The Security Officer

Punjab Public Service Commission

LDA Plaza, 07-Egerton Road
Lahore
Subject: - “Fire Safety Audit Report of LDA Plaza, 7-Egerton Road Lahore”

Dear Sir,

This is in reference to your letter No. Security-l/2018/PPSC/19 Dated: 05-03-2018 regarding the
required Safety Audit/Survey of LDA Plaza 7-Egerton Road Lahore.

Our team including Arch. Imran Ahmad Saeed & Engr. Hafiz Abrar Ahmad have visited the site