FIRE SAFETY

FIRE SAFETY
is the set of practices intended to reduce the destruction caused by fire. Fire safety measures
include those that are intended to prevent ignition of an uncontrolled fire, and those that are used
to limit the development and effects of a fire after it starts.

Bureau of Fire Protection

The Revised Fire Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (R.A. 9514)
 Fire Safety Inspections
 Fire Safety Seminar
 Fire Drills
 Fire Brigade for establishments employing at least 50 persons
WHAT IS FIRE?
Fire – The active principle of burning, characterized by the heat and light of combustion (RA 9514). It is a
rapid oxidation process accompanied with the evolution of light and heat of varying intensities.

STAGES OF FIRE
IGNITION STAGE (First Stage) - is the earliest phase of fire
 Ignition can be result of flame or caused when the material reaches its ignition temp.
 The Fire is small and limited to fuel first ignited
 Hazards during Ignition Stage are minimal to fire fighters.
GROWTH STAGE (second stage)- total involvement is possible.
 Oxygen in the room is drawn into the flame.
 Heat is carried to the uppermost regions of the confined area.
 Once the air is recycled the temperature rises quickly.
 Heat and fire spread out laterally from the top down and ignite all material in the upper
level of the room In the early portion of the growth stage flame spread is predominate.
Temperature in the upper regions can exceed 1,300 degrees.

FLASH OVER STAGE (third stage)- Transition between growth and fully developed stage.
 During Flashover flames over the entire surface of the room
 The actual cause is build-up of heat from the fire.
 All the contents of the fire area gradually reach their ignition temperature
 Once the ignition temp of contents is reached simultaneous ignition occurs and the area
becomes fully developed.
 High temperatures, total fire involvement and once it happen it cannot be stopped.

FULLY DEVELOPED STAGE (fourth stage)- occurs when all combustible materials in the
compartment are involved in fire.
 The burning fuels are releasing the maximum amount of heat.
 The heat released is depends on the number and size of ventilation openings
 Hot unburned gases are likely to begin flowing from the compartment of origin into
adjacent spaces.

DECAY STAGE (fifth stage)- the final stage of fire development

 The rate of heat released begins to decline as available fuel consumed.
 The fire begins to become fuel controlled as with ignition stage
 The fire starts to diminish and temperature within the compartment begins to decline.

METHODS OF HEAT TRANSFER

CONDUCTION
 Is the point to point transmission of heat energy.
 Heat can be transferred through the direct contact of two objects ( ex pipes in a structure)
 Not all materials have the same heat conductivity.
CONVECTION- is the transfer of heat by movement of heated liquids or gases
Heated air or vaporized liquids will expand and rise. Heat rises to the highest point and
spreads outward until it runs out ceiling space, then travels back toward the floor.
RADIATION- transmission of heat energy through electromagnetic wave.
Radiated heat will travel until it reaches an opaque object. As an object is exposed to heat
radiation it will radiate heat from its surface. Radiation is the cause of most exposure Fires.

CLASSES OF FIRE HAZARDS

CLASS “A” HAZARDS- For Class "A" hazards, such as wood, cloth, paper, rubber and other similar
ordinary materials.
CLASS “B” HAZARDS - For Class "B" hazards, fires in flammable liquids, gases and greases (
gasoline, oil, paint)
CLASS “C” HAZARDS - For Class "C" hazards, fires which involve energized electrical equipment
where the electrical non-conductivity of the extinguishing media if of importance. ( office equipment,
motors, Switch gear and heaters)
CLASS “D” HAZARDS- For protection of Class "D" hazards fire in combustible metals, such as
magnesium, itanium, zirconium, sodium and potassium, shall be of types approved for use on the
specific combustible metal hazard. Only suitable dry powder extinguishers shall be used for metal fires;

CLASSES OF FIRE
The classification is as follows:
a. Class “A”: fires involving ordinary combustible solid materials
b. Class “B”: fires involving flammable and combustible liquid and gas
c. Class “C”: fires involving energized electrical equipment
d. Class “D”: fires involving combustible metal fires

