CE 303 - BUILDING SYSTEMS DESIGN
FIRE CODE
OF THE PHILIPPINES
ASUMBRA | BALDON | MATES | PANIZAL
INTRODUCTION
Republic Act No. 9514
Revised Fire Code of the Philippines of 2008
“An act establishing a comprehensive fire code of the philippines,
repealing presidential decree no. 1185 and for other purposes”
Repealed Presidential Decree No. 1185: “Fire Code of the Philippines”
Section 2. It is the policy of the State to ensure public safety and
promote economic development through the prevention and
suppression of all kinds of destructive fires and promote the
professionalization of the fire service as a profession.
The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) is responsible for enforcing the
Fire Code.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Abatement - Any act that would remove or neutralize a fire hazard.
FIRE. The active principle of burning, characterized by the heat and
light of combustion.
Class A Fire. Fires involving ordinary combustible materials
such as wood, cloth, rubber and plastics.
Class B Fire. Fires involving flammable liquids and gases.
Class C Fire. Fires involving energized electrical equipment.
Class D Fire. Fires involving combustible materials, such as
sodium, magnesium, potassium, and other similar materials.
Class K Fire. Fires in cooking appliances that involve
combustible cooking media (vegetable or animal oils and fats).
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Fire Hazard: Any condition or act which increases or may cause an
increase in the probability of the occurrence of fire, or which may
obstruct, delay, hinder or interfere with firefighting operations and the
safeguarding of life and property.
A firetrap is a building or structure that poses a significant risk during
a fire due to its design, construction, or lack of safety features.
RULE 9:
ENFORCEMENT &
ADMINISTRATION
OF FIRE SAFETY
MEASURES
No Certificate of Occupancy, Business Permit or Permit to Operate
shall be issued without securing a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate
(FSIC) from the C/MFM having jurisdiction.
Fire Safety Evaluation Clearance (FSEC). A document issued by the
BFP as a prerequisite for the grant of Building Permit by the Office of
Building Official having jurisdiction upon determination that the evaluated
plans are compliant with RA 9514 and its RIRR.
SECTION 9.0.2.2 – INSPECTION DURING CONSTRUCTION
The City/Municipal Fire Marshal (C/MFM) inspects construction sites
to ensure compliance with approved fire safety plans and
precautions. Any deficiencies must be corrected as necessary.
SECTION 9.0.2.3 – INSPECTION AFTER COMPLETION OF
CONSTRUCTION
Before issuing a Certificate of Occupancy, a Fire Safety Inspector
(FSI) conducts a final inspection to verify that fire safety measures
are properly implemented. If compliant, the FSI recommends issuing
a Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC).
Section 9.0.2.4 BUSINESS AND ROUTINE/ANNUAL INSPECTION
1. Inspection for the purpose of Business/Mayor’s Permit and other
Permits or Licenses Application
2. Routine/Annual Fire Safety Inspection on Existing Buildings,
Structures and Facilities other than for Business/Mayor’s Permit
and other Permits or Licenses Application
Section 9.0.3.2 FIRE SAFETY COMPLIANCE REPORT (FSCR)
A written report composed of plans, specifications and design
analysis per building prepared by its Engineer/Architect-of-Record and
Fire Safety Practitioner. The FSCR is a prerequisite in granting FSEC.
Section 9.0.3.3 FIRE SAFETY COMPLIANCE AND COMMISSIONING
REPORT (FSCCR)
The FSCCR is a compilation of approved fire protection and life safety
documents, including test and acceptance forms. It is part of the “as-built”
documents handed over to the building owner and is required for the issuance
of the Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC) for Occupancy.
Section 9.0.3.4 FIRE SAFETY COMPLIANCE AND COMMISSIONING
REPORT (FSCCR).
The Fire Safety Maintenance Report (FSMR) is a written report
prepared by the building owner or an authorized representative, documenting
fire safety maintenance and testing records. It is required for the renewal of
business permits, annual inspections, and various government accreditations
and licenses.
Section 9.0.4.1 FIRE SAFETY INSPECTION CERTIFICATE (FSIC)
A document issued by the BFP as a prerequisite for the grant of Certificate
of Occupancy, Business Permit, Certificate of Annual Inspection from PEZA
and other licenses and permits being issued by other government agencies
upon determining that the required fire safety construction are in place, and
fire protective and/or warning systems are properly installed in accordance
with the approved plans and specifications and in compliance with RA 9514
and its RIRR.
Section 9.0.5 FIRE SAFETY CLEARANCE
Fire Safety Clearance (FSC) for stand-alone applications shall be
required for the storage, handling and transportation of hazardous
materials, and hazardous operations and processes, as may be
prescribed in other provisions of this RIRR.
