The Importance of Code Compliance

Today, life safety plays a fundamental role for any business house. Any fire incident can lead to loss of revenue, work disruption and a damaged reputation. Safety is an important topic for any organization; minimizing risks to occupants is always a high priority.  

The main purpose of building and fire safety codes is to ensure the quality and safety of all types of  building structures. These codes set the minimum requirements to safeguard the occupants of a building,  to protect the building structure from various threats and exposures. One of the many threats to any building and its occupants, is the threat of fire.

When it comes to fire safety, regular code updates are necessary due to continual advancements in technology and safety protocols, as well as new scenarios that present themselves. Also, many of the requirements in these codes were created from painful lessons learned the hard way. Many changes that have been made to building & fire safety codes, were a direct reaction to tragic events. There is a certain resolve after a tragedy, that spurs people to action, in an attempt to prevent a reoccurrence of the same tragedy in the future.

Implementation of the life safety requirement are still a significant effort by the operating companies. This effort can be greatly streamlined by strict compliance to building and fire safety codes and standards in the design and implementation phases of any project and also incorporating a recognized & generally accepted good facility management program which can ensure compliance till the life span of the facility.

The fire safety codes & standards are there to ensure the safety of all occupants of the building at all time. Historically, major loss of life events that have occurred inside buildings have had a direct impact on the current code requirements. All these fire losses had similar contributing factors to the large loss of life, which include:

¨      Excessive number of occupants than what is prescribed in the building codes

¨      Combustibility and flammability of the interior finish

¨      Obstructed and blocked exits

¨      Inadequate compartmentation

¨      Limited exits

¨      Swing of exit doors against direction of exit travel etc.,

The scope, purpose, content, requirements, and philosophy of the building &  fire safety codes & standards generally address the occupant safety features required for egress/exits, building systems like smoke control, fire cut offs, interior finish, compartmentation, fire protection systems, fire alarm systems etc.,.

Fire safety codes & standards also cover the maximum allowed occupancy in a type of building / facility, the placement of fire extinguishers, exit signs for the quickest way out, doors to be kept closed, but not locked to prevent the spread of fire, etc. The fire codes go hand in hand with the local building and construction codes.

The rules & guidelines concerning the required life safety features for buildings are covered in the National Building Code of India 2016(NBC)  while the relevant Indian Standards provides the design, installation and maintenance methods for respective systems such as Fire Alarm Systems, Fire Protection Systems etc., For example, the NBC mandates the installation of a sprinkler system, but Bureau of Indian Standards 15105, indicate how the sprinkler system should be designed and installed, for that type of facility, in a manner satisfactory to the fire authorities and the insurers.

The Building codes & fire safety standards together, control and integrate fire safe design and fire prevention into the construction of the building and systems that are installed. The  building codes provides minimum standards for safety, health, and general welfare, including structural integrity, mechanical integrity (including sanitation, water supply, light, and ventilation), means of egress, fire prevention and control  etc., and also dictate the number, location, and design of egress/exits from a building.

Proper design of the life safety systems, including fire alarm/voice communication, fire sprinkler, hand held extinguishers, fire hose reels, exit stair pressurization, atrium smoke management, emergency lighting and exit signage, fire doors, and means of egress etc., are vital to the life safety of the building occupants.

The building and fire safety codes & standards specify the minimum requirements. The designers & the system integrators should comply  & if not exceed the minimum requirement specified in the building & life safety codes. This means that a  thorough understanding of the project & continuous education on latest code provisions are mandatory.  Compliance to the codes in design, installation and service should be one of the key evaluating criteria to select a system integrator.

The  Bureau of Indian Standards publishes a multitude of codes and standards by which the fire authorities adopt and enforce any number of these codes. These codes and standards not only define minimum requirements for design and installation, but also include minimum requirements for inspection, testing, and maintenance throughout the service life of the installed systems. The building & fire safety codes also cover emergency preparedness, the way hazardous and combustible materials are handled, the conduct of the business that may pose fire hazards etc.,

Any building typically have a lifespan of  min 50 to 60 years. Over the course of their lifespan, the facility go through renovations, interior modifications, but they’re often phased and can span decades. The sporadic nature of these changes can result in non-compliance to various requirement of the fire safety codes. Implementing the latest fire safety code requirement is straightforward and standard in new construction, but things get a little more complicated in older facilities. But, for life safety, it is imperative for all the existing buildings & facilities are also complaint to the latest local building, life safety codes & standards.

While the initial responsibility with fire and life safety code compliance lies with the design and construction teams involved in the original design, the facility management (FM) team becomes the responsible party throughout the life of a facility. One of the key goals of a successful FM team is to provide effective life safety. The FM team, using a competent auditor should assess the current compliance & deviations as compared  with the newly adopted codes & standards without operational disruptions.  

The list of deviations with approximate cost of correction along with a workable plan for modifications to be submitted to the top management of the facility, for them to allocate the required budgets and start the modification process. Once, the modification is complete, the updated drawings of the existing + the modified changes are to be made for records & maintenance.

Apart from the compliance to fire safety codes, it is important that to have a sound fire safety process in place and is practiced all the time. Any fire or other accidents and near misses should not happen in a vacuum. An organization that is dedicated to enhancing its safety environment must investigate any accident or near miss to learn what happened and what can be done to prevent it from happening in the future. The safety team should develop a culture of improvement that encourages management and staff to seek out safe practices. The safety team should frequently audit the facility, track for any code deviation and have centralized record storage.

Although the business owner is usually the main person responsible for ensuring that their workplace is fire safe, all employees should be knowledgeable about how they can help prevent a fire in their working environment. Fire safety should always be taken seriously, and there’s plenty of ways to easily prevent the event of a fire as much as possible.

Apart from fire evacuation drills, the basic training on the safety issues like below will help to keep the workplace safer.

¨      Fire risk of the facility

¨      Operation of the manual Call points, extinguishers, hose reels etc.,

¨      Reporting any electrical faults

¨      Impact on electrical circuit overload

¨      Keeping the workplace clean and free of clutter

¨      Creating space and easy access to electrical panels & distribution boards etc.,

¨      Awareness on the effect of chemicals, if they catch fire

¨      Location of hand held extinguishers & hose reels

¨      Location of manual call points

¨      Checking on whether the smoke detectors & sprinklers in their work place are not blocked

¨      Ensuring the fire exit passages are clear of obstructions 

¨      Location & understanding of the fire evacuation plans

¨      Location of the assembly area

¨      Location of smoking areas

Written by Kanchana R.