SELECTION OF FIRE EXTINGUISHERS- Fire extinguishers shall be selected for the classes of
hazards to be protected.
a. Fire extinguishers for protecting Class A hazards shall be selected from the following:
1) Water type

2) Multipurpose dry chemical type

3) Wet chemical type

b. Fire extinguishers for protection of Class B hazard shall be selected from the following:
1) AFFF ( Aqueous Film-Forming Foam)

2) FFFP foam ( Film-Forming Fluoroprotein Foam)

3) Carbon dioxide

4) Dry chemical type

c. Fire extinguishers for protection of Class C hazard shall be selected from types that are specifically
listed for use on Class C hazards.
d. Fire extinguishers and extinguishing agents for the protection of Class D hazards shall be of types
approved for use on the specific combustible-metal hazard.

RULE 1940
FIRE PROTECTION AND CONTROL
1941:General Provisions:
(1) All buildings for occupancy used shall be located in areas provided for by applicable zoning
regulations of the locality.
(2) Specific standards in design and construction, occupancy and use of buildings and facilities shall be those
prescribed by the Building Code of the Philippines.
(3) Fire tests of building materials and fire protection equipment used in any place of employment shall be
those provided for the Fire Code of the Philippines.
(4) Standards for the design and installation of Indoor, outdoor general storage, sprinkler system and fire
protection system shall be those provided for by Chapter 9 of the Philippine Society of Mechanical
Engineers (PSME) Code.
1942: Definitions:
When used in this Rule, the following unless otherwise indicated, shall mean:
(1) "Fire-Rating" - the time duration that a material shall withstand a standard fire exposure test.
(2) "Flash Point" - the minimum temperature in degrees at which material will. give off flammable vapor.
(3) "Wood-frame Construction" - a construction in which wooden frame-work forms the structural support for
enclosure walls, floors, and doors.
(4) "Slow burning Construction" - construction consisting of substantial masonry walls and heavy timber interior.
(5) "Fire-resistant Construction" - construction in which all walls, partitions, floors, stairs, roofs, window frames
and sashes, doors and other interior finish, consist of fire resistant materials designed to withstand, without
collapse during burning of the contents of the building for a specified time.
Other Definitions of terms
Exits:

(1) At least two exits shall be provided in every floor and basement of every workplace capable of clearing the work
area in five (5) minutes.

(2) Additional exits shall be provided if the travel distance from any occupied space in a high hazard occupancy
exceeds twenty-three (23) meters.

(3) In moderate or low-hazard occupancy, the travel distance shall not be more than thirty-one (3 1) meters for
industrial establishments, sixty-one (6 1) meters for business establishments and thirty and one-half (30.5) meters
for mercantile and commercial establishments.

(4) If approved automatic-sprinkler protection is installed, the travel distance in high hazard occupancy may be
increased to twenty-five (25) meters and for moderate or low-hazard occupancy may be increased to forty-six (46)
meters.

(5) The width of the exits shall be computed by dividing the total occupants of a floor or a storey (maximum
allowable) by sixty (60) in industrial and commercial establishments by forty-five (45) in service establishments, and
by seventy-five (75) in places of assembly and the quotient multiplied by fifty-five (55) to get the width of the exit in
centimeters.
(6) On every floor, except the ground floor, one of the exits shall lead to an inside stairway or a smokeproof tower,
while the other exits shall lead to inside stairways, smoke-proof towers or horizontal exits.

(7) Slide escapes may be considered as exits in buildings housing high hazard occupancies but these shall not
constitute more than twenty-five (25) percent of the total number of the required means of egress.

(8) Safe, continuous and unobstructed passageways with a minimum width of at least one meter, but not less than
the width of the exist, shall be provided and maintained.

(9) No steps or stairs shall be used in horizontal exits.

