NBC 2005 - Highlights
NBC 2005 - Highlights
NBC 2005 - Highlights
Sanjay Pant
The National Building Code of India importance, which need to be kept in mind
is a single document in which, like a and built-in at all stages such as planning,
network, the information contained in designing, construction, operation and
various Indian Standards is woven into a maintenance of civil engineering projects.
During the above stages, the aspects like
pattern of continuity and cogency with the
orientation, lighting and ventilation; fire
interdependent requirements of Sections safety provisions; safety through structural
carefully analysed and fitted in to make design; safety during construction and
the whole document a cogent continuous safety in electrical/other services related
volume. It is a national instrument aspects; etc, need to be taken care of. A
for helping in controlling the building series of Indian Standards have been
construction activity across the length and developed to cover the whole gamut
breadth of the country to ensure safe and of safety considerations and necessary
orderly development. Report I of this 4-part recommendations have been provided
report, outlined the historical development therein for guidance and implementation
by all concerned.
of the National Building Code, while
Reports 2 and 3 described the important The aspects like orientation, lighting
modifications in NBC 2005. Continuing and ventilation and functionality have a
from Report 3, this report highlights the bearing on hygiene and health of people
safety aspects covered by NBC 2005. including workers in industrial units, for
which a number of Indian Standards have
8 The safe building been formulated covering aspects like
Report 4 of
day lighting, ventilation, noise reduction,
imperative Relevance of facilities for physically challenged, etc as the 4-part
NBC 2005 applicable to various building occupancy report
Standards in Civil Engineering make an types. Fire safety is assuming an increasing
enormous contribution for enabling a safer importance in view of complexities now
world. Safety considerations have immense encountered in buildings and installations
In Stage 1, apart from submitting the usual plan and and other relevant Codes; and that the construction has
details for the sanction of the Authority, a series been done under their supervision and guidance and
of details/information has to be submitted such as adheres to the drawings and specifications submitted
regarding access for fire vehicles; width/details of and records of supervision have been maintained.
existways; location/details of lift enclosures, fire lifts,
smoke stop lobby/door, refuse chutes/chambers, service
Any subsequent changes made from the completion
ducts, vehicular parking space generator, transformer
drawings shall be the responsibility of the owner.
and switchgear room; details/location of building
services; location/details of fire fighting installations;
etc. After obtaining the sanction, for planning (stage 1) 2.5 Periodic Occupancy Renewal Certificate
from the Authority, a complete set of structural plans, NBC 2005 provides for periodic occupancy renewal
sections, details and design calculations duly signed of high rise residential or of special buildings having
by engineer/structural engineer along with complete covered area more than 500 m 2 through physical
set of details duly approved in Stage 1, shall have to be inspection from safety considerations. Fire Authority
submitted. The building plans/details shall be deemed shall inspect the building from fire and life safety
sanctioned for the commencement for construction point of view in accordance with the Provisions given
only after obtaining the permit for Stage 2 from the in NBC 2005:Part 4 Fire and Life Safety. Similarly a
Authority. Team of Multi-Disciplinary Professionals of Authority
or by the professionals to whom the Authority may
NBC 2005 also provides that the plans for sanction shall outsource such work, shall inspect the building to ensure
be accompanied by structural sufficiency certificate compliance to byelaws, natural lighting and ventilation
signed by engineer/structural engineer and the owner requirements, besides structural and electrical safety. If
jointly to the effect that the buildings safe against any shortcoming/deficiencies or violations are noticed
various loads, forces and effects including due to natural during inspection, the Authority shall ensure the
disasters, such as, earthquake, landslides, cyclones, compliance of these within a specified time-frame of
floods, etc as per Part 6 Structural Design of NBC 2005 six months. If not complied with the building shall be
and other relevant Codes. The engineer/structural declared unsafe. The period of inspection shall usually
engineer shall also have the details to substantiate his be 3 to 5 years but in any case not more than 5 years.