All issued FSC, except installation clearance, to business
establishments shall be renewed before the issuance of FSIC for
Business Permit.
Section 10.2.4.2 CLASSIFICATION OF HAZARD OF CONTENTS
A. Low Hazard
Those of such low combustibility that no self-propagating fire therein
can occur and that, consequently, the only probable danger requiring
the use of emergency exits will be from panic, fumes or smoke or fire
from some external source.
B. Moderate Hazard
Those which are liable to burn with moderate rapidity or to give off a
considerable volume of smoke but from which neither poisonous fumes
nor explosions are to be expected in the event of fire.
C. High Hazard
Those which are liable to burn with extreme rapidity or from which
poisonous gases or explosions are to be expected in the event of fire
Section 10.2.5 MEANS OF EGRESS
Section 10.2.5.2 General Provision
F. Minimum Width
The width of any means of egress shall not be less than nine hundred
fifteen millimeters (915 mm) except when specifically provided under
Division 8 through 20 of this Chapter.
N. Headroom
The minimum headroom shall not be less than two meters (2 m) nor any
projection from the ceiling be less than two meters (2 m) from the floor.
Section 10.2.5.3. DOORS
C. Fire exits
Buildings with four or more stories must have stairway doors with re-
entry mechanisms to allow access to another exit. There must be a
re-entry door every four floors to provide a way out of the stairwell.
Doors that do not allow re-entry must have clear signage directing
occupants to the nearest re-entry or exit door. Signs should state:
NO RE-ENTRY.
PROCEED TO ____ FLOOR
AND ____ FLOOR.
E. Width and Floor Level
1. Door openings in means of egress shall not be less than seven
hundred ten millimeters (710 mm) in clear width. When a pair of
doors is provided, not less than one of the doors shall provide at
least seven hundred ten millimeters (710 mm) clear width opening.
2. No single door in a doorway shall exceed one and twenty-two
hundredths meters (1.22 m) in width.
3. The elevation of the floor surfaces on both sides of a door shall not
vary by more than thirteen millimeters (13 mm). The elevation
shall be maintained on both sides of the doorway for a distance not
less than the width of the widest leaf. Thresholds at doorways shall
not exceed thirteen millimeters (13 mm) in height. Raised thresholds
and floor level changes in excess of six millimeters (6 mm) doorways
shall be beveled with a slope not steeper than one (1) in two (2).
Section 10.2.5.4 STAIRS
Total Cumulative Occupant Load Assigned to the Stair Width
< 2,000 persons 1,120 mm
≥ 2,000 persons 1,420 mm
Table 4: NEW STAIR WIDTH
Section 10.2.5.4 RAMPS
B. Dimensional Criteria
Feature Dimensional Criteria
Minimum width clear of all obstructions, except projections not more
than one hundred fourteen millimeters (114 mm) at or below handrail 1,200 mm
height on each side
Maximum slope 1:12
Maximum cross slope 1:48
Maximum rise for a single ramp run 760 mm
Table 5: DIMENSIONAL CRITERIA FOR NEW RAMPS
Section 10.2.5.11 ILLUMINATION OF MEANS OF EGRESS
1. “...Where emergency lighting is provided by a prime-mover-
operated electric generator, a delay of not more than ten (10)
seconds shall be permitted.”
2. Emergency lighting facilities shall be arranged to maintain the
specified degree of illumination in the event of failure of the
normal lighting for a period of at least one and a half (1.5)
hours.
Section 10.2.5.12 EXIT MARKING
Signs
Any door, passage, or stairway, which is neither an exit nor a way of
exit access and which is so located or arranged as likely to be mistaken
for an exit, shall be identified by a sign reading “NOT AN EXIT” and
shall be identified by a sign indicating its actual character, such as “TO
BASEMENT”, “STOREROOM”, “LINEN CLOSET”, or the likes.
A sign reading “EXIT” with an arrow indicating the direction shall be
placed in every location where the direction of travel to reach the
nearest exit is not immediately apparent.
Directional Sign Requirements. The sign shall have a height of three
hundred millimeters (300 mm) to six hundred millimeters (600 mm)
from the floor to the line of vision and shall have a narrow width of
seventy-six millimeters (76 mm) painted on the wall by a photo
luminescent paint or any equivalent material with photo-luminescent
characteristic pointing to the direction of the exit.
Size of Signs
Every exit shall have the word “EXIT” in plainly legible letters
not less than one hundred fifty millimeters (150 mm) in
height, with the principal strokes of letters not less than
nineteen millimeters (19 mm) in width; except that in existing
buildings, externally illuminated exit signs having the word
“EXIT” in plainly visible letters not less than one hundred
fifteen millimeters (115 mm) in height, other than in places of
assembly, may be continued in use. Other signages required by
this Rule shall be of the same dimension, unless otherwise
provided.
