Decoding Fire Safety Regulations: What’s Inspected in Your Interior Renovation’s Fire Safety Drawings?
Fire safety drawings are the most specialized and critical part of an interior renovation permit application, directly impacting the safety of life and property. This article delves into the key inspection points, common mistakes, and tips for successfully passing the review of fire safety drawings, helping you obtain your permit smoothly.
Why Are Fire Safety Drawings So Important?
Fire safety drawings are a core component of the interior renovation permit review process. They meticulously detail the fire safety systems within a space, ensuring effective early warning, fire containment, and safe evacuation routes in the event of a fire. According to the ‘Standards for Fire Safety Equipment Installation in Various Places,’ fire safety drawings must be certified by a licensed fire protection engineer or technician.
Ensuring Life Safety: Comprehensive fire safety designs provide early warnings, control fires, and facilitate evacuation, serving as the first line of defense for protecting lives and property.
- Fire Prevention
- Preventing Fire Spread
- Early Warning
- Timely Fire Detection
- Safe Evacuation
- Ensuring Escape Routes
- Fire Suppression Equipment
- Effective Fire Control
Basic Components of Fire Safety Drawings
Essential Drawing Contents
A complete set of fire safety drawings must include the following elements without exception:
Fire Equipment Layout Plan
This plan indicates the location, type, and quantity of all fire safety equipment, including fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, and automatic sprinkler heads.
Evacuation Route Plan
Clearly marks primary and secondary escape routes, evacuation directions, and exits to refuge floors.
Alarm System Diagram
Shows the location and configuration of automatic fire alarm devices, manual pull stations, bells, and speakers.
Smoke Control System Diagram
Details the location and control methods for smoke exhaust equipment, air intakes, and smoke vents.
Emergency Lighting Plan
Indicates the placement of emergency lighting fixtures and exit signs along escape routes.
System Configuration Diagrams
Detailed diagrams of each system, including pipe routing and control panel locations.
Top 10 Inspection Points for Fire Safety Drawings
1. Evacuation Route Planning
Evacuation routes are the primary focus of fire safety inspections, directly impacting personnel safety:
- Evacuation route widths must be at least 1.2 meters (stricter requirements apply to special venues).
- Evacuation routes must be clear and unobstructed, free from stored items or permanent barriers.
- The walking distance from any point to an escape exit must comply with regulations (typically within 30 meters).
- There must be two independent escape routes to avoid single-point egress.
- Exit doors must open in the direction of escape and must not be locked or blocked.
⚠️ Common Mistakes: Reducing corridor width for aesthetic purposes, installing fixed decorations that obstruct escape routes, and improper design of exit doors.
2. Fire Compartmentation Integrity
Fire compartments effectively prevent fire spread and are crucial passive fire protection measures:
- Area Type: Stairwells
Fire Resistance Requirement: 1-2 hours
Common Methods: Fire doors, fire-rated walls
Inspection Focus: Sealing, direction of opening - Area Type: Vertical Shafts (e.g., for pipes, cables)
Fire Resistance Requirement: 1 hour
Common Methods: Firestopping
Inspection Focus: Complete sealing - Area Type: Fire-Rated Walls
Fire Resistance Requirement: 1 hour
Common Methods: Fire-rated gypsum board, brick walls
Inspection Focus: No openings, proper treatment of penetrations - Area Type: Floor Openings
Fire Resistance Requirement: 1 hour
Common Methods: Fire-rated shutters, fire dampers
Inspection Focus: Automatic closing function
Professional Advice: Details such as shaft penetrations and electrical conduit crossings must be properly sealed with firestopping materials. This is a critical point often overlooked by designers.
3. Fire Equipment Configuration and Calculation
The type, quantity, and location of fire safety equipment must be precisely calculated based on the space’s characteristics:
Fire Suppression Equipment
The quantity and placement of fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, and automatic sprinkler systems must be calculated based on the area and hazard level of the space.
Calculation Basis: At least 1 fire extinguisher per 75 square meters.
Alarm Equipment
The configuration of smoke detectors, heat detectors, and manual pull stations must ensure there are no detection blind spots for early fire detection.
Installation Spacing: Smoke detector spacing must not exceed 10 meters.
Egress and Emergency Lighting
Emergency lighting and exit signs must activate automatically during power outages, with brightness and installation height meeting regulations.
Installation Height: Exit signs should be installed 1.5-2.0 meters above the floor.
