Seminar on Uniform Building

By-Laws 1984 (Amendments) 2021

Amendments to Part VIII

Fire Alarm System and Fire
Extinguishment System
Ts. Dr. Mohd Zaid Bin Ab
Ghani
UBBL Cl. 243 - Fire Lifts
UBBL Cl. 243A - Emergency mode of operation in the
event mains power failure
UBBL Cl. 243B - Fire mode of operation
UBBL Cl. 249 - Smoke control
UBBL Cl. 250 - Natural draught smoke vent
UBBL Cl. 251 - Smoke vents to be adequate to
prevent dangerous accumulation of
smoke
UBBL Cl. 252A - Atriums in buildings
UBBL Cl. 253 - Emergency power system
 1. Fire Lift
Defined as a Lift with fire protection
measures, including controls that enable
it to be used under the direct control of
the Fire Authority in fighting a fire.
 243. Fire lifts

(1) In a building where the top occupied floor is over 18.5 metres
OLD above the fire appliance access level fire lifts shall be provided.

(2) A penthouse occupying not more than 50% of the area of the
floor immediately below shall be exempted from this
measurement.

243. Fire lifts

(1) In a building where the top occupied floor is over 18. metres
above or a basement storey is more than 9 metres below the fire
appliance access level, a fire lift shall be provided.
NEW
(2) A penthouse occupying not more than 50% of the area of
the floor immediately below shall be exempted from this
measurement to provide the fire lift.
Fire Lift
Penthouse
 243. Fire lifts
(3) The fire lifts shall be located within a separate protected shaft if it
opens into a separate lobby.
OLD
(4) 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 metres travel distance from the furthermost point of the floor.

243. Fire lifts

(3) The fire lift shall be located within a separate protected

NEW shaft if it opens into a separate lobby.

(4) The fire lift shall be provided at the rate of one lift in every
group of lifts which discharge into the fire fighting access
lobby.
 Lift Shaft

> 1818
m
Lift Shaft
 243A. –None-
OLD
(Shifted from the existing by-law 154)

243A. Emergency mode of operation in the event mains

power failure.

NEW
(1) On failure of mains power of lifts shall return in
sequence directly to the designated floor, commencing with
the fire lifts, without answering any car or landing calls and
park with doors open.
 243A. –None-
OLD
(Shifted from the existing by-law 154)

243A. Emergency mode of operation in the event mains

power failure.
(2) After all lifts are parked the lifts on emergency power
NEW shall resume normal operation provided that sufficient
emergency power is available for operation of all lifts, this
mode of operation is not applicable.
 243B. –None-
OLD
(Shifted from the existing by-law 154)

243B. Fire mode of operation

(1) A fire mode of operation shall be initiated by a signal

NEW from the fire alarm panel which is activated automatically
by one of the alarm devices in he building or manually.
Fire mode of operation
 243B. –None-
OLD
(Shifted from the existing by-law 154)

243B. Fire mode of operation

(2) If mains power is available in this mode of operation,
all lifts shall return in sequence directly to the designated
NEW floor, commencing with the fire lift, without answering
any car call or landing call, overriding the emergency stop
button inside the car, but not overriding any other
emergency device or safety device, and park with its door
open.
 243B. –None-
OLD
(Shifted from the existing by-law 154)

243B. Fire mode of operation

(3) The fire lift shall be available for use by the fire brigade on
operation of the fireman’s switch.
NEW
(4) Under this mode of operation, the fire lift shall only operate
in response to the car call but not to the landing call in the
emergency mode of operation in accordance with by-law 234A.
Fireman’s Switch
 243B. –None-
OLD
(Shifted from the existing by-law 154)

243B. Fire mode of operation

(5) On failure of mains power, all lifts shall return in sequence
directly to the designated floor and operate under the
emergency power as described under paragraph (2) to (4).

NEW
(6) A fireman intercom system shall be provided in a lift car for
the communication between a lift operator at each lift landing
and a fire command centre.
Firemen Intercom System
 2. Smoke Control
Technique used to control the movement
of smoky gases within a building in order
to protect the structure, contents, means
of escape, or to assist firefighting
operations.
 2. Smoke Control
By Laws 249
 249. Smoke and heat venting

OLD In windowless buildings, underground structures and large

area factories, smoke venting facilities shall be provided
for the safe use of exits..

249. Smoke control

NEW (1) A smoke control system, whether natural or

mechanical, in accordance with MS 1780 shall be
provided where:
 249. Smoke control

(a) the requirement for a compartmentation relate to the

condition in by-law 252A;

NEW (b) any compartment in a building or part of the building

exceeds 2,000 sq. metres; or

(c) any basement where the total area exceeds 1,000 sq.
metres, except in any of the following situations:

(i) Where the basement or a portion of the basement is used as

a car park, the car park shall comply with the requirement
of a smoke purging system if it is compartmented from
the rest of the basement.
Smoke Spill System
Basement Car Park
Smoke Purging System
 249. Smoke control

(ii) Where a plant or equipment room with a floor area which

is not exceeding 250 sq. metres is compartmented from
NEW the rest of the basement, two doors remotely located from
each other for a better reach in fire appliance access shall
be provided and the provision of a single door opening for
this room is permitted provided that the most remote part
of the room is less than 8 metres from the door, and the
equipment found inside this room does not obstruct the
throw of a water jet from a fire fighting hose.
Plant/Equipment Room
 249. Smoke control

