UAE FIRE & LIFE SAFETY CODE OF PRACTICE [ANNEXURES: B.l.

BALCONY, TERRACE AND WINDOWS]

ANNEXURES

a.i. BALCONY. TERRACE AND WINDOWS

1. AWARENESS

1.1. Annexure series B denotes new additions to the UAE Fire and Life Safety Code of Practice.

1.2. Codes and regulati ons cannot prevent falls and accidents involving balconies, win dows,
rail ings and t erraces. Therefore, awareness of dangers caused by huma n negligen ce (Parents
and Guardians) is of high import ance, especially in these times of high-r ise living and
wo rki ng spaces.

1.3. NEVER LEAVE childre n, special need s peop le, mentally challe nged, mentally unstab le and
elder ly peop le UNATIENDED and UNSUPERVISED at th e balconies, near windows, railings
and terraces.

1.4 . NEVER KEEP furnitu re, bedding, articles or climbable objects near windows, balconies,
railin gs and terraces, which can be trans lated into 'LADDER' by innoc ent and unwary
children .

1.5. ALWAYS LOCK access to t err aces, balconi es, railin gs and w indow panes wh en child ren,
special needs people, ment ally challenged, mentally unstab le and elderly peop le are left
unattended.

1.6. ALCOHOL, DRUGS AND INTOXICATION can cause accidents . As an Adult, behave safely and
respon sibly near balcon ies, windows, terraces and raili ngs.

2. MINIM UM CONSTRUCTIO N REQUIREMENTS FOR BALCON IES AND

RAILINGS

2.1. Guards are required for any space, wal king or st anding wh ich is elevat ed 760mm (3D")
above the finis hed grade level.

2.2. From t tie fintshed floor level, Ii eight of th e balcony. t errae a

ailings , elevate s!lace railings
(A) shall not e ess t an 12PQm A .2") .

2.3. a us ers opening , the separat ion distance between veitica post s o r. memb ers (B).
100mm (4" )

e n (B) fem M d by either vertical post , c

rraili ngS shall not e mo re tha 100 ('4") .
UAE FIRE & LIFE SAFETY CODE OF PRACTICE [ ANNEXURES: B.1. BALCONY, TERRACE AND WIN DOWS!

2.5. 760mm (30':),I.e.,

2.6 If tlie design demands ny gap betw een finished floo suiface an t e Bottom rnos
horizonta l cornp nent oU he railing (E), such gap' shall not be more than 100mm (4")

Vertical
BALCONY AND RAILING SAFETY r-r-« compon en tol
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'~ com ponentof
881 conyfRa iling
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I / SLABJFINISHEO FLOOR SURFAC E

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Bottom mo~ ~
compo nent of
Balcon y/Railing

2.7. e lialcony, Hanllrail, uara assembly shall be able to withstand a single concentrated load
f 200 pound s (0.89 kN), applied in any direction at any point.

2.8. f tlie aesign aemanos usage of glass panels in the balco onstruct lon, such glass shall be
reinforced glass w leh a withstand a load of 200 pounds (0.89kN). applied in any direction
at any point.

2.9. satcontes anlJ terraces shall not liave accesses with self-closing or self-latching doo
can ace,ae n ally lock people outsid e in tlie alcony or terrace, compelling them to
misadventures such as climbing, descend ing or crossing over to oth er balconies.

3. MINIMUM CONSTRUCTION REQUIREM ENTS FOR WINDOWS

3 .1. 0!~1:S,Ij~inQ~~
no 0~c~a~e~a[,(F , a lie.g tess than 86Sm01 (34") f rom the finished floor
Sl! ace level,

3.2

-
UAE FIRE & LIFE SAFETY CODE OFPRACTICE [ AN NEXURES : B.1. BALCONY, TERRACE AND WINDOWS ]

3.3. The window assembly, shall have reinforced glass and shall be able to with stand a single
concen rat e oa 0 200 Rounos 0.89 KN); applied in any dir ection at any point.

3.4. There shou ld not e any co t rucNen feat ur.es at tti e bottom of t ile window w hich can be
,t ranslat ed lntc 'Iadil e" 0 " climbing feature' (H).

o
~ Window Pane

Wal l

Climbable feature
NOT ALLOW ED
- l-
E
E ~ 25 E
E
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<D
co '"
CD
CO

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u,
u":..
r SLAB/FINISHED FLO OR

FR ONT VIEW SIDE VIEW

WINDOWS

4 . GLASS IN HANDRAILS AND GUARDS.

4.1. Gas usei:! as stru c,!t'>uiu.ra~l..lillll.lli~lllli.

following.

a. Single full y tempered glass

b. Laminated fully tempered glass
c. Laminated heat-strengthen ed glass

4.2 Glazing In ra," n In - , Il"a,.n".,....

a. Glazing in railin g in-fill pan els shall be of an approved saf ety glazing mat erial
b. For all glazing types, the minimum nominal thickness shall be X in. (6.4 mm)
a. Fully temp ered glass and laminated glass shall comply with Cate gory II of
CPSC 16 CFR 1201.
UAE FIRE & LIFE SAFETY CODE OF PRACTICE [ANNEXURES: B.1. BALCONY, TERRACE AND WINDOWS]

e p'anels sha ~ meet th e following requirements.

a. The panels and their support syst em shall be designed to withstan d th e loads
specifie d in ASCE (~me ~lcan Societi of Civil Engineers).
b. A saf f

4.4 . Each handrai l or guard section shall be supporte d by a minimum of three glass balusters, or
shall be otherwise supported t o remain in place if one balust er panel fail s, and one of t he
following criteria shall be met.

a. An attached handra il or guard shall be provided.

b. The glass balusters shall be laminated glasswith two or more glass plies of
equal thickness and the same glasstyp e, and th e panels shall be designed to
with stand th e loads specified in ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers)
and any other structural requirement s fo r a t op rail.

4.5. Glazing materials shall not be insta lled in railings in parking garages, except fo r pedestrian
areas not exposed t o imp act from vehicles.

5. MAINTENANCE OF RAILINGS AND GUARDS

5.1. Both Facilit y management and th e occupant s are responsible for SAFETY of railings and
guards.

5.2. Balcony, Terrace and elevated spaces raili ngs and guards shall be inspected regularly for
damages and warning signs of w ear and t ear .

5.3 . Some of t he warning signs cou ld be corro sion, cracks, bendi ng, loose and shaking memb ers
of t he raili ngs and guar ds, includin g nut s, bo lt s and f ast eners.

5.4. Any unsafe balcony, te rrace or elevated spaces' railings and guards shall be replaced
immediate ly.

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