Requirements for preventive against fire in commercial buildings and public markets

• Requirements for preventive against fire in commercial buildings and public markets
Index

Symbol	Part IX: Requirements for preventive against fire in commercial buildings and public markets.
9-1	Commercial buildings and public stores.
9-2	Seriousness of fire
9-3	Structural requirements
9-4	Mixed usage
9-5	Control over the spread of fire
9-5/1	Horizontal spread
9-5/2	Vertical expansion
9-5/3	Exterior stretch
9-5/4	The arrival of the civil defense vehicles
9-6	Ways of escape
9-6/2	Absorption capacity
9-6/3	Capacity
9-6/4	Transition distance
9-6/5	Direct distance
9-6/6	Passages
9-6/7	Exits
9-6/7/4	Horizontal exit
9-6/8	Stairs
9-6/9	Final exit
9-7	Alarm and firefighting equipments
9-8	Engineering services
9-9	Special protective requirements (stores and supermarkets)

Index tables

Page	Chart number	Chart name
	9-1	Validity of the buildings from the structural point to be used for commercial buildings.
	9-2	Calculate the transition and direct distance of the commercial buildings.
	9-3 A	Fire-fighting equipment and alarm systems for commercial buildings category (a), for stores according to the category, classification, and the rise of the construction.
	9-3 B	Fire-fighting equipment and alarm systems for commercial buildings category (b), for offices according to the category, classification, and the rise of the construction.
	9-4 A	Engineering services special for protecting in the commercial buildings category (a), such as shops.
	9-4 B	Engineering services special for protecting in the commercial buildings category (b), such as offices.

• Preventive requirements for fire protection in commercial buildings and public markets

9-1	Commercial buildings are divided by type of exploitation to two types which are:
9-1/1	Category (a) commercial shops: are the buildings or parts responsible for public service such as: Shops selling wholesale and retail. Commercial centers Supermarkets Services of light occupations such as: Tailoring, hairdressing shops. Cameras stores.

9-1/2

Category (b) offices: the buildings or parts that do not increase the number of its users more than (50) people at the same time, and specialized for office uses, such as:
Business Administration offices
Institutional offices
Corporate offices
Consultancy and engineering offices
Small banks
Real estate offices and in its ruling.

9-3	Structural requirements:
9-3/1	Conditions of the first section must be applied to provide a safety structure against the risk of fire.
9-3/2	The validity of the buildings are specified in the structural point in order to be used in commercial buildings according to the table 1-2 ‘classification of the buildings according to its resistant to fire’, and the following chart 1-7 ‘the validity of the buildings from the structural point in order to be as commercial buildings’.

• Validity of the buildings from the structural point
In order to be used as commercial buildings according to the area, rise, and structural classification

Structural classification	Area and rise
First and second type only	With a rise more than four floors (ground floor + three floors), or with an area more than (3000 m2).
All types except for the fifth	With a rise not more than two floors, or with an area less than (3000 m2).
All kinds The fifth type is temporary and due to special conditions	One floor or with an area less than (300m2).

Table 9-1

9-4	Mixed use:
9-4/1	In the event that the commercial buildings are part of the premises of another use or used for the purposes of categories (a) and (b), uses should be separated from each other so that each one become an independent sector, with independent escaping ways.
9-4/2	The mixed use should not consist of a high dangerous type of fire or industrial purpose.
9-4/3	Safeguard terms of the residential buildings should be applied to in the case the commercial buildings where used for housing, as in the housing investment buildings that have commercial fronts.

