Fire safety measures to be complied with by owners of composite buildings in respect of parts intended for non-domestic purposes
1. Provision of fire service installations and equipment
In relation to the provision of fire service installations and equipment, requirements with which an owner of a composite building, in respect of a part intended for non domestic purposes, can be directed to comply under section 5(1) and (2) of this Ordinance are the following—
- (a) a requirement to provide or improve an automatic sprinkler system, with or without a direct link to the Fire Services Department, to control the spread of fire and sound an alarm;
- (b) a requirement to provide or improve a fire hydrant and hosereel system as a source of water supply for fire fighting;
- (c) a requirement to provide or improve a manual fire alarm system to alert occupants of the building in the event of fire;
- (d) a requirement to provide or improve emergency lighting within the common areas so as to facilitate the evacuation of occupants of the building in the event of a power failure;
- (e) a requirement to provide or improve an automatic cut-off device for the mechanical ventilating system to limit the spread of smoke through the ventilating system, where one is provided, but only if the system forms an integral part of the part of the building intended for non-domestic purposes and also serves other separately occupied areas or parts intended for non-domestic purposes; and
- (f) a requirement to provide or improve other fire service installations and equipment in accordance with the requirements specified in the Code of Practice for Minimum Fire Service Installations and Equipment 1994, as published by the Director of Fire Services and printed by the Government Printer.
The detailed specifications and requirements of the installations and equipment under paragraphs (a) to (e) are set out in the Code of Practice for Minimum Fire Service Installations and Equipment 1994, as published by the Director of Fire Services and printed by the Government Printer.
2. Fire safety construction
In relation to fire safety construction, requirements with which an owner of a composite building, in respect of a part intended for non-domestic purposes, can be directed to comply under section 5(1) and (2) of this Ordinance are the following—
- (a) in relation to means of escape—
- (i) the improvement of staircases in terms of their width and number;
- (ii) the protection of exit routes and staircases with separating walls of fire resisting construction;
- (iii) the improvement of exit arrangements in terms of exits from rooms, storeys and ground storeys, access to staircases, direct distance or travel distance;
- (iv) the provision of fire doors;
- (b) in relation to means of access for fire fighting and rescue—
- (i) the improvement of at least one of the existing lifts, up to the standard of fireman’s lifts; or
- (ii) the installation of a new lift, up to the standard of fireman’s lifts;
- (c) in relation to fire resisting construction—
- (i) the improvement of fire resistance of external walls and the protection of openings therein to inhibit the spread of fire to adjoining buildings;
