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
Identificatio
n
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
Unprotecte
d 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
passagew
ay
 MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passagew
ay
 MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passagew
ay
 MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Exit
passagew
ay
 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
Horizonta
l Exits
 MEANS OF EGRESS
COMPONENTS
Horizonta
l 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 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
separatio
n
 NUMBER OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
Exit
separation
of the
max
overall
diagonal
dimension
of the bldg
 NUMBER OF MEANS OF
EGRESS
Exit
separation
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 AGUI LOS
ARRANGEMENT OF MEANS OF
EGRESS

RD AGUI LOS
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

In one Hotel fire, several people were confused by

the exit markings or the similarity of exit doors and
adjacent storage room doors.
 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