Fire Protection

274 Comments

1. Hi there, thank you for the great information.

   In a sectional title complex, is there any law requiring an owner to produce a certificate indicating that a thatched lapa had been treated? And if so, how can it be enforced?

   Thank you for you assistance.

   Kind regards
   Elmarie

2. Erez I am pretty sure you can use a motion sensor. And as far as I know lights should not be on 24/7. There have recently been several discussions on talk radio (specifically on John Maytham’s afternoon talk show on 567) about the fact that many companies do not turn their lights out after hours, and how the City of Cape Town should be setting an example. These are not building regulations issues; why not give JM a call or email him.

3. Here are some pointers from Part T of SANS 10400 (Fire protection) that should help you:
   “4.16 Provision of escape routes
   One or more escape routes shall be provided in every building.
   Where the travel distance, measured to the nearest escape door, is not more than 45 m, subject to the provisions of 4.16.6, 4.16.7, such escape route shall comply with the following requirements:”
   “c) In a building of two or three storeys in height, such escape route shall not be required to include any emergency route, provided that a building
   1) of two storeys in height where the population of the upper storey is more than 25 persons, or 2) of three storeys in height;
   shall be provided with not less than two such escape routes.”

   “4.16.3 Where the travel distance measured to the nearest escape door is more than 45 m, not less than two escape routes shall be provided and an emergency route shall form part of each such escape route.”
   4.16.6 (which is referred to above) “The exit door from any room shall lead directly into a feeder route or a common path of travel” … with certain specifications including “the total common path of travel shall not exceed 30 m.”
   4.16.7 (also referred to above) “Any dead-end corridor shall not exceed 10 m in length.”

   I hope this helps.

4. What does the SA Building Regulations Act say about how many fire exits are required per floor if the building consists of 3 floors? Ground floor exit is main entrance, and alternative route through warehouse. First floor is onto the warehouse roof and then right accross to the fire escape on side of building. Second floor is also onto the warehouse roof and down same fire escape.

5. Hi Dale,
   Yes there is under PART-T of the NBR. The regulations are not that simple, it depends on quite a few factors such as the occupancy (what the building is used for) the open areas the materials that the structure is built from (fire resistance) etc etc. This is from “4.3 Different occupancies in a building” and says “4.34.1 Hose reels for the purposes of fire fighting shall be installed in any building of two or more storeys in height or in any single-storey building of more than 250 m2 in floor area, at a rate of one hose reel for every 500 m2 or part thereof of floor area in any storey, provided that such hose reels shall not be required in any building classified as H4 or in any dwelling unit in an occupancy classified as H3 where each unit is provided with independent access to ground level.”
   H3 & H4 are domestic dwelling and residence.
   “4.38 Mobile fire extinguishers” For portable extinguishers, water, foam, carbon dioxide and dry chemical,depending on the class of occupancy, the average is 1 for every 200sqm. For class H3 it is 1 for 400sqm. Hope this answers.

6. Hi Guys,

   I understand tat there needs to be a fire extinguisher for every 400m squared, is there a by law for this by any chance?

   Your help would be highly appreciated.

   Thanks
   Dale

7. Thanks Penny, will do.

8. Melanie, In addition to my reply above, accessibility to storerooms – the way boxes are stacked and kept – floor area etc are all covered in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. These regs are available free on the Internet. Stacking is covered under the General Safety Regulations.
   I would be more concerned with whether the boxes form a) a hazard or b) prevent people being able to use the emergency exit route. If the latter is true then they are contravening both the NBR and the OHS Regs.
   In terms of the NBR – Part T, Fire protection is more concerned with doors not being locked. It also states “an access door or any other door that is a component of an emergency route shall be a hinged door which shall open in the direction of exit from the building.” I can’t find anything that says it must be self-closing or kept closed.
   Another thought, perhaps they are keeping the door open simply because they consider it to be a fire risk.
   This kind of thing is not covered in the NBR’s part of public safety, but there are probably local bylaws that do cover this. Maybe contact the local authority – or your local fire department.

