CHAPTER 4
SITE PLANNING & EXTERNAL
FIRE FIGHTING PROVISION
4.1 GENERAL
4.1.1 The purpose of this Chapter of the Code is to make provision for General
space around buildings to enable effective mounting of rescue and
external fire fighting operations.
4.2 PROVISION FOR EXTERNAL ACCESS TO BUILDING FOR
FIRE FIGHTING AND ACCESSIBILITY OF SITE TO FIRE
FIGHTING APPLIANCES
4.2.1 Accessway shall be provided for accessibility of site to fire fighting Introduction
appliances. To permit fire-fighting appliances to be deployed, the
accessway shall have a minimum width of 6m throughout its entire
length. Access openings shall be provided along the external walls
of buildings fronting the accessway to provide access into the
building for fire-fighting and rescue operations.
Accessway shall be provided to within 18m of breeching inlet for
buildings that exceed the habitable height of 10m.
4.2.2 ACCESSWAY FOR FIRE FIGHTING APPLIANCES
(a) (i) For buildings under Purpose Group I, accessway will Provision of
not be required, irrespective of the building height. accessway
However, in cluster housing developments, (Cluster
housing is landed housing with shared communal
facilities), fire engine access road with a minimum 4m
width shall be provided for access by pump appliance
to within a travel distance of 60m from every point on
the projected plan area of any building in the housing
developments.
(ii) For buildings under Purpose Group II, no accessway
will be required for buildings that do not exceed the
habitable height of 10m. However, fire engine access
road having minimum 4m width for access by pump
appliance shall be provided to within a travel distance
of 60m of every point on the projected plan area of the
building.
This requirement for fire engine access road shall not
apply to non-residential standalone building, such
as clubhouse, carpark, etc. (excluding guardhouse
and substation) that are located within the housing
development. The non-residential standalone building
shall comply with Cl.4.2.2(a)(iv) and Cl.4.2.2(b)(i).
(iii) For buildings under Purpose Group II that exceed the
habitable height of 10m, fire engine access road shall be
provided within a travel distance of 18m to the entrance
of all exit staircases where the landing valves (dry or
wet riser) are provided in accordance with Cl.6.2.2(b).
The fire engine access road shall have a minimum 4m
width and designed to sustain the load of stationary
30 tonnes fire engine fighting appliance, and shall be
provided within 18m of dry riser breeching inlets of
the building. The breeching inlets shall be located at
the exterior, readily visible and accessible from the fire
engine access road.
(iv) For buildings under Purpose Groups III, IV, V and VII
not exceeding the habitable height of 10m, accessway
will not be required. However, provision of fire engine
access road having minimum 4m width for pump
appliance will be required to within a travel distance
of 45m of every point on the projected plan area of the
building.
(v) In the case of basement, the fire engine access road
shall be provided within a travel distance of 18m to the
entrance of all exit staircases that are provided with
landing valve (dry or wet riser) in accordance with
Cl.6.2.2(b).The measurement of 18m shall be between
the fire engine access road and the entrance of exit
staircase.
(b) (i) For buildings under Purpose Groups III, IV, V and VII
exceeding the habitable height of 10m, accessway
shall be located directly below the access openings
to provide direct outreach to the access openings.
Accessway shall be provided based on the largest gross
floor area of the following:
(1) any floor including 1st storey,
(2) if there are more than one floor interconnected,
the aggregate areas of all the floor interconnected.
Minimum 1
/6 perimeter ( min 15m)
2000m to 4000m
2 2
¼ perimeter
>4000m2 to 8000m2 ½ perimeter
>8000m to 16,000m
2 2
¾ perimeter
>16000m2 island site access
For buildings protected by an automatic sprinkler
system, the floor area shall be doubled as follows:
Minimum 1
/6 perimeter ( min 15m)
4000m2 to 8000m2 ¼ perimeter
>8000m2 to 16,000m2 ½ perimeter
>16,000m2 to 32,000m2 ¾ perimeter
>32,000m2 island site access.
