Important terms related to fire and safety in Buildings.

•Important Terms related to building and fire safety. 

(CLICK)Building norms as per NBC

Access room:

A room through which only thg escape route passes from an inner room.

Accommodation stair:

A stair, additional to that or those required for escape purposes, provided for the oonvmienoeoftie occupants. 

Ancillary accommodation:

All parts of the building that are ancillary to the main use of the building, such as, rooms associated with engineering services, refuge rooms, covered car parks etc. 

Atria:

A space within a building not necessarily vertically aligned, passing through one or more structural floors. 

Note: Enclosed lift wells and escalator wells, building service ducts, and stairway: are not classified as atria. 

Basement:

A level of building or structure lying haif or more below ground level. 

Building:

Any structure for whatsoever purpose and of whatsoever material constructed and every part thereof whether used as human habitation or not and includes foundation, plinth, walls, floors, roofs, plumbing and building services, verandah, balcony etc. . 

N.B.: Tents, shamianahs, tarpouline shelters etc. erected temporarily for whatsoever purposes shall not be considered as building: 

Building, height of:

The distance of the surface of the highest point'of the floor of the highest story (excluding any such story consisting exclusively of plant room) measured at the center of that face of the building where the measurement is greatest from the level of the footway or paving in front of that face, or if there is no such footway or paving from the level of the ground. 

Building Code:

A set of rules, regulations, and standards governing the construction of buildings intended for particular use. 

N .B.: Building codes are of two types specification codes, which define the materials that may be used, sizes, tolerance, assembly procedures and other details; and performance codes, which set forth construction objectives. 

Building materials:

Synthetic and natural materials used in the construction of buildings, including brick and masonry, plastics wood and wood products, metals, and many others used often in the form of specific products.

Combustible material:

The material which either burns itself or adds heat to a fire when tested for non-combustibility in accordance with accepted standard. 

 (Fire) Compartment:

A building or part of a building, comprising one or more rooms, spaces or storeys, constructed to prevent the spread of fire to or from another part of the same building, or an adjoining building. 

Compartment floor/wall:

A fire resisting floor or wall used in the separation of one fire compartment from another. 

Covered area:

Ground area covered by the building immediately above the plinth level. The areas in the open space like garden, well, water pool, swimming pool (if uncovered), drainage culvert, conduit, catch pit, chamber, compound wall, gates, uncovered staircases, ramps, waterman’s booth, electric and other service rooms etc. are excluded from area. 

Dead end:

A place from which escape is possible 0in one direction only, or in direction less than 45 apart, that is not separated by fire resisting construction. A route forming part of the means of escape from any point in a building to a final exit. 

Escape route:

A route forming part of the means of escape from any point in a building to a final exit. 

Fire door:

A door or shutter provided for the passa e of persons, air or objects which to ether with its ame and furniture as installed in the uildin is intended, when closed, to resist the passage of fire and/or gaseous products of combustion and is capable of meeting specified performance criteria to those ends. 

Fire Lift:

The lift, installed to enable fire services personnel to reach different floors with minimum delay, having such features as required in accordance with the accepted standard. 

 Fire Exit:

A way out leading to an escape route having panic bar HarEfware provided on the door

Fire fighting lobby:

A protected lobby providing access from a fire fig ting stair to the accommodation areas, and to any associated fire fighting lift. 

Fire fighting shaft:

A protected enclosure containing a fire fi hting stair, fire fighting lobbies and, if provided, a ére fighting lift together with its machine room. 

Fire fighting stairs:

A protected stairway communicating with the 1accommodation area only through a fire fighting lobby. 

Fire resistance:

The ability of the component or construction of a building to satisfy for a stated period of time some or all of the following criteria: 

a) resistance to collapse 

b) resistance to penetration of flames and hot gases. 

c) Resistance to temperature rise on the unexposed face upto a maximum of 180°C and or average temperature of 150°C. 

Fire resistance rating:

The time that a material or construction will withstand the standard fire exposure as determined by fire test done in accordance with the standard , methods of fire tests of materials/structures. 

Fire resisting wall:

A fire resistance rated wall having protected openings, which restricts the spread of fire and extends continuously from the foundation to at least 1 m above the roof. 

Fire spreading wall:

The wall provides complete separation of one building from another, or part thereof in either cases to prevent any communication of fire or heat transmission to the wall itself which may cause or assist in the combustion of materials on the side opposite to that portion which may be on fire. 

Fire stop:

Fire resistant material, barrier, or construction installed in concealed spaces or between structural elements of a building to prevent the spread/propagation of fire and smoke through walls, ceilings and like, as per the laid down criteria. 

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Fine tower:

A structurally independent stairway attached to a building and used as a fire escape and as a means of access for fighting fire. 

A vertical enclosure in a building, the walls and doors of which have sufficient the endurance to qualify the enclosure as a fire escape. 

Floor area ratio (FAR):

The quotient obtained b dividing the total covered area (plinth area) on a 1 floors by the area of the 

High rise building:

For the purpose of standard code, all buildings 15 m or above in height shall be considered as high rise buildings. 

Horizontal exit:

An arrangement which allows altemativje egress from a floor area to another floor at or near the same level in an adjoining building or an adjoining part of the same building with adequate fire separation. 

Means of escape:

The structural means forming an integral part of the building whereby persons can walk away from the product of combustion by their own unaided effort to a place of ultimate safety from where dispersal can take place. 

.Mezzanine:

An intermediate or factional storey between a floor and ceiling of a building.

Non-combustible Material:

Any material which when tested in accordance with accepted standard does not flame or cause any rise in temperature in either the center (specimen) or furnace thermocouples. 

Plinth area:

The built up covered area measured at the floor level of the basement or of any story. 

Protected lobby /corridor:

A circulation area consisting of a lobby or corridor enclosed with fire resisting construction (other than any part that is an external wall of the building). 

Protected stairways:

A stair dischargingthrough a final exit to a place of safety (including any exit passageway between the foot of the stair and the final exit) that is enclosed Wlth fire resisting construction. 

Travel distance:

The actual distance to be travelled by a person from any point within the floor area to a protected route, external escape route or final exit having regards to the layout of  walls, partitions and fittings.