design. Further, the NBC 2005 provides that the request
for sanction shall be accompanied by a certificate from 2.6 Unsafe Building and Demolition of Building
the building professional undertaking the supervision All unsafe buildings constitute danger to public safety
to the effect that the work shall be carried out under his and need to be restored by repairs or demolished or dealt
supervision in accordance with the sanctioned plans. with as otherwise directed by the Authority. NBC 2005
provides detailed provisions as regards examination
2.3 Inspection of unsafe building, notice to owner/occupier, cases of
When inspection of any construction operation reveals emergency, demolition of building, etc.
that any lack of safety precautions exist, the Authority
shall have right to direct the owner to stop the work 3 Development control rules and general
immediately until the necessary remedial measures to building requirements
remove the violation of safety precautions are taken.
The requirement of minimum safe distances say from
high tension line and open spaces, roads/streets,
2.4 Execution of Work as per Structural between adjacent building envelopes, and in and around
Safety Requirements and Responsibility of buildings provide important planning considerations
Owner for health safety of occupants of buildings by providing
The owner along with the registered engineer/structural not only safety from electricity, fire, etc but also from
engineer shall certify that the building has been the point of view of adequate lighting and ventilation.
constructed according to sanctioned plan and structural Similarly, the general building requirements, i.e. the
design (one set of drawings as executed to be enclosed), minimum dimensions of various parts of the buildings
which incorporates the provisions of structural safety from functionality point of view, as provided in the
as specified in Part 6 Structural Design of NBC 2005 Code, have a tremendous contribution in health safety
of occupants throughout the life cycle of building.
iii) Institutional (Group C) h) Where smoke venting facilities are installed for
purposes of exit safety, these shall be adequate to
iv) Assembly (Group D) prevent dangerous accumulation of smoke during
the period of time necessary to evacuate the area
v) Business (Group E) served, using available exit facilities with a margin
of safety to allow for unforeseen contingencies.
vi) Mercantile (Group F)
i) An exit may be a doorway; corridor; passageway(s)
vii) Industrial (Group G) to an internal staircase, or external staircase, or to
a verandah or terrace(s), which have access to the
viii) Storage (Group H) street, or to the roof of a building or a refuge area.
An exit may also include a horizontal exit leading
ix) Hazardous (Group J) to an adjoining building at the same level.
b) As per NBC 2005, a building of height 15 m or j) Every exit, exit access or exit discharge shall be
above has been classified as high rise building. continuously maintained free of all obstructions
or impediments to full use in the case of fire or
c) For high rise buildings noncombustible materials other emergency.
should be used for construction and the internal
walls of staircase enclosures should be with k) Every building meant for human occupancy
minimum of 2 h rating. shall be provided with exits sufficient to permit
safe escape of occupants, in case of fire or other
d) A building or portion of the building may emergency.
be occupied during construction, repairs,
alterations or additions only if all means of exit l) Exits shall be clearly visible and the route to reach
and fire protection measures are in place and the exits shall be clearly marked and signs posted
continuously maintained for the occupied part to guide the occupants of the floor concerned.
of the building. Signs shall be illuminated and wired to an
independent electrical circuit on an alternative
e) A high rise building during construction shall source of supply.
be provided with the following fire protection
measures, which shall be maintained in good m) To prevent spread of fire and smoke, fire doors
working condition at all the times: with 2 h fire resistance shall be provided at
appropriate places along the escape route and
i) Dry riser of minimum 100 mm diameter particularly at the entrance to lift lobby and stair
pipe with hydrant outlets on the floors well where a funnel or flue effect may be created,
constructed with a fire service inlet inducing an upward spread of fire.
ii) Drums filled with water of 2 000 litres n) All exits shall provide continuous means of egress
capacity with two fire buckets on each to the exterior of a building or to an exterior open
floor; space leading to a street.
f) Smoke venting facilities for safe use of exits in o) Exits shall be so arranged that they may be reached
windowless buildings, underground structures, without passing through another occupied
large area factories, hotels and assembly buildings unit.