(10) The construction of the exits, including stairs and means of illumination, shall be in accordance with the
provisions of the Building Code and the Electrical Code of the Philippines

1943.04: Stairways:

(1) Stairs, platforms, stairways and landings in buildings of any type of construction over three (3) stories in height
used as fire exits shall be constructed of incombustible materials.

(2) Building over three (3) stories in height of non-fire resistant construction and with roofs having a slope of less
than 1 in 4, at least one stairway shall extend through the roof.

(3) All stairways used as fire exits shall lead directly to the street or through fire resistant passages with a width of
at least equal to the aggregate width of all exits discharging through such passages.

(4) All approaches to fire exits shall be cleared of any obstruction and properly marked to make the

direction of egress clear.

1943.05: Fire Doors:

(1) Stairway enclosures, fire exits and partitions shall be provided with fire doors of the self-closing type and easily
opened from either side towards the line of travel in leaving the building except the last floor which should open
away from the exit.

(2) Doors giving access to stairways shall not open directly on stairs, but shall open on landings leaving a path of
travel equal to at least the width of the door at any point during its swing.

(3) Doors swinging on both sides, vertical-sliding doors, rolling shutters and revolving doors shall not be allowed as
exits.

(4) Where for practical reasons swinging doors are not suitable, horizontal sliding doors may be used.

(5) Doors from stairways to the outside of the building shall have a width equal to at least the effective width of the
stairs.

(6) Doors leading into or out of any building or floor shall not be locked or fastened during period of occupancy.

1944: Fire-Fighting Facilities:

1944.02: Water Supply:

(1) Where connection from a public water supply system is not available, an adequate private water supply
reservoir capable of supplying all fire fighting systems for eight (8)hours shall be provided.

(2) Supply system, including tanks or reservoirs and pumps, shall be located and protected that their operation or
use will not be impaired by a fire in the workplace.
1944.03: Hydrants:

(1) Hydrants shall be of the same types and sizes as those used by the local public fire department and located or
protected that they will not be exposed to mechanical damage from vehicles.

1944.04: Hose:

(1) Hose couplings, outside hydrants or standing nipples shall be of the same type and size as those used by the
local public fire department.

(2) Hose shall be thoroughly drained and dried after each use, and tested at frequent intervals or at least once
every four (4) months.

1944.05: Portable Extinguisher:

1) General Requirement

a. all places of employment, including those where automatic-sprinkler protection system is installed, shall be
provided with portable fire extinguishers for protection against incipient fires;

b. portable extinguishers shall be maintained in fully charged and operable condition

c. approved fire extinguishers shall be used;

d. extinguishers shall be installed on hangers or brackets conspicuously located in unobstructed areas readily
accessible in the event of fire;

e. extinguishers having group weight not exceeding 18 kilograms shall be installed so that the top is not more than
1.5 meter above the floor.

f. extinguishers shall be inspected monthly or at more frequent intervals

1945: Flammable and Combustible Liquids:

(1) This requirement shall apply to liquids with a flash point of not more than 93.30C.

(2) Liquids of flash points above 93.3oC which may assume the characteristic of lower flash points liquids when
heated shall be covered by this provision.

1946: Combustible Solids:

1946.01: Nitrate Motion Picture Film:

1946.02: Pyroxylin Plastics:

1946.03: Magnesium:

1946.04: Titanium:

1946.05: Zirconium:

1947: Electrical Installation:

1947.01: General Requirements:

All electrical installations shall be in accordance with the provisions of Rule 1210.

1947.02: Emergency Systems:

Emergency lighting system shall be provided to automatically light emergency exits in case of failure of the main
electrical power line.
1948: Alarm Systems and Fire Drills:

1948.01: Sounding Devices:

1948.02: Fire-fighting Drills:

1948.03: Fire Exit Drills:

(1) Fire-exit drills shall be conducted at least twice a year to maintain an

orderly evacuation of buildings, unless the local fire department requires a

higher frequency of fire drills.

(2) Fire exit drills shall only include evacuation of persons and shall not include salvage operation.

References:

› RA9514 revised 2019

› Occupational Safety and Health Standards as amended

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