(iii) Where a plant or equipment room with a floor area which

is exceeding 250 sq. metres but not exceeding 1,000 sq.
metres, and for which a smoke vent or smoke purging
NEW system of at least 10 air changes per hour is provided; or

(iv) Where a service area comprising a storeroom or workshop

(restricted to the staff only) is compartmented, and
provided with a smoke venting system or smoke purging
system of at least 10 air changes per hour in lieu of an
engineered smoke control system.
Storeroom or Workshop
 249. Smoke control

(2) A smoke vent shall be provided if the total aggregate floor

area of all basement storey exceeds 200 sq. metres but does not
exceed 1,000 sq. metres, and in lieu of the smoke vent, a smoke
purging system or an engineered smoke control system shall be
provided for a car park or other occupancy respectively.
NEW
 250. Natural draught smoke vent

(1) Natural draught smoke venting shall utilise roof vents

OLD or vents in walls at or near the ceiling level.
(2) Such vents shall normally be in open positions of if they
are closed they shall be so designed to open
automatically by an approved means in the event of fire.

250. Natural draught smoke vent

NEW
- Deleted -
 251. Smoke vents to be adequate to prevent dangerous
accumulation of smoke

OLD Where smoke venting facilities are installed for purposes of exit safety
in accordance with the requirements of this Part they shall be adequate
to prevent dangerous accumulation of smoke during the period of
time necessary to evacuate the area served using available exit
facilities with a margin of safety to allow for unforeseen contingencies

251. Smoke vents to be adequate to prevent dangerous

accumulation of smoke

NEW
- Deleted -
 252. Smoke vents to be openable by Fire Authority

OLD The discharge apertures of all manual smoke vents shall be

so arranged as to be readily openable by the Fire Authority
working from the exterior

252. Smoke vents to be openable by Fire Authority

- Deleted -
NEW
 3. Atrium
 Refers to a large open space within a building
created by an opening, or a series of openings,
in floor assemblies, thus connecting two or
more storeys.
 An atrium is covered at the top and is used for
purposes other than those associated with
shafts.
3. Atrium
OLD
252A. - None-

252A. Atriums in buildings

An atrium may be permitted in a building provided that–

(a) the horizontal dimension is not less than 6 metres and

NEW
the area of opening is not less than 95 square metres;
 1. 252A. Atriums in buildings

(b) the exits are separately enclosed from the atrium though
exit access may be within the atrium;

(c) the atrium is open and unobstructed;

(d) the building is fully protected by automatic sprinkler

NEW system;
  (e) the automatic sprinkler system may be omitted for ceiling of
the atrium if it is more than 17 metres above the floor and for the
atrium with ceiling height of exceeding 17 metres (in whole or in
part), a water monitor, deluge or extended throw sprinkler system
shall be provided to cover the entire atrium space;;

NEW
 (f) a smoke control or smoke exhaust system of the atrium and
adjacent spaces be provided as per Table 1 below or other approved
standards;

NEW
 TABLE 1: ATRIUM SMOKE EXHAUST SYSTEM

Height of Volume of Smoke Exhaust System Air Supply (Lowest

Atrium in Atrium (whichever is greater) Level)
M Cubric M

Cubic M/ Air Change/

Sec or Hr

NEW
17 or less 17,000 or 19 6 Gravity - natural flow
less due to difference in
density. 75% of
exhaust

17 or less 17,000 or 19 4 Gravity 75% of

more Exhaust
17 or - - 4 Mechanical 75% of
more Exhaust
 i. 252A. Atriums in buildings

(g) the smoke control or smoke exhaust system shall be

activated by–

(i) smoke detectors located at the top of the atrium and

adjacent to each return air intake from the atrium;

NEW (ii) the automatic sprinkler system;

(iii) the automatic detector system (but not the manual

break glass system); and

(iv) manual controls readily accessible to the Fire and

Rescue Department; and
 252A. Atriums in buildings

(h) the atrium shall be separated from adjacent spaces by

one hour fire resistance fire barriers except that–

(i) any three levels of the building may open directly to the
atrium without enclosure; and

NEW
Atrium
 (j) glass walls may be used in lieu of fire barriers where
automatic sprinklers are spaced 1.8 metres or less apart
along both sides of the glass wall, not more than 0.3
metres from the glass so that the surface of the glass is wet
upon operation of the sprinklers and the glass shall be
tempered, wired or laminated glass held in place by a
gasket system allowing the frame to deflect without the
glass breaking before the sprinklers operate.
NEW
 253. Emergency power system

(5) Current supply shall be such that in the event of failure of the
normal supply to or within the building or group of buildings
OLD
concerned, the emergency lighting or emergency power, or both
emergency lighting and power will be available within 10 seconds of
the interruption of the normal supply. The supply system for emergency
purposes shall comprise one or more of the following approved types

253. Emergency power system

(5) Current supply shall be such that in the event of failure of
the normal supply to or within the building or group of
buildings concerned, the emergency lighting or emergency
NEW power, or both emergency lighting and power will be changed
over within 60 seconds immediately after the interruption of the
normal supply. The supply system for emergency purposes shall
comprise one or more of the following approved types
 253A. -None
OLD

253A. Emergency lights.

(1) The emergency lighting shall be installed to provide
sufficient illumination for escape purposes.
NEW
(2) Such lighting shall be of the self-contained type or supplied
with emergency power from an emergency power system or
central battery bank and shall comply with MS 619 and MS
2687.
(3) In all cases, the duration of emergency illumination in the
event of failure of normal supply shall not be less than three
hours.
QUESTION
AND
ANSWER