9-5	Control the spread of fire: the conditions of the first section must be applied in addition to these terms and conditions.
9-5/1	Horizontal proliferation: The area of the fire sector should not exceed what is shown below.
9-5/1/1	Category (a) commercial shops: The area of the fire sector must not exceed (2000 square meters), and each rented unit is considered a secondary fire independent sector.
9-5/1/2	Category (b) offices: The area of the fire sector must not exceed (3000 square meters), and each rented unit is considered a secondary fire independent sector.
9-5/2	Vertical proliferation: apply the terms of control of the vertical proliferation in terms of residential buildings precautions.
9-5/2/1	Each floor is considered to be an independent fire sector.
9-5/2/2	Vertical separation must be separated in accordance with the terms of preventive precautions in engineering fields with the exception of (Atrium) if the following conditions are present:
9-5/2/2/1	The foyer should not have a height more than three floors (basement, ground floor, and mezzanine).
9-5/2/2/1	All the floors of the commercial stores must be protected with an automatic water sprinkler, in addition to natural or mechanical ventilation systems.
9-5/2/3	The foyer of the rest of the floors might rise in case the following conditions are provided:
9-5/2/3/1	The dimensions of the middle foyer should not be less than six meters.
9-5/2/3/2	To provide a network of automatic water sprinklers for fire-fighting working as a cover around the vacuum, in addition to a system to forbid the spread of fire and smoke vertically according to the system adopted by the civil defense.
9-5/2/3/3	Provide an upper ventilation approved by the civil defense.
9-5/3	Outer-proliferation: You must separate the buildings or sections of the business units from each other by walls of fire-proof resistance of not less than one hour.
9-5/3/1	When the commercial buildings are sharing the same resisting wall of other buildings, this wall must have a resistant of the highest requirement of any of them.
9-5/4	Fire access vehicles: it must be accessible for the equipment and vehicles of the civil defense to access to the commercial buildings.

9-6	Ways to escape (emergency exits):
9-6/1	General terms of ways to escape (emergency exits) Must be applied In addition to these conditions.
9-6/2	Absorptive capacity (absorption): The absorption is estimated according to the means of escape (emergency exits)table 3-4, and for places of other usage, absorption is determined according to the nature of use.
9-6/3	Capacity: the breadth of the ways of escape is estimated according to the number of people that use it and as is mentioned in the part of the ways of escape (emergency exits).
9-6/4	Transition distance: the transition distance should not exceed from any point to reach the final exit or the protected stairs more than the numbers mentioned in table 9-2.
9-6/5	Direct distance: the direct distance must not exceed from any point to reach the final exit or the protected stairs from the numbers listed in Table 9-2.

• Calculating of the transition and direct distance to the commercial buildings

location	Distance in meters	Maximum number of people	floor	Condition and notes
The direct distance inside the commercial shop or office	15	30	Ground floor	Independent and not related to the basement or mezzanine.
	15	10	Basement	An independent store which is connected to the escape ways of the building.
	10	10	Basement	The store is connected to the ground floor.
	15	30	mezzanine	Independent but connected to the building.
	10	15	mezzanine	Connected to the ground floor.
	15	30	All floors	In the office case.
The direct distance from the farthest point in the floor to the stair’s door.	12	-	All floors	In the case of the stairs In the case of the commercial buildings (offices).
Transition distance from the shop or office door to the protected staircase or the exit	20	-	Basement	When the exits are available in more than one direction.
	30	-	All floors	When the exits are available in more than one direction.
	7.5	-	All floors	In the case of closed ending.