9. WOW Penny thanks, I was merely asking, as I was told by the owners that the door has to be open, which I found strange, therefore was wondering what the building regulation rule is. As I might close it leave the store and they open it again, so it was merely a question, but thanks will look for another site that could be helpful

10. Melanie – listen here – this is a web site about building regulations. Look after your child and if you think the store is at fault… do the right thing. You could investigate the health and safety regulations if you are really serious, but we can’t help you. Or you could even go and close the door yourself. Get proactive.

11. Listen I wanted to know, in a babies/toddler store, is it the correct practice to have an fire exit door stand open. What if a kid ran in there, bearing in mind it’s concrete flooring and filled with boxes, containing stock. Is that not dangerous.
    Should that door not be closed and just be easily accesible with a self-closing door, and proper latching devices?

12. Leon the building regulations only cover fire installations. There must be other SANS that relate to the manufacture of sprinkler systems, but I don’t know what these are, or even if they would be relevant. I doubt very much that there would be a standard that regulates maintenance. You could phone the SABS and ask. If you don’t have an instruction manual of some kind, or don’t have access to the manufacturer or installer, then you will need to find someone who specializes in sprinkler systems to help you.

13. Good day Team

    What a wonderful website

    Can you please assist me?

    How regular should one service a springler system and what regulation stipulates this. (SANS?)

    Thanks in advance

    Leon

14. Lebo this is not an issue that is governed by the National Building Regulations. I suggest you complain to your local authority – somebody senior in charge – and to the fire department.

15. Hi, can someone please advise. I stay in a townhouse complex where behind my unit there’s a stream of water which normally has grass that is not maintained well as well as trees growing in the stream. For the past week and a half, the maintenance people have been burning the grass wth the trees catching some fire and they use a normal hosepipe to stop the fire. We have been experiencing the smoke in the units for more than a week now and it is starting to make us all sick in the house.
    i am in Johannesburg and would like to know what the law is with regards to starting fires in residential areas.
    Please help!!!

16. I am looking to reduce the power [electricity used] in the stairwell of a 5 storey commercial building. the stairs now have 2x58W flourescent tubes on each landing.
    The owner was told that the lights need to be on 24/7, is this correct ?
    Is there a minimum Lighting/ lux level required. Can i put a ‘motion sensor on the light so that it will come on whenever say, landing doors, are opened.

    Thanks
    Erez

17. Hi Peter,

    If you are in the Gauteng area. I would be happy to meet with you and compile a survey of your building in order to determine whether it requires a sprinkler system or not. Sprinkler systems are generally installed during construction of the building along with a Fire Rational Design.

    Sincerely,

    Clyde Becker
    076 012 4712
    clyde@chrinica.co.za

18. Hi Stan,
    You do not say where about in SA you are. But to help your cause I am giving you an extract from a Cape Town media release. This by-law must be pretty similar across the whole of SA.
    “MEDIA RELEASE
    NO. 554/ 2009
    02 SEPTEMBER 2009

    All buildings, with the exception of single residential buildings on private even, are required by law to have working fire protection equipment which includes fire extinguishers, hose reels, hydrants and fire alarms.
    The type and floor area of the building determines the number of fire protection equipment required, for example in high risk industrial buildings, one fire extinguisher for every one hundred square metres of floor space is required.
    The 11257 By-law Relating to Community Fire Safety of the City of Cape Town states that fire protection equipment must be provided and installed on premises as required by the controlling authority -in this case the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Service – and in accordance with the National Building Regulations.
    The maintenance of such fire protection equipment is regulated by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the SA National Standards Code (SANS 1475) and the City’s 11257 By-law. They make it mandatory to maintain the fire protection equipment and service it annually, or after use.
    Servicing only by qualified persons
    The servicing can only be done by a person certified by the South African Qualifications Certification Committee (SAQCC).
    The service technician must, upon request, be able to produce his/her valid SAQCC registration card and a valid SANS 1475 permit. Their registration can also be queried at SAQCC, http://www.saqccfire.co.za or their Administration Office on tell 011 455 3157.
    The owner or person in charge of the premises may not allow fire protection equipment to be filled, recharged, reconditioned, modified, repaired, inspected or tested by a person not in possession of a permit or certified by the Committee.
    A further legal requirement is that all fire protection equipment must be maintained in good working order and that the maintenance records must be kept in a safe place.” BTW. I have put the paragraph in bold that refers to who might be allowed to work on or maintain your house reel.

