General regulations on human protection for people in fire safety for buildings and constructions in Vietnam

Pursuant to Subsection 3.1 Section 3 QCVN 06:2021/BXD National Technical Regulation on Fire Safety for Houses and Works promulgated together with Circular 02/2021/TT-BXD contains general regulations on fire safety. ensure safety for people in fire safety for houses and works as follows:

1. Requirements of this section are to guarantee:

- Timely and unobstructed evacuation for humans;

- Rescue of people under impact of dangerous elements of the fire;

- Human protection along egress route, away from impact of dangerous elements of the fire.

2. Evacuation refers to organized movement of humans from rooms where dangerous elements of the fire may affect them to outside. Evacuation also refers to involuntary movement of people having limited movement capabilities with assistance of serving staff. Evacuation is done via evacuation egresses.

3. Rescue refers to forced movement of people towards the outside when they are under influence of dangerous elements of the fire or in case of direct presence of said influences. Rescue shall be performed voluntarily with assistance of fire brigade or professionally trained employees, and include the use of rescue equipment via evacuation egresses and emergency egresses.

4. Human protection affairs on evacuation egress must be guaranteed by clearance – spatial organization solutions, conveniences, structures and technical properties of buildings and organizations

Evacuation egresses within vicinity of rooms must guarantee safe movement towards evacuation egresses from said rooms without taking into account smoke protection and fire suppression in the rooms.

Protection of evacuation egresses outside of rooms’ vicinity must be able to guarantee safety for human evacuation taking into account fire hazard categories by functions of rooms along the evacuation egresses, number of people evacuating; fire-resistance categories and structural fire hazard levels of buildings, number of evacuation egresses on one storey and from the entire buildings.

Fire hazard levels of construction materials on surface level in rooms and evacuation egresses outside of rooms must be limited (finishing layers and cladding) depending on fire hazard categories by functions of the rooms and buildings, taking into account other solutions regarding protecting evacuation egresses.

5. When designing evacuation from rooms and buildings, do not take into account rescue measures and devices as well as exits that fail to satisfy exit requirements under 3.2.1.

6. Do not situate rooms under category F5 class A or class B below rooms simultaneously occupied by 50 people; do not situate F5 rooms in basements and semi-basements.

Do not situate F1.1, F1.2 and F1.3 rooms in basements and semi-basements.

7. In buildings with 2 to 3 basement storeys, may situate smoking rooms, supermarkets, commercial centers, diners, drinks store and other public spaces below the first basement storey only if additional fire safety measures are developed and approved by competent Police Departments of Fire Prevention and Fighting and Rescue.

At least 1 entry leading to exit stairwells via smoke control lobbies separated from surrounding spaces by class 2 fire-rated walls must be installed on each basement storey. Doors must be installed with auto-closing mechanism.

8. In order to ensure safe exit, must detect and report fire promptly. Buildings and sections thereof must be equipped with fire alarm systems according to applicable regulations and law.

NOTE: Basic requirements regarding fire alarm systems are specified in TCVN 3890.

9. In order to protect building inhabitants during evacuation, prevent smoke from infiltrating evacuation egresses of buildings and sections thereof.

NOTE: Basic requirements regarding smoke protection of buildings are specified under Annex D.

10. Effectiveness of methods ensuring safety for humans in case of fire can be assessed by calculation.

Best Regards!