(c) (i) For buildings under Purpose Groups VI and VIII,
accessway shall be provided for fire fighting appliances.
The provision of accessway shall be calculated based
on the following gross cubical extent of the building as
follows:
Minimum 1
/6 perimeter ( min 15m)
>28,400m3 ¼ perimeter
>56,800m3 ½ perimeter
>85,200m3 ¾ perimeter
>113,600m3 island site access.
For buildings protected by an automatic sprinkler
system, the cubical extent of the building can be
doubled as follows:
Minimum 1
/6 perimeter ( min 15m)
>56,800m3 ¼ perimeter
>113,600m3 ½ perimeter
>170,400m3 ¾ perimeter
>227,200m3 island site access.
(d)
(i) Accessway shall be metalled or paved or laid with Accessway
strengthened perforated slabs to withstand the loading
capacity of stationary 30 tonnes fire-fighting appliance.
Please see Appendix (G) for technical data on fire-
fighting appliance.
(ii) The accesssway shall have a minimum width of Width of
6m throughout. Such accessway must be able to accessway
accommodate the entry and manoeuvring of fire engine,
extended ladders pumping appliances, turntable and/
or hydraulic platforms.
(iii) Accessway shall be positioned so that the nearer edge Location
shall be not less than 2m or more than 10m from
the centre position of the access opening, measured
horizontally.
(iv) Accessway shall be laid on a level platform or if on an Gradients of
incline, the gradient shall not exceed 1:15. Access road accessway and
shall be laid on an incline not exceeding a gradient of access road
1:8.3.
(v) Dead end accessway and fire engine access road shall Turning facilities
not exceed 46 m in length or if exceeding 46m, be
provided with turning facilities as shown in Diagram
4.2.2(d)(v).
(vi) The outer radius for turning of accessway and fire
engine access road shall comply with the requirements
as shown in Diagram 4.2.2(d)(vi).
(vii) Overhead clearance of accessway and fire engine Overhead
access road shall be at least 4.5m for passage of fire clearance
fighting appliances.
(viii) Public roads can serve as accessway provided the Public road
location of such public roads is in compliance with the
requirements of distance from access openings.
(ix) Accessway and fire engine access road shall be kept Obstruction
clear of obstructions and other parts of the building,
plants, trees or other fixtures shall not obstruct the
path between the accessway and access openings.
(e) (i) All corners of accessway shall be marked. Marking of fire
engine accessway.
(ii) Marking of corners shall be in contrasting colour to the
ground surfaces or finishes.
(iii) Accessway provided on turfed area must be marked
with contrasting object (preferably reflective) that is
visible at night. The markings are to be at an interval
not more than 3m apart and shall be provided on both
sides of the accessway.
(iv) Sign post displaying the wordings ‘Fire Engine Access
- Keep Clear’ shall be provided at the entrance of the
accessway. Size of wordings shall not be less than
50mm.
4.2.3 ACCESS OPENING TO BUILDING FOR FIRE FIGHTING Definition
(a) Openings on the external wall for external fire fighting
and rescue operation. Access openings shall include
unobstructed external wall openings, windows, balcony
doors, glazed wall panels or access panels. Windows, doors,
wall panels or access panels must be readily openable from
the inside and outside. Inside and outside of access openings
shall be unobstructed at all times during the occupancy of
the building.
(b) Where an external wall which faces the accessway has
external openings on each storey level that meet the
requirements of sub-clauses 4.2.3(a), 4.2.3(e) and 4.2.3(f),
there is no need to designate any access opening.
(c) An external wall which faces the accessway and is
windowless or a blank-wall shall be provided with access
openings at each storey level.
(d) Panels to access openings shall be posted with either a red Signage
or orange triangle of equal sides (minimum 150mm on each
side), which can be upright or inverted, on the external side
of the wall and with wordings "Fire Fighting Access - Do Not
Obstruct" of at least 25mm height on the internal side.
