BOMBA BRIEFING QUESTIONAIRE

FOR 30 AUGUST 2017

By-law 140 : Fire appliances access
(2) The requirements of accessway shall be as follows:
(c)the accessway shall be positioned so that the nearer edge
shall be not less than 2 metres or more than 10 metres from
the centre position of the access opening, measured
horizontally;

Please clarify on the location of this ‘2m nearer edge’ /

10m from centre position.

(d)the accessway shall be laid on a level platform or if on an

incline, the gradient shall not exceed 1:15. The access road
shall be laid on a incline not exceeding a gradient of 1:8.3:
For an island site bomba access requirement:-

i) Does the accessway with gradient 1:15 applies

throughtout the internal roads? or
ii) Can the gradient 1:8.3 be applied for part of the
internal roads where it is away from the hydrant?
Please clarify the location of access way/road.

ii) If an BP has been approved with 1:12 gradient

previously, can the Amended BP that is to be submitted
remain as 1:12 gradient as it may not be possible to
change at this advance stage.
 By-law 140 : Fire appliances access

(2)(h) public roads may serve as accessway provided that

the location of such public roads is in compliance with the
requirements of distance from access openings as the Fire
Authority may specify; and
Please clarify what is the required distance from access
opening.

(3) All corners of the accessway shall be marked as follows:

(a)the marking of corners shall be in contrasting colour to the
ground surfaces or finishes:
Please clarify what type of corner marking required.
By-law 165. Measurement of travel distance to exits.
(3)In any of individual room which is subjected to occupancy of
not more than six persons, the travel distance shall be
measured from the door of such room:

Provided that the area of the room does not exceed 15 square
metres or any other area determined by the Fire Authority

i) Does this applies only for commercial developments?

ii)If Yes, what is the rationale of allowing only 15sqm?
iii)If it also applies to residential units, does that mean that the
maximum size of the living area and bedrooms is only 15sqm?
Please clarify.
By-law 194 Building with single staircase
A single staircase may be permitted in the following premises:
(a) Any dwellings at a height of 12 metres measured from the fire
appliance access level to the highest and lowest floor; and

(b) Any shophouses or dwellings not exceeding two (2) storeys of the
first storey not exceeding 6 metres from the ground level.

Item (a) mentioned dwellings of 12m which is equivalent to

3 storey and item (b) also mentioned dwellings which is
only allowed for 2 storey. These 2 clauses seem
contracdicting. Please clarify
By-law 195 Staircase to reach roof level
In building exceeding 30m in height, all staircases intended to be
used as means of egress shall be carried to the roof level to give
access thereto.

What if the building was designed with pitch roof/ inclined

roof which is not accessible? Please clarify whether we are
required to bring the staircase landing to the pitch roof
level.
By-law 197A Means of access and fire fighting in building over
18.0 metres high
(1)Buildings in which the topmost floor is more than 18.0 metres above
fire appliance access level shall be provided with means of gaining
access and fighting fire from within the building consisting of fire
fighting access lobbies, fire fighting staircases, fire lifts and dry or wet
rising systems.

Fire fighting access lobbies, fire fighting staircases, fire ifts

and wet/dry risers are allowed in the fire fighting lobby; can
hose reels also be located in the fire fighting lobby. If not,
why?
By-law 199 Ventilation of staircase enclosures in buildings
not exceeding 3-storey or 18m
In buildings not exceeding 3-storeys or 18m above ground level,
staircase enclosures may be unventilated provided that access to
them at all levels except the top floor is through ventilated lobbies
and the staircase enclosures are permanently ventilated at the top
with at least 5 % of the area of enclosures.
Is it required to have a ventilated lobbies only at the top floor
as permanent ventilation was provided at the end of staircase?
Please clarify.
3. Fire fighting access lobbies may be ommitted if the fire fighting
staircase is pressurised to meet the requirements of by-law 200 and
all fire fighting installations within the pressurised staircase
enclosure do not intrude into the clear space required for means of
egrees.

i) Please elaborate how does the omission of the fire fighting

lobbies works.
ii)What if the fire fighting staircases are natural ventilated, can
the fire fighting lobbies be omitted?
iii)Does the fire fighting installation mentioned includes hose reel
or only wet/dry risers?
Fire Safety Engineering: Performance Based Approach

a) What is the differences between PBA and UBBL designed

building?
b) PBA designed building allowed for longer travel distance to exit
point/ between exit staircase to exit staircase with the installation of
smoke spilled system and fresh air intake (Smoke Control). Please
elaborate.
(5) A fire lift shall be provided to give access to each fire fighting
access lobby or in the absence of a lobby to the fire fighting
staircase at each floor level.

