.
b) Residential hotel buildings 1.5 m
c) Assembly buildings like 2.0 m
auditoria, theatres and cinemas
d) Educational building 1.5 m
e) Institutional buildings 2.0 m
f) All other buildings 1.5 m
12.18.1.2 Minimum tread
The minimum width of tread without nosing shall be 250 mm for residential
buildings. The minimum width of tread for other buildings shall be 300 mm.
12.18.1.3 Maximum riser
The maximum height of riser shall be 190 mm for residential buildings and 150
mm for other buildings and these shall be limited to 12 per flight.