(e) Access openings shall be not less than 850mm wide by Size
1000mm high with sill height of not more than 1100mm
and head height not less than 1800mm above the inside
floor level. The access opening shall not be placed at plant/
store room, staircase, smoke-stop lobby or “dead space”. It
shall be placed against an occupied space.
(f) Number and position of access openings for buildings other
than residential:
(i) For buildings under Purpose Groups III, IV, V and VII Buildings other
exceeding the habitable height of 10m up to 60m, than residential
access opening is required at every storey level, other
than 1st storey, opening directly onto accessway.
(ii) For building under Purpose Groups VI and VIII, access Access opening
openings located over accessway shall be provided to compartment
and evenly distributed along the external walls up to a or spaces
habitable height of 60m.
(iii) Access openings shall be remote from each other and Position
located along the side of the building. Such access
openings shall be spaced at not more than 20m apart
measured along the external wall from centre to centre
of the access openings.
(iv) For buildings under Purpose Groups III IV, V, VI, VII Additional
and VIII where an area or space has a ceiling height openings
greater than 10m, additional high level access openings
for smoke venting and fire-fighting purposes shall be
provided and located in the external walls opening
into the area or space.
(g) The provision of access openings shall not be applicable
to buildings under Purpose Groups I and II, including
buildings under Purpose Group II that have non-residential
uses located in the same buildings.
4.3 ACCESS TO BUILDINGS WITH RISING MAINS
Buildings fitted with rising mains and automatic sprinkler system Access to
shall have accessways for pumping appliances within 18m of the buildings with
breeching inlet. The breeching inlets shall be visible from the rising mains
accessways.
4.4 PRIVATE FIRE HYDRANT
4.4.1 REQUIREMENTS
(a)
(i) Every part of a fire engine access road and/or Private fire
an accessway in a private lot shall be within an hydrant
unobstructed distance of 50m from a hydrant. Where
a public hydrant conforming to such requirement is
not available, private hydrant(s) shall be provided (see
diagram 4.4.1(a)).
(ii) Existing public hydrants along one side of a public road
shall not be designated to serve developments that are
sited across the other side of the public road, except
for a one-way or two-way lanes road.
(b) In situations where more than one private hydrants are
required, the hydrants shall be located along the fire engine
access road and/or an accessway such that every part of
the access road and/or accessway is within an unobstructed
distance of 50m from any hydrant (see diagram 4.4.1(b)).
(c) Siting and types of fire hydrants shall comply with the
requirements stated in SS 575: Code of Practice for Fire
Hydrant Systems and Hosereels.
(d) For a building that is required to have island site accessway
under clause 4.2.2(b), the hydrant pipe shall be a ringed
system. Isolation valves shall be provided on the hydrant
ring such that any section of ring, with a maximum of one
fire hydrant, can be isolated when required for maintenance
without affecting the water supply (both designed pressure
and flow) to the other fire hydrants. Locking device shall be
provided to lock the valves in open position during normal
operation.
4.4.2 WATER SUPPLY FOR PRIVATE HYDRANT
Provision of water supply for private hydrant system where required Water supply for
by this Code shall comply with one of the following requirements: private hydrant
(a) Private fire hydrants installed at reduced level 125m and
below can receive direct supply from public water main. If
the flow and pressure from the public water mains cannot
meet the hydrant requirements, a storage tank of sufficient
capacity with the requisite pumping facilities shall be
provided. Private fire hydrants receiving direct supply from
public water mains shall comply with:
(i) The nominal bore of the hydrant pipe and the bulk
water meter shall not be less than 150mm in diameter;
and
(ii) The running pressure/flow at the hydraulically most
unfavourable hydrant of the private hydrant system
shall comply with the following :
(1) Running pressure >= 0.9 x (running pressure of
the nearest public hydrant – pressure drop across
the bulk water metre); and
(2) Flow Rate >= 0.9 x water flow of the nearest public
hydrant or >= total flow demand (as required
in Table 4.4.2) of the private hydrant system,
provided the running pressure at the remotest
private hydrant is greater than 2 bars.
