The typical approval process includes:

1. Pre-Installation Stage Verification and Approval:

   Users must submit proposed designs, drawings, relevant documents, and an NBC compliance checklist for verification and approval to proceed with implementation.

2. Completion Stage Verification and Approval:

   Users must demonstrate that installations are in line with approved designs.

3. Maintenance Stage:

   Users must regularly demonstrate maintenance compliance with Indian standards and provide records of all maintenance and training activities.

NBC mandates minimal infrastructure requirements, detailed on our NBC page. Connexxity offers critical information and guidelines for each state. Building owners and users are strongly advised to maintain their fire licenses and relevant documents. While fire incidents are rare, failure to comply can lead to severe consequences for building owners, fire safety heads, and local fire authorities who issued the license, potentially impacting insurance claims despite years of premiums paid.

Apart from fire authorities, users must engage private fire safety auditors and maintenance agencies. Connexxity provides a list of these service providers contact  separate pages.

A system comprising components and sub-systems required for automatically detecting smoke, heat or fire initiating an alarm and other actions as appropriate. This system also includes manually operated electronic fire an alarm (MOEFA) system.

Note: MOEFA system (with or without automatic fire detection and alarm system) includes all or some of the components such as manual call stations (initiating an alarm for fire and other action as required), talk-back system and public address system.

 4.9 (a) Voice evacuation system shall employ Hindi, English and vernacular language using prerecorded messages and integrate with fire alarm panels for alerting the zone of fire and surrounding zones/floors as required for annunciation.

(b) Appropriate visual warning arrangement through visual strobes/beacons may be considered in appropriate situations particularly in public building, at required locations to ensure visual as well as alarm for persons with hearing impairment.

3.4.7 Escape Lighting and Exit Signage:

Exit access, exit and exit discharge shall be properly identified, with adequate lighting maintained in the elements of the egress systems so that all occupants shall be able to leave the facility safety.

3.4.7.1 Lighting:

A)The exit, exit access and exit discharge systems shall be illuminated continuously. The floors of the means of egress shall be illuminated at all points, including angles and intersections, in corridors and passageways, stairwells, landings of stairwell and exit.

B) Emergency lighting shall be powered from a source independent of that supplying the normal lighting.

C) Escape lighting shall be capable of.

• Indicating clearly and unambiguously the escape routes
• Providing adequate illumination along such routes to allow safe movement of persons towards and through the exits and
• Ensuring that fire alarm call points and firefighting equipment provided along the escape routes can be readily located.

Part 4 Fire and Life Safety:

D) The horizontal luminance at floor level on the centreline of an escape route shall not be less than 10 lumen/m². In addition, for escape routes up to 2 m wide, 50 percent of the route width shall be lit to a minimum of 5 lumen/m². In auditoriums, theatres, concert halls and such other places of assembly, the illumination of floor exit/access may be reduced during period of performances to values not less than 2 lux.

E) Required illumination shall be arranged such that the failure of any single lighting unit, such as the burning out of one luminaire, will not leave any area in darkness and does not impede the functioning of the system further.

F)  The emergency lighting shall be provided to be put on within 5s of the failure of the normal lighting supply. Also, emergency lighting shall be able to maintain the required illumination level for a period of not less than 90 min in the event of failure of the normal lighting even for smaller premises.

G) Battery pack emergency lighting, because of its limited duration and reliability, shall not be allowed to be used in lieu of a diesel engine driven emergency power supply.

H)  Escape lighting luminaires should be sited to cover the following locations:

1. Near each intersection of corridors.
2. At exits and at each exit door,
3. Near each change of direction in the escape route,
4. Near each staircase  so that each flight of stair receives direct light,
5. Near any other change of floor level,
6. Outside each final exit and close to it,
7. Near each fire alarm call point
8. Near fire fighting equipment, and
9. To illuminate exit and safety signs as required by the enforcing authority.

NOTE- For the purpose of this clause near is normally considered to be within 2m measured horizontally.

I) The luminaires shall be mounted as low as possible, but at least 2m above the floor level

J) Signs are required at all exits , emergency exits and escape routes, which should comply with the graphic requirements of the relevant Indian standards.

3.4.7.2 Exit passageway (at ground) and staircase lighting shall also be connected to alternative supply. The alternative source of supply may be provided by battery continuously trickle charged from the electric mains.

3.4.7.3 Suitable arrangements shall be made by installing double throw switches to ensure that the lighting installed in the staircase and the corridor does not get connected to two source of supply simultaneously. Double throw switch shall be installed  in the service room for terminating the stand by supply.

The emergency Lighting system shall be well maintained by periodical inspections and tests so as to ensure their perfect serviceability at all times.