Table 9-2

9-6/6	Corridors: You must provide the general conditions of the passages as it came in the part of ways to escape (emergency exits) in addition to these terms and conditions:
9-6/6/1	The corridors must be ordered and smooth in which it leads directly to the exits.
9-6/6/2	In progressive corridors, barriers should be installed (rail) in accordance with the conditions.
9-6/6/3	The width of the corridors must be enough to accommodate the influx of people who use it under a condition that it shouldn’t be less than two meters in the commercial buildings category (a) commercial stores, and it should not be less than 1.5 m in the commercial buildings category (b) offices.
9-6/7	Exits: general conditions must be provided for the exits as it came in the part of ways to escape (emergency exits).
9-6/7/1	All of the exits must lead directly to the outside or to the stairs or a protected passage from fire which is separated from the building with an isolating space.
9-6/7/2	The exit of the ground floor must be separated from the exits of the basement.
9-6/7/3	The number of exits must be in accordance to the general terms in which it shouldn’t be less than two apart exits each leading to the outside.
9-6/7/4	Horizontal exits: a temporary zone must be provided in the commercial buildings, or with a large area in which the area of its floor is 3000m2.
9-6/7/5	50% of the ways to escape may lead and end to a safe place inside the building.
9-6/7/6	It is possible to have only one exit in the commercial buildings category (b) offices after having the approval of the civil defense, and if the following conditions are provided:
9-6/7/6/1	The direct distance inside the office must not be more than 15m.
9-6/7/6/2	The transition distance from the office door towards the final exit or protected stairs must not be more than 30m.
9-6/7/6/3	The transition distance towards the closed ends should not be more than 7.5m.
9-6/7/6/4	To provide the rest of the terms concerning to the ways to escape.
9-6/7/7	A floor may be added to the commercial store that consists of three levels (basement, ground floor, and the mezzanine), when an extra exit is provided only for the extra floor which leads directly to the outside or the protective passage of the building.
9-6/8	Stairs: the general conditions of the way to escape must be applied in addition to these conditions.
9-6/8/1	Each floor must have at least two stairs, far away at the parties of the building and the outside wall each leading to the outside.
9-6/8/3	The stairs must be protected and separated from the building with an isolating protected space from fire which leads to the outside directly.
9-6/8/4	The stairs coming from the first floor or the basement must lead directly to the outside or to a point not far more than three meters from the outside, for the commercial store that consists of (basement, ground floor) or (ground floor, mezzanine)or (ground floor, first floor) or (basement, ground floor, mezzanine, or the first floor).
9-6/8/5	One stairs is accepted in the commercial buildings after having the approval of the civil defense, and if the following conditions are provided.
9-6/8/5/1	The distance and capacity terms must be provided.
9-6/8/5/2	The building should not be more than four floors including the ground floor and the mezzanine in the commercial buildings category (a), commercial stores category (b), or mixed together (a) and (b).
9-6/8/5/3	The building should not be more than five floors from the ground including the ground floor and mezzanine in the commercial buildings category (b) offices only.
9-6/8/5/4	The area must not be more than 600m2 in one floor, and 1800m2 in all floors including the ground floor and the mezzanine and services if found.
9-6/8/5/5	The only stairs must be protected from fire, and on the outside wall of the building, with an isolating space protected according to the general conditions.
9-6/8/6	The opened interior stairs is not considered as an emergency exit in the commercial buildings category (b) offices.
9-6/8/9	The stairs might be interior in case the terms were provided.
9-6/8/9/1
9-6/8/9/2	Provide an isolating protected space.
9-6/8/9/3	The stairs and the isolating space must be separated with walls and doors which prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
9-6/8/9/4	To separate between the stairs, and do not allow to link them with one passage in order not to be both out of service during fires.
9-6/8/9/5	When there is an interior passage, it must be in the ring form, and doors resisting to fire should be installed in the passage in which it is divided into sections according to the number of stairs.
9-6/9	Final exit: any way, all the escape exits must lead to the final exit which in its turn leads to the outside.
9-6/10	Sections of other uses in commercial buildings and public markets is applied on it special conditions or whichever is higher and more prevention.

9-7	Fire-fighting equipment and warning: You must provide preventive precautions in engineering services in accordance with Part IV, "engineering services" in addition to the terms of the tables 9-3a, and 9-3 b.
9-7/1	Safeguard conditions should be applied to residential buildings in the case of using the commercial buildings for housing, as in housing investment in which they have commercial fronts.
9-7/2	Fire warning and equipment must be in terms of design, implementation, and maintenance in accordance with the requirements for equipment and fire warning or civil defense guidance.
9-7/3	Civil defense may request additional equipment or alternative for some preventive precautions required in accordance with the requirements.

• Fire-fighting equipment and alarm systems for commercial buildings category (a) stores
By category, rise, and structural classification:

Gender			Required conditions
1	Manual fire fighting equipments
	1	Manual extinguishers	All floors
2	Fixed installations
	1	Rubber hoses net	All floors
	2	dry net nozzles	More than four floors (ground floor + three floors) and with a height less than 28m, or two floors with an area more than 1000m2.
	3	Network of wet nozzles	With a height more than 28m, or in which the area of one floor is more than 1000m2
	4	A network of outside nozzles	For compounds only
3	Automatic fixed systems
	1	Automatic network of water sprinklers for fire fighting	All the floors with a comprehensive coverage
	2	Automatic network of sprinklers of other materials	Special risk places where water can’t be used.
4	The fire alarm equipments
	1	Manual alarm network	In all the floors
	2	Automatic alarm network	All the floors in high buildings in addition to the places of special risk, air conditioning tubes, and the basement.