Note :
• In calculating the frictional loss for the private hydrant
system, the design flow rates shown in Table 4.4.2 shall
be used.
• Pressure drop across bulk water metre shall not be
more than 1bar.
(b) (i) Where there is only one private hydrant in the plot that
is located above reduced level 125m; and
(ii) this hydrant is not the sole hydrant within 50m from
any breeching inlet(s) feeding into fixed water based
fire fighting system(s) including automatic sprinkler
systems, dry riser systems, and wet riser systems for the
building(s) standing on this plot of land;
this hydrant can be in the form of a "dry" hydrant. A "dry"
hydrant shall be connected to a 150mm diameter dry pipe,
which shall be connected at the other end to a four way
breeching inlet. This breeching inlet shall be within 18m
from any accessway or fire engine access road having
minimum 4m width and within 50m from any wet hydrant,
private or public. The private dry pillar shall be painted in
“yellow” and labelled “dry” on the hydrant pillar. A signage
indicating the location of breeching inlet shall be positioned
next to the dry private hydrant.
(c) Where more than one private hydrants are located above
reduced level 125m within the same plot, storage and
pumping arrangements of water supply to these specified
hydrants shall comply with those for wet rising mains
stipulated in SS 575 and Table 4.4.2 – Water Supply &
Storage Requirements For Private Hydrant. The water
supply for hydrants serving residential and non-residential
developments shall be as follows:
Table 4.4.2 – Water Supply & Storage
requirements For Private Hydrant
Purpose Group/ Purpose Purpose Group (*) III, Purpose Group (*) VI
Requirement Group I & II IV, V, VII & VIII
Minimum running
2 bars 2 bars 2 bars
pressure
<1000m² - 38L/s 500m² - 38L/s
<5000m² - 57L/s <5000m² - 57L/s
<10000m² - 76L/s <10000m² - 76L/s
(57L/s if sprinkler (57L/s if sprinkler
Minimum flow rate 27 L/s
protected) protected)
Additional 19L/s for Additional 19L/s for
subsequence 5000 m² subsequence 5000 m²
Minimum duration 45 mins 45 mins 90 mins
4.4.3 * Based on the floor area of the largest compartment in the building
All hydrant mains which pass through a building shall have its Protection of
full length within the building protected with fire resistance hydrant mains in
construction complying with Cl.3.8.7(c) of at least the same fire buildings
resistance as the element of structure, provided the following
requirements are complied with:
(a) The hydrant mains shall be located in common circulation
areas, such as car parking spaces and driveways; ie they shall
not pass through private or confined spaces;
(b) No services (except sprinkler pipes) shall be located above
or crossing over the hydrant mains;
(c) The hydrant mains shall be located away from explosion
risk areas; and
(d) The protective enclosure to the hydrant mains shall be
labelled with the words “HYDRANT MAIN” of minimum
50mm height at suitable intervals.
Diagram 4.2.2(d)(v)
Turning Facilities for Pumper Appliances (24 tonnes)
Diagram 4.2.2(d)(vi)
U-Turn Radii of Pumper Appliances (24 tonnes)
189
Diagram 4.2.2(d)(v)
Turning Facilities for Aerial Appliances (30 tonnes)
Applicable to buildings exceeding the habitable height of 10m
Diagram 4.2.2(d)(vi)
U-Turn Radii of Aerial Appliances (30 tonnes)
Applicable to buildings exceeding the habitable height of 10m
190
Diagram 4.4.1(a)
Provision Of Private Hydrant
Every part of a fire engine access road and/or an accessway in a private lot shall be
within an unobstructed distance of 50m from a hydrant. Where a public hydrant
conforming to such requirement is not available, private hydrant(s) shall be
provided.
191
Diagram 4.4.1(b)
Provision Of Private Hydrant
In situation where more than one private hydrants are required, the hydrants shall be
located along the fire engine access road and/or an accessway such that every part of
the access road and/or accessway is within an unobstructed distance of 50m from
any hydrant.
192
