RULE 12 - GENERAL DESIGN REQUIREMENTS

Question 1

Excavations

Answer 1

Excavations must not endanger life or
property
Any person undertaking an excavation
shall ensure that the soil of the adjoining
property will not cave in or settle.
Cut slopes shall no be steeper than 2:1
(horizontal:vertical).

Question 2

Number of exits

Answer 2

Every building shall have at least one exit

Upper floors with occupant load of more
than 10 shall have at least two exits

A mezzanine floor bigger than 185sqm or
having more than 18.00m in any dimension
shall have at least two stairways to an
adjacent floor

Every floor with occupant load of 500-999
shall have at least 3 exits.

Every floor with occupant load of 1000 or
more shall have at least 4 exits.

50% of floor above + 25% of floor above that

Question 3

Width of exits

Answer 3

Total width of exits = Occupant load/165
Note: This is the total width in meters
Again, +50% of occupant load of storey
above + 25% of occupant load of storey
above that

Question 4

Arrangement of exits

Answer 4

If two exits are required, the two exits must
be apart by at least 1/5 of the perimeter of
the area served.

If three or more are required, they shall be
arranged a reasonable distance apart

Question 5

Distance to exits

Answer 5

If without a sprinkler system, 45.00m
maximum

If with a sprinkler system, 60.00m
maximum

Measured from any point in a building,
measured along the line of travel

Question 6

Exit Doors

Answer 6

When serving an occupant load of 50 or
more, must swing in the direction of exit
travel

Double acting doors shall not be used as
exits when serving a tributary load of more
than 100. Must be provided with a view
panel of not less than 1300 sq. cm.

Question 7

Type of locks

Answer 7

Exit doors shall be openable from the inside
without the use of a key or any special
knowledge or effort

Question 8

Size of doors

Answer 8

Minimum width of doorway: 0.90mm
Minimum height of doorway: 2.00m
Minimum clear width of exitway: 0.70m
Shall be capable of opening at least 90
degrees
Maximum door leaf width: 1.20m

Question 9

Prohibited door

Answer 9

The following shall not be used as exit
doors:
Revolving doors
Sliding doors
Overhead doors

Question 10

Change in floor level at doors

Answer 10

There shall be a floor or a landing on each side
of an exit door

The floor/landing shall not be more than
50mm lower than the door threshold

Exception: For Group A or B occupancies, a
door may open over the top step provided that
the landing is not more than 200mm from the
floor level and the door does not swing over
the top step.

Question 11

Corridors

Answer 11

Minimum width: 1.10m
This width shall be unobstructed, except
that trim handrails and doors when fully
opened shall not reduce the required with
by more than 200mm.
Doors in any position shall not reduce the
width by more than ½.

Question 12

Dead ends

Answer 12

Maximum length: 6.00m

Question 13

Stairways Widths

Answer 13

Occupant load more than 50: 1.10m
Occupant load of 50 or less: 0.90m
Occupant load of less than 10 (private): 0.75m
Handrails shall not reduce the width of
stairways by more than 100mm

Question 14

Riser and tread

Answer 14

Maximum riser: 200mm
Minimum tread: 250mm

Question 15

Stairway headroom

Answer 15

Not less than
2.00m measured
from the nosing

Question 16

Landings

Answer 16

Length = stairway width
If the stairway has a straight run, landing
length does not need to exceed 1.20m
Landing width shall not be reduced by more
than 100mm by any door when fully opened
Max. vertical distance between landings:
3.60m

Question 17

Handrails

Answer 17

Stairways shall have handrails on each side
If a stairway is more than 3.00m in width, at
least one intermediate handrail shall be
provided
Height of handrails: 800-900mm above the
nosing of treads
Exceptions:
In Group A or B occupancies, stairways 1.10m or
less in width serving one individual dwelling
may have one handrail only
Stairways having less than four risers need not
have handrails

Question 18

Basement stairways

Answer 18

If a basement stairway and a stairway to an
upper storey terminate at the same exit
enclosure, a barrier shall be provided to
prevent persons from continuing into the
basements
Also; provided directional exit signs

Question 19

Winding stairways

Answer 19

Allowed as exits as long as the required tread
(250mm) is provided at a point 300mm away
from the narrow end
However, the tread must not be narrower
than 150mm at any point

Question 20

Circular stairways

Answer 20

May be used as exits provided that the
minimum width of run is not less than
250mm

Question 21

Aisles

Answer 21

Aisles leading to an exit shall be provided for
all portions with installed seats, tables, etc.
Shall be at least 0.80m wide if serving only
one side, or 1.00m if serving both sides
This minimum width shall be measured at
the point farthest from the exit, and shall be
increased by 30mm for every meter in length
towards the exit

Question 22

Aisle travel distance

Answer 22

The line of travel to an exit door by an aisle
shall not be more than 45.00m
Maximum 7 seats between wall and aisle
Maximum 14 seats between two aisles
Maximum slope: 1 in 8
The number of seats between aisles may be
increased to 30 if:
Exit doors are provided along each aisle at the
rate of 1 pair of exit doors for every 5 rows of
seats
The back-to-back distance between seats is 1.00m
minimum
Minimum clear width of exit doors is 1.70m

Question 23

Standard seats

Answer 23

Back-to-back distance: 840mm minimum
Width: 450mm minimum

Question 24

Grandstands/bleachers

Answer 24

Back-to-back distance:
600mm if without backrests
850m if with backrests
850mmif chair seating
Width: 450mm minimum
Rise: 400mm maximum
Number of seats between any seat and an aisle
shall not exceed 15 seats (31 seats bet. 2 aisles)

Question 25

Fire extinguishing systems

Answer 25

Automatic fire extinguishing systems are
required for the following:
Habitable storeys with an area of 200 sqm or
more with an occupant load of more than 20
Dressing rooms, rehearsal rooms, workshops or
factories with occupant load of more than 10
Assembly halls under Group H and I with
occupant load of more than 500

Question 26

Dry standpipes

Answer 26

All buildings 4 or more storeys in height shall
be equipped with one or more dry standpipes
Standpipes shall be located within enclosed
stairway landings
Siamese connections shall be located on the
street-front of a building 300mm-1200mm
above grade

Question 27

Wet standpipes

Answer 27

The following shall have wet standpipes:
Group H or I occupancy of any height
Group C occupancy 2 or more storeys in height
Groups B, D, E F and G 3 or more storeys in height
Group G and E occupancy over 1800 sqm in area
Exemption:
Group H buildings without stage whose seating
capacity is less than 500

Question 28

Locations of wet standpipes

Answer 28

All portions of the building are within 6.00m
of a nozzle attached to a hose 23.00m in
length (standpipes 58.00m apart)
For assembly occupancies:
1 outlet on each side of the stage
1 at the rear of the auditorium
1 at the rear of the balcony