Table 3-9a

• Fire-fighting equipment and alarm systems for commercial buildings category (b) offices
By category, rise. and structural classification

Gender			Required conditions
1	Manual fire fighting equipments
	1	Manual extinguishers	All floors
2	Fixed installations
	1	Rubber hoses net	All floors
	2	dry net nozzles	More than four floors (ground floor + three floors) and with a height less than 28m, or two floors with an area more than 1000m2.
	3	Network of wet nozzles	With a height more than 28m, or in which the area of one floor is more than 1000m2
	4	A network of outside nozzles	For compounds only
3	Automatic fixed systems
	1	Automatic network of water sprinklers for fire fighting	Basement, all the floors of high buildings, and compounds especially ways to escape, buildings that are consisted of the third and fifth type, specialized places according to what was mentioned in the automatic standards for firefighting.
	2	Automatic network of sprinklers of other materials	Special risk places where water can’t be used.
4	The fire alarm equipments
	1	Manual alarm network	In all the floors
	2	Automatic alarm network	All the floors especially those that don’t have water sprinklers for firefighting, in addition to the places of special risk, air conditioning tubes, and the basement.

Table 3-9b

9-8	Engineering Services: You must abide what was mentioned in the section of engineering services with a focus on the tables in 4-9a and 4-9b.
9-8/1	Safeguard terms should be applied to residential buildings in case of using the commercial buildings for housing, as in the housing investment with commercial fronts.
9-8/2	Civil defense can request for additional equipment or a substitute for other preventive certain conditions.

• Special Engineering services for fire protection in commercial buildings category (a) stores
By category, rise, structural classification:

gender			Required cases
	1	Ventilation system	According to the international standards that are adopted by the civil defense.
	2	Illuminated guiding signs	all floors
	3	Emergency lighting network	all floors
	4	Reserve power source	High buildings and compounds and the buildings that are required to have a fire elevator.
	5	Fire elevator	If the rise was more than six floors, or 20m whatever is less.
	6	Automatic fire doors	According to the protections in the fields of engineering.

Table 9-4a

• Special Engineering services for fire protection in commercial buildings category (b) offices
By category, rise, structural classification:

gender			Required cases
	1	Ventilation system	According to the international standards that are adopted by the civil defense.
	2	Illuminated guiding signs	all floors
	3	Emergency lighting network	all floors
	4	Reserve power source	all floors
	5	Fire elevator	If the rise was more than six floors, or 20m whatever is less.
	6	Automatic fire doors	According to the protections in the fields of engineering.

Table 9-4b

9-9	Special Safeguard terms:
9-9/1	In the case of shops and supermarkets etc. the conditions contained in this section must be provided in addition to the following terms:
9-9/1/1	Half of the exits must end in the main road and away from the accountant checkpoint.
9-9/1/2	The shop or the warehouse must be separated with a fire resisting door.
9-9/1/3	The sub-corridors that separate between venue exhibitions, must have at least a width not less than 1.5m, and the main passages with a width of 2 meters, well organized in which it leads directly to the exits without any difficulty.
9-9/1/4	The public corridor leading to the exit at a checkpoint accountant should not be less than (1 m).
9-9/1/5	The barriers and shelves should be organized in a way as not to impede the escape or obscure the vision of the guidance signs.
9-9/1/6	The ways of escape should not pass through the warehouse that is related to the store, only if the following conditions are provided:
9-9/1/6/1	The storage is separated by a barrier and a door resistible to fire according to the following terms:
9-9/1/6/2	The number of exits that passes through the store must not be more than the half of the exits requested to this store.
9-9/1/6/3	Provide a protected passage from fire which leads directly to the outside, or protecting the warehouse with an automatic water sprinkler.