4. Fire Performance of Finishing Materials
The fire performance of interior finishing materials directly impacts the speed of fire development:
- Material Type: Ceiling Materials
Fire Resistance Rating: Class 1
Common Applications: Calcium silicate boards, gypsum boards
Testing Standard: CNS 6532 - Material Type: Wall Materials
Fire Resistance Rating: Class 2 or higher
Common Applications: Fire-rated boards, fire-retardant coatings
Testing Standard: CNS 6532 - Material Type: Flooring Materials
Flame Retardant Rating: Class 1
Common Applications: Flame-retardant carpets, quartz tiles
Testing Standard: CNS 7615 - Material Type: Curtains and Drapes
Flame Retardant Rating: Class 1
Common Applications: Flame-retardant treated curtains
Testing Standard: CNS 7615
⚠️ Important Reminder: All finishing materials must be accompanied by flame retardant/fire resistance certificates and their specifications and fire ratings must be clearly indicated on the drawings.
5. Smoke Control and Ventilation Design
An effective smoke control system can buy valuable time for evacuation:
Smoke Vent Installation: Smoke vents must be located at the highest point of the space, with sufficient effective area according to regulations.
Air Intake Design: Adequate air intakes are necessary to assist in smoke exhaust.
Control Method: The smoke control system should be capable of both automatic and manual activation.
Areas Exempt from Smoke Control: Certain spaces meeting specific conditions may be exempt from smoke control equipment requirements.
Calculation Standard: The effective area of smoke vents must not be less than 2% of the smoke compartment area and must be precisely calculated based on space height and usage.
Special Requirements for Various Occupancies
Fire Safety Design Focus for Different Occupancies
According to the ‘Standards for Fire Safety Equipment Installation in Various Places,’ different types of occupancies have distinct fire safety requirements:
Restaurant Kitchens
Must be equipped with kitchen-specific fire suppression systems (e.g., ANSUL systems), range hoods, and gas leak detectors.
Focus: Dedicated fire suppression equipment must be installed above cooking appliances.
Hotel Guest Rooms
Each guest room must have a smoke detector and emergency lighting. Corridors must be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems.
Focus: Egress devices (e.g., escape chutes) should be provided in guest rooms.
Office Spaces
Emphasis is placed on evacuation route planning and fire compartmentation integrity. Open-plan offices require special attention to smoke detector placement.
Focus: Increase the number of fire extinguishers in areas with dense electrical equipment.
Fire Safety Drawing Review Process
From Submission to Approval
The review of fire safety drawings typically takes 10-20 business days, following this process:
Drawing Preparation: A fire protection engineer (or technician) prepares and certifies the fire safety drawings.
Submission: Submit the fire safety drawings along with the interior renovation application.
Preliminary Review: Check for completeness and basic compliance of documents.
Technical Review: Detailed examination of whether all fire safety designs comply with regulations.
Correction Procedure: If there are omissions or non-compliance issues, a deadline for corrections will be issued.
Approval and Issuance: Upon successful review, fire approval documents will be issued.
⚠️ Note: Fire safety drawings must be consistent with interior renovation drawings. Any design changes require resubmission; construction must not commence without approval.
Common Reasons for Rejection and Solutions
- ❌ Common Reasons for Rejection:
- Insufficient or obstructed evacuation route width
- Incorrect calculation of fire equipment quantities
- Incomplete fire compartmentation or presence of openings
- Fire ratings of finishing materials not specified
- Non-compliance in smoke control equipment calculations
- Discrepancies between drawings and actual site conditions
- Lack of certification by a qualified fire protection engineer (or technician)
- ✅ Solutions and Prevention:
- Conduct pre-submission site surveys and measurements.
- Use correct formulas for calculating equipment quantities.
- Ensure the integrity and sealing of fire compartments.
- Clearly specify the fire rating for all materials.
- Carefully calculate the effective area of smoke vents.
- Ensure consistency between drawings and the site.
- Engage qualified professionals for certification.
Professional Advice: Before formal submission, consider requesting a preliminary consultation with the fire department. This allows for early identification and correction of potential issues, significantly increasing the approval rate and saving time.
Safety First: Fire Safety Design is Core to Renovation
The review of fire safety drawings is more than just an administrative procedure; it’s a critical safeguard for life and property. A well-designed fire safety system provides early warning, controls fires, and ensures safe evacuation during an emergency, making it an indispensable part of any interior renovation project.