The fire detection, warning, and escape solution must be consistently available to ensure the safety of occupants in terms of fire and life safety , as specified in NBC 2016 – Part 4 – Annex D,
D-3.1 Fire drills shall be conducted, in accordance with the Fire Safety Plan, at least once every three months for buildings during the first two years. Thereafter, fire drills shall be conducted at least once every six  months. The occupants shall be made thoroughly conversant with their action in the event of emergency.

A system comprising components and sub-systems required for automatically detecting smoke, heat or fire initiating an alarm and other actions as appropriate. This system also includes manually operated electronic fire an alarm (MOEFA) system.

Note: MOEFA system (with or without automatic fire detection and alarm system) includes all or some of the components such as manual call stations (initiating an alarm for fire and other action as required), talk-back system and public address system.

 4.9 (a) Voice evacuation system shall employ Hindi, English and vernacular language using prerecorded messages and integrate with fire alarm panels for alerting the zone of fire and surrounding zones/floors as required for annunciation.

(b) Appropriate visual warning arrangement through visual strobes/beacons may be considered in appropriate situations particularly in public building, at required locations to ensure visual as well as alarm for persons with hearing impairment.

7 INSPECTION, TESTING AND MAINTENANCE:

7.1 General Even a well designed and properly installed automatic fire alarm system will not be able to render reliable and trouble-free service unless high standard of maintenance and supervision are ensured during the entire service period of the system.

7.2.7 In order to ensure that each smoke detector is within its sensitivity range, it should be tested using either:

• A manufacturer’s/supplier’s approved calibrated IS 2189 : 2008 sensitivity test instrument.

7.2.7.1 Detectors found to have sensitivity outside the approved range should be replaced.

NOTE – Detector sensitivity cannot be tested or measured using any spray/smoke producing device that administers an unmeasured concentration of aerosol/smoke into the detector.

7.3 Servicing Periodical Maintenance 7.3.1 To ensure that regular and reliable servicing/ maintenance of the systems and its components is carried out; any of the following methods should be adopted:

Through an agreement/contract with the competent contractor who should attend to the maintenance/repair

7.4 Maintenance Schedule 7.4.1 It is the responsibility of the user of the equipment to ensure that proper instructions are obtained from the manufacturer/supplier or installer regarding the routine attention and test procedures.

7.4.6 Annual Inspection Tests The following checks and test sequence should be carried out:

Operation of at least 20 percent of the detectors in an installation should be checked each year and the selection should be done in such a way that all the detectors in an installation shall have been checked once in every 5 years – replacement by a new one.

7.5 General Points About Detectors It is essential (particularly for installations involving life hazard) to ensure specified range of sensitivity of the detectors being installed and that the correct degree of sensitivity is maintained. Users should satisfy themselves on this point. The sensitivity range should be checked on equipment as already specified. It is essential to apply frequent sensitivity checks and routine tests as prescribed in the Code so that the correct sensitivity levels/degree is maintained during the entire service span of the installation (see 7.2.7).

7.6 Cleaning and Maintenance Detectors require periodic cleaning to remove dust or dirt that has accumulated. The frequency of cleaning depends upon the type of detector and local ambient conditions. In any case, the interval should not exceed a period of 3 months. For each detector, the cleaning, checking, operating, and sensitivity adjustment should be attempted only after consulting the manufacturer’s instructions.

1.Lack of integration between fire detection systems and allied support systems such as PA, access control, fire dampers, fire fighting equipment (including monitoring of fire pump houses), HVAC systems, lifts, ventilation systems, and staircase pressurization systems.

2.Absence of an Emergency Public Address system with voice alarm capabilities. (Note: Lifestyle background music systems or general PA systems are not substitutes.)

3.Lack of a Talkback system. (Note: Commercial intercom or fireman telephone systems do not replace Talkback speaker systems.)

4.Missing emergency or escape lighting systems. ( standard emergency lighting can not replace fire emergency lighting system)

5.Absence of LPG leak detection systems.

6.Lack of automatic fire detection systems.

7.Inadequate fire detection devices and manual call points.

8.Absence of lighting beacons or strobes.

9.Insufficient audibility of fire warnings throughout the building.

10.Absence of a sprinkler flow switch monitoring system.

11.Inadequate or absent battery backup for fire alarms.

12.Inadequate or absent power backup for firefighting systems, fire lifts, ventilation, and emergency lighting.

Absence of a fire control and command center.

13.Missing connectivity between fire alarms, PA systems, and individual floor/shop connectivity to the fire control room.

14.Installation of fire alarm, PA, or Talkback systems without built-in fault monitoring and protection against cable faults, overcurrent, and short circuits, as well as absence of device health monitoring.

15.Lack of an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) for the fire alarm system.

16.Failure to periodically calibrate smoke detectors and provide certification.

17.Missing installation drawings, operation and maintenance manuals, and training materials.

18.Absence of records for daily, weekly, monthly, half-yearly, and yearly maintenance, as well as joint reports from AMC contractors including fault complaints, service reports, and preventive maintenance records.