p) Notwithstanding the detailed provision for exits, vi) No electrical shafts/AC ducts or gas
the following minimum width shall be provided pipes, etc, shall pass through or open
for staircases in the staircases. Lifts shall not open in
staircase.
i) Residential buildings (dwellings) 1.0 m
ii) Residential hotel buildings 1.5 m vii)No combustible material shall be used for
decoration/wall paneling in the staircase.
iii) Assembly buildings like auditorium,
theatres and 2.0 m cinemas viii) Beams/columns and other building
features shall not reduce the head room/
iv) Educational buildings up to 30 m in
width of the staircase.
height 1.5 m
v) Institutional buildings like hospitals ix) The exit sign with arrow indicating the way
2.0 m to the escape route shall be provided at a
suitable height from the floor level on the
vi) All other buildings 1.5 m wall and shall be illuminated by electric
light connected to corridor circuits. All exit
q) The minimum width of tread without nosing shall way marking signs should be flush with the
be 250 mm for internal staircase of residential wall and so designed that no mechanical
buildings. This shall be 300 mm for assembly, damage shall occur to them due to moving
hotels, educational, institutional, business and of furniture or other heavy equipment.
other buildings. The treads shall be constructed and Further, all landings of floor shall have floor
maintained in a manner to prevent slipping. indicating boards prominently indicating
the number of floor as per byelaws.
r) The maximum height of riser shall be 190 mm
for residential buildings and 150 mm for other The floor indication board shall be placed
buildings and the number shall be limited to 15 on the wall immediately facing the flight of
per flight. stairs and nearest to the landing. It shall be
of size not less than 0.5 m x 0.5 m.
s) The design of staircase shall also take into account
the following: x) Individual floors shall be prominently
indicated on the wall facing the
i The minimum headroom in a passage staircases.
under the landing of a staircase and under
the staircase shall be 2.2 m. xi) In case of single staircase it shall terminate
at the ground floor level and the access
ii) For building 15 m in height or more, access to the basement shall be by a separate
to main staircase shall be through a fire/ staircase. The second staircase may lead
smoke check door of a minimum 2-hour to basement levels provided the same is
fire resistance rating. Fire resistance rating separate at ground level by ventilated lobby
may be reduced to 1 h for residential with discharge points to two different ends
buildings (except hotels and starred through enclosures.
hotels).
t) Pressurization of Staircases (Protected Escape
iii) No living space, store or other fire risk Routes) - Though in normal building design and
shall open directly into the staircase or compartmentation plays a vital part in limiting
staircases. the spread of fire, smoke will readily spread
to adjacent spaces through the various leakage
iv) External exit door of staircase enclosure
openings in the compartment enclosure, such as
at ground level shall open directly to the
cracks, openings around pipes ducts, airflow grills
open spaces or through a large lobby, if
and doors, as perfect sealing of all these openings
necessary.
is not possible. It is smoke and toxic gases, rather
v) The main and external staircases shall be than flame, that will initially obstruct the free
continuous from ground floor to the terrace movement of occupants of the building through
level. the means of escape (escape routes). Hence the
exclusion of smoke and toxic gases from the ii) Separate circuits for fire fighting pumps,
protected routes is of great importance. lifts, staircases and corridor lighting and
blowers for pressurizing system shall be
Pressurization is a method adopted for protected provided directly from the main switch
escape routes against ingress of smoke, especially gear panel and these circuits shall be laid
in high-rise buildings. In pressurization, air is in separate conduit pipes, so that any fire
injected into the staircases, lobbies or corridors, to in one circuit does not affect the others.
raise their pressure slightly above the pressure in
adjacent parts of the building. As a result, ingress iii) The inspection panel doors and any other
of smoke or toxic gases into the escape routes is opening in the shaft shall be provided with
prevented. The pressurization of staircases shall air-tight fire doors having fire resistance of
be adopted for high rise buildings and building not less than 2h.
having mixed occupancy/multiplexes having iv) Medium and low voltage wiring running
covered area more than 500 m2. in shafts, and within false ceiling shall
run in metal conduit. Any 230 V wiring
u) The staircase of basements shall be of enclosed for lighting or other services, above false
type having fire resistance of not less than 2 h and ceiling, shall have 660 V grade insulation.