19. Hi Charles,
    I am copying directly from the National Building Regulations Part T Fire Protection section 4.34.1 that deals with Hose Reels:
    “4.34.1 Hose reels for the purposes of fire fighting shall be installed in any building of two or more storeys in height or in any single-storey building of more than 250 m2 in floor area, at a rate of one hose reel for every 500 m2 or part thereof of floor area in any storey, provided that such hose reels shall not be required in any building classified as H4 or in any dwelling unit in an occupancy classified as H3 where each unit is provided with independent access to ground level.” Note. Occupancy class H3 & H4 are “Domestic residence” (Duplexes etc) & “Dwelling house” respectively.
    Part 4.35 deals with Hydrants and I copy the first few paragraphs here:
    “4.35.1 Hydrants in positions subject to direction by the local authority shall be provided in
    a) any building that exceeds 12 m in height, and
    b) any building (excluding buildings classified as H4) of any height with a total floor area that exceeds 1 000 m2.
    4.35.2 Any hydrant required in terms of 4.35.1 shall be provided at a rate of not fewer than one per 1 000 m2 or part thereof of total floor area and not fewer than one per storey located in the firemen’’s lift lobby in such building or occupancy, or emergency stairway where no firemen’’s lift is provided, as the case might be, and shall be distributed in such a manner that the fire hose referred to in 4.35.3 can reach to every part of the relevant area.
    4.35.3 Any hydrant shall, where required by the local authority, be provided with an appropriate fire hose of 24 m or 30 m in length, together with couplings and a 16 mm internal diameter nozzle, all of which shall comply with the requirements of SANS 1128-2. Such hose and nozzle shall, when positioned in the open air or in any factory building, be suitably housed in a cupboard.”
    The first sentence says “subject to direction by the local authority” so it is ultimately up to them.
    You can lay your own pipes but a registered plumber must check and sign off the job to the satisfaction of the local authority.

20. Hi Peter,
    National Building Regulations Part T deals with Fire Protection and under the Requirements there is a NOTE 2) Regulation T1(2) empowers the local authority to require that a rational design be submitted should this be deemed necessary. The only one that will be able to tell you is the local authority in your area. All the council contact numbers are here: municipality-contact

21. good morning,

    I have waited for 4 weeks for a fire hose to be put back.
    We had an incident where contractors worked in the complex and removed
    the fire hose reels completely from the walls as they painted the
    reels white and then realized the mistake they made. They then took it
    off the walls and painted them red again and reinstalled them but it
    is painting contractors and not a certified fire system installers.

    Will you please send me the rules and regulations on how it works that
    only a certified company is allowed to work on fire systems and needs
    to be certified after work has been done as we are not sure if these
    hoses are still working and need to be checked but we just need the
    regulations to forward it on to the Body Corporate as this is a huge
    concern.

    I will really appreciate if you can assist me with this matter urgent.

22. When is a hose reel required in a Sectional Title environment with simplex duplex and self standing units? We have conflicting opinions from our local Fire Dept! One says a hose reel is required on buildings 1 per 250 sq m and another says only when the entrances are shared. What is the situation when in a duplex situation, there is an entrance upstairs as well as downstairs?
    Then on fire hydrants; is it correct on the basis of 1 per 90 meter radius? Do we need an authorised plumber to lay 75mm polycarb pipes and to connect to the hydrants or if we have an effective maintenance team, can we do this job ourselves? Your comments will be appreciated.

23. Good day,

    How do I know if my building needs a sprinkler system or not ? How is that determined ?

    Regards
    D

24. Hi Ansie,
    As a “rule of thumb” most solid timber doors have a fire rating of 30 minutes (hollow core have a zero rating). This is what is required by the regulations. As each municipality in SA has their own by-laws this might be different in other areas. The Cape seems to be quite OK with timber unless special circumstances require a higher rating.

25. Good Morning
    Can you please advice what is the regulation regarding a fire door and the FRAME in the Western Cape?
    Can the frame be wood?
    I know in Gauteng it had to be Steel.

    Thanks, just concerned.