Please elaborate on how the fire lift access directly into

the fire fighting staircases. Is it straight into the staircase
landing area? Please clarify.
For apartments without open corridor, heat/smoke detectors are
required at the corridor and lobby. Do we need to provide any
heat/smoke detector in the apartment unit?

Can a proprietary fire rated drywall be accepted as a fire

compartment wall? If not, why?

Can a fire lift have 2 openings. One opening to the guest lift lobby
and the other one opening to the fire fighting lobby?
Tenth Schedule

Note:

Open Structure
(1)Total surface area of opening is to be no less than 40% of the total
perimeter wall area enclosing the floor or compartment,
(2)The opening(s) is to be shaped and located in such a way that
total length in plan of the opening(s) is to be no less than 50% of
the perimeter of the floor or compartment.
Open Corridor
(1)Total surface area of openings is to be no less than 25% of the
total perimeter wall area enclosing the balcony.
(2)The opening(s) is to be shaped and located in such a way that
total length in plan of the opening(s) is to be no less than 50% of
the perimeter of the balcony.

Please clarify and illustrade how to apply this for

compliance.
For high rise tower, under what circumstance can an open
staircase without fire door be used?

Please elaborate on the application of the Sixth Schedule

calculations for compliances.
 Clause Question Reply

UBBL 197A. Does every Fire Fighting access lobby need

(1) Buildings in which the topmost floor is more to have Fire Lift?
than 18.0 meters above fire appliance access
level shall be provided with means of gaining Is the distance coverage of the fire lift 45m
access and fighting fire from within the building or 61 m from furthermost point of floor?
consisting of fire fighting access lobbies, fire
fighting staircases, fire lifts and dry or wet rising If the fire lift is located within a protected
systems. fire fighting lobby, is the distance of
& coverage measured from the fire lift door
(2) Fire Fighting access lobbies shall be provided opening itself or from the fire rated access
at every floor level and shall be so located that door into the protected lobby?
the level distance from the furthermost point of
floor does not exceed 45.0 meters.
&
(10) Fire lifts shall be provided at the rate of one
lift in every group of lifts which discharge into
the same protected enclosure or smoke lobby
containing the rising main, provided that the fire
lifts are located not more than 61 meters travel
distance from the furthermost point of the floor
 Clause
UBBL 197A.
(1) Buildings in which the topmost floor is more
than 18.0 meters above fire appliance access level
shall be provided with means of gaining access and
fighting fire from within the building consisting of
fire fighting access lobbies, fire fighting staircases,
fire lifts and dry or wet rising systems.
&
(7) In a building where the top occupied floor is
over 18.5 meters above the fire appliance access
level fire lifts shall be provided.
General Question In regards to Fire Lift Home
Landing Level
Question Reply
For fire lift, do we need to include it
when the building is 18 meters above
fire appliance access or 18.5 meters
above fire appliance access?
For a building which the ground floor
platform is elevated from the external
road level (e.g. elevated 1m above
external road), can the fire lift land on
the elevated ground floor platform and
connect to the road level via steps? Or
does the fire lift need to land on a
platform levelled with the external
road?
 Clause Question Reply
UBBL – Clause 251.
Smoke control systems where specified shall be
designed and installed in accordance with MS
1780 If the smoke ventilation ducts (both
exhaust and replacement air ducts) did not
MS 1780 – Clause 8.8.21 pass through another fire compartment, is
Smoke ventilation ducts (both exhaust and 1.2mm thick G.I. smoke ventilation duct
replacement air ducts) passing through another without fire resistant material, i.e. fire
fire compartment shall be constructed to have resistant paint, etc. acceptable?
the same rating and / or as that of the
compartment.