NBC 2016 Fire & Life-Safety Checklist
Fire & life-safety drives the core, the staircases and the refuge floors — decisions that are expensive to change late. Use this at schematic stage. Values below are indicative; the governing figures depend on occupancy and height class under NBC 2016 Part 4.
- NBC 2016 Part 4 · National Building Code of India — Fire and Life Safety
- IS 15105 · Fixed Automatic Sprinkler Systems — Code of Practice
- IS 3844 · Internal Fire Hydrants and Hose Reels — Code of Practice
- IS 2189 · Automatic Fire Detection and Alarm System — Code of Practice
Means of egress
- At least two staircases for buildings beyond the limits set in NBC 2016 Part 4 (do not rely on a single stair for higher occupancies/heights).
- Minimum staircase width per NBC 2016 Part 4 — e.g. 2.0 m for assembly & institutional, 1.5 m for business/mercantile/educational/industrial, 1.0 m residential (verify by occupancy).
- Maximum travel distance to an exit within the limits of NBC 2016 Part 4 for the occupancy (sprinklered buildings may permit more).
- Exits and exit-access widths sized for the calculated occupant load.
Refuge areas
- Refuge area provided as required above the height threshold in NBC 2016 Part 4 — frequently cited as starting at 24 m height (verify).
- Refuge area sized to the rule frequently cited as 0.3 m² per person, or a 15 m² minimum (verify against current NBC Part 4).
- Refuge floors located and stacked per the height class.
Staircase pressurization (by height class)
- Low-rise (below ~15 m): mechanical pressurization generally not required (verify).
- Medium-rise (~15–30 m): assess staircase pressurization per NBC 2016 Part 4.
- High-rise (above ~30 m): staircase (and lift-lobby, where required) pressurization to NBC 2016 Part 4.
Detection, alarm & suppression
- Automatic detection & alarm to IS 2189 with manual call points on escape routes.
- Sprinkler protection to IS 15105 where required by occupancy/height.
- Wet riser / internal hydrants and hose reels to IS 3844; fire lift and fire command centre where required.
Verify — The egress, refuge and pressurization figures above are indicative and occupancy/height-specific. NBC defines a high-rise as 15 m and above; the low/medium/high-rise bands shown are an engineering simplification, and pressurization is specified as a positive pressure of about 50 Pa (≈5 mm w.c.). Confirm every value against NBC 2016 Part 4 (current edition), the relevant IS codes and the State fire rules with a licensed fire engineer.
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