Section 10.2.5.13 EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN
An emergency evacuation plan shall be posted on strategic and
conspicuous locations in the building containing the following basic
information:
1. “You Are Here/ room number/ building” Marking
2. Fire Exits
3. Primary Route to Exit (Nearest to the viewer)
4. Secondary Route to Exit (Second nearest to the viewer)
5. Fire alarm pull stations and annunciators
6. Fire extinguishers/ hose cabinets
7. Emergency Light
8. First Aid Kits locations (if applicable)
9. Emergency Call stations (if applicable)
10. Areas of safe refuge (for high-rise building)
11. Assembly areas instructions
12. “In Case of Emergency” instructions
Section 10.2.6.2
Fire doors - A fire resistive door prescribed for openings in
fire separation walls or partitions. All inspections and
maintenance must be recorded in the Fire Safety
Maintenance Report (FSMR) for compliance and safety
monitoring.
Section 10.2.6.6 FIRE ALARMS
Any visual or audible signal produced by a device or system
to warn the occupants of the building or firefighting elements
of the presence or danger of fire.
Additional fire alarm boxes shall be so located that from
any part of the building not more than thirty meters
(30 m) horizontal distance on the same floor must be
traversed in order to reach a fire alarm box.
Section 10.2.6.7 SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
An integrated network of hydraulically designed piping system
installed in a building, structure or area with outlets arranged in a
systematic pattern which automatically discharges water when
activated by heat or combustion products from a fire.
Where a required automatic sprinkler system is out of service for
more than four (4) hours in a twenty-four (24) hour period, the
owner shall notify the nearest fire station immediately upon
discovery but not later than twenty-four (24) hours, and a fire
watch shall be assigned until the sprinkler system has been
returned to service.
Section 10.2.6.8 STANDPIPE SYSTEMS
A system of vertical pipes in a building to which fire
hoses can be attached on each floor, including a
system by which water is made available to water
outlets as needed.
Section 10.2.8.9
D. Minimum Corridor Width
The width of any exit access corridor serving fifty (50) or more persons shall not
be less than one and twelve hundredths meters (1.12 m).
H.2. Aisle
e. The length of travel to an exit door by any aisle shall be not greater than
forty-six meters (46 m).
H.3. Railings
1. The fasciae of boxes, balconies and galleries shall have substantial railings not
less than six hundred sixty millimeters (660 mm) high above the floor.
2. The railings at the ends of aisles extending to the fasciae shall be not less
than seven hundred sixty millimeters (760 mm) high for the width of the
aisle, or nine hundred ten millimeters (910 mm) high if at foot of steps.
3. Cross aisles shall be provided with railings not less than six hundred sixty
millimeters (660 mm) high.
Section 10.2.10.4
Every room or space used by clients, except bathrooms, must
have at least one outside window for emergency rescue that meets
the following criteria:
1. The window must be openable from the inside without tools and
have a minimum clear opening of 560 mm in width and 800
mm in height.
2. The bottom of the opening must be no higher than 820 mm
above the floor.
3. The clear opening must be large enough to allow a rectangular
solid (at least 0.5 m² in area and 510 mm in depth) to pass fully
through.
Section 12.0.0.4 OTHER FEES
b. Certified true copy of Fire Safety Inspection Certificate, Building Fire
350.00
Safety Clearance and Fire Clearance
d. Filing Fee for Fire Safety Evaluation Clearance (FSEC) 200.00
f. Fire Incident Clearance 350.00
Administrative Fines
PhP 12,500.00 to
6. Failure to post or inadequate posting of required signages
PhP 27,500.00
Php 37,500.00 to
7. Failure to provide or inadequate means of egress
Php 50,000.00
8. Failure to secure and submit documentary requirements such as, but not limited to:
PhP 12,500.00 to
a. A copy of fire insurance policy submitted within the prescribed time limit
PhP 27,500.00
b. FSIC for the year of default;
50% of the total amount
1. Failure to renew FSIC for less than a year to be paid by the
applicant;
100% of the total amount
to be paid by the
2. Failure to renew FSIC for a year or more
applicant for each year
of default;
PhP 37,500.00 to
c. FSEC not secured prior to the construction of the building
PhP 50,000.00
d. Storage, Conveyance, Installation and other clearances (e.g.,
PhP 37,500.00 to
fireworks display, fumigation/ fogging, fire drill, welding, cutting and
PhP 50,000.00
other hot works)