shall be situated at the periphery of the basement
to be entered at ground level only from the open v) Suitable circuit breakers shall be provided
air and in such positions that smoke from any fire at the appropriate points.
in the basement shall not obstruct any exit serving
the ground and upper floors of the building. z) From fire safety point of view, gas supply shall
conform to the following:
v) In multi-storey basements, intake ducts may serve
all basement levels, but each basement levels and i) Town Gas/L.P.Gas Supply Pipes Where gas
basement compartment shall have separate smoke pipes are run in buildings, the same shall
outlet duct or ducts. be run in separate shafts exclusively for
this purpose and these shall be on external
w) Use of basements for kitchens working on gas fuel walls, away from the staircases. There shall
shall not be permitted, unless air conditioned. no interconnection of this shaft with the
rest of the floors.
x) All floors shall be compartmented with area not ii) All wiring in fume hoods shall be duly
exceeding 750 m2 by a separation wall with 2 h insulated. Thermal detectors shall be
fire rating, for floors with sprinklers the area may installed into fume hoods of large kitchens
be increased by 50 percent. In long building, for hotels, hospitals, and similar areas
the fire separation walls shall be at distances located in high rise buildings. Arrangements
not exceeding 40 m. For departmental stores, shall be made for automatic tripping of the
shopping centers and basements, the area may be exhaust fan in case of fire; if LPG is used,
reduced to 500 m2 for compartmentation. Where the same shall be shut off. The voltage shall
this is not possible, the spacing of the sprinklers be 24 V or 100 V dc operated with external
shall be suitably reduced. When reducing the rectifier. The valve shall be of the hand
spacing of sprinklers, care should be taken to re-set type and shall be located in an area
prevent spray from one sprinkler impeding the segregated from cooking ranges. Valves
performance of an adjacent sprinkler head. shall be easily accessible. The hood shall
have manual facility for steam or carbon
y) From fire safety point of view, electrical services dioxide gas injection, depending on duty
shall conform to the following: condition;
i) The electric distribution cables/wiring aa) All high rise buildings shall be equipped
shall be laid in a separate duct. The duct with manually operated electrical fire
shall be sealed at every floor with non- alarm (MOEFA) system and automatic fire
combustible materials. alarm system.
5 Safety through structural design and complexity of building construction project, as per
Safety through structural design lies in the proper Part 7 of NBC 2005, safety committee shall be constituted
planning and design for the following condition and to efficiently manage all safety related affairs. The site
the combination thereof: in-charge or his nominee of a senior rank shall head
the committee and a safety officer shall act as member-
a) Soil liquefaction study and stabilization; secretary. The meetings of the safety committee shall
be organized regularly depending on the nature of the
b) Soil shear strength and safe bearing capacity; project, however, emergency meetings shall be called as
and when required. The safety committees shall deal
c) Load during construction and during the with all the safety related issues through well structured
service life. The various loads which need to be agenda, in the meetings and all safety related measures
considered as applicable and with appropriate installed at the site and implementation thereof shall be
load factors for the safety shall be periodically reviewed. Following safety provisions need
to be taken care of:
i) Dead load or Self weight of building/
structure a) Safety during excavation,
viii) Loads and effects due to equipments and h) Safety during demolition,
machinery;
i) Safety during structural steel erection,
d) Adequate selection of building materials and
quality control; j) Safety in construction of concrete framed
structure,
e) Adequate construction and erection techniques;
and k) Safety during material handling,
Taking the above into cognizance, the Part 6 of the NBC m) Safety in use of tools,
2005, through its seven sections provides provisions and
good practices for structural adequacy of buildings to n) Safety in use of construction machinery, and
deal with both internal and external environment, and
provide guidance to engineers/structural engineers for o) Safety from common hazards.
varied usage of material/technology types for building
design. Particularly persons working at heights may use safety
belts and harnesses. Provision of cat-walks, wire mesh,
6 Construction safety railings reduces chances of fall-ladder and scaffoldings,
The safety of personnel engaged in building construction staging etc should be anchored on firm footing and
should be ensured through a well planned and well should be secured and railing should be provided as far
organized mechanism. For this, depending on the size as possible. All accesses should be barricaded to prevent
accidental fall. Also, during demolition operation, it iii) The floor level of the substation or switch room
should be ensured that: shall be above the highest flood level of the
locality.
a) On every demolition job, danger signs shall be
conspicuously posted all around the structure iv) Substations with oil filled equipment will require
and all doors and openings giving access to the great consideration for the fire detection, protection
structure shall be kept barricaded or manned and suppression. Oil cooled transformers require
except during the actual passage of workmen or a suitable soak pit with gravity flow to contain
equipment. However, provisions shall be made the oil in the event of the possibility of oil spillage
for at least two independent exits for escape of from the transformer on its failure. Substations
workmen during any emergency. with oil filled equipment shall not be located in
any floor other than the ground floor or a semi
b) During nights, red lights shall be placed on or basement. Such substations with high oil content
about all the barricades. may be housed in a separate service building or
c) All the necessary safety appliances shall be issued a substation building, which is not the part of a
to the workers and their use explained. It shall be multi storeyed building.
ensured that the workers are using all the safety
v) In case electric substation has to be located
appliances while at work.
within the main multistoreyed building itself for
d) The power on all electrical service lines shall be unavoidable reasons, then it should be located
shut off and all such lines cut or disconnected at on the floor close to ground level, but shall have
or outside the property line, before the demolition direct access from the street for operation of the
work is started. Prior to cutting of such lines, equipment.
the necessary approval shall be obtained from
the electrical authorities concerned. The only vi) Substations located within a multi-storeyed
exception will be any power lines required for building shall not have oil filled transformers,
demolition work itself. even if it is at the ground level. Substations with
very little combustible material, such as a Dry type
e) Adequate natural or artificial lighting and transformer, with Vacuum (or SF6) HT switchgear
ventilation shall be provided for the workmen. and ACB or MCCB for MV can be located in the
basement as well as upper floors in a building
with high load density in the upper floors.
Notwithstanding the individual standards provisions in
NBC 2005 on all the above aspects, Special Publication vii) The power supply control to any such substation
namely SP 70 `Handbook on Construction Safety or transformer (located at basement levels or
Practices has been prepared for providing guidance upper floors) shall be from a location on ground
in this area. floor/first basement level having direct access
from outside so that in case of fire, the electrical
7 Safety provisions for electrical installations supply can be easily disconnected.
The safety provisions fo electrical installations have
been dealt with in Section 2 of Part 8 Electrical and viii) Oil filled transformers may be used only in
Allied Installations. Some of the provisions are given substations located in separate single or two
hereunder: storeyed service buildings outside the main
building structure and there shall at least 6 meter
a) Location and Requirements of Substation clear distance between the adjoining buildings
i) The substation should preferably be located in and substation such that fire tender is able to pass
separate building and could be adjacent to the between the two structures.
generator room, if any. Location of substation in
the basement floors should be avoided, as far as b) Requirement for overhead lines and Cables
possible. i) Any person responsible for erecting an overhead
line will keep informed the authority(s) responsible
ii) The ideal location for an electrical substation for a for services in that area for telecommunication,
group of buildings would be at the electrical load gas distribution, water and sewage network
centre on the ground floor. and roads so as to have proper coordination to
ensure safety. He shall also publish the testing, standards of sanitation and facilities required therefor
energizing program for the line in the interest of apart from solid waste management. It provides
safety. necessary provisions and recommendations for
proper and efficient drainage. All these features have
ii) Any part of an overhead line which is not tremendous impact on health safety of people. A
connected with earth and which is not ordinarily minimum set of safety provisions have also been laid
accessible shall be supported on insulators or down to safeguard the gas piping installation and the
surrounded by insulation. mode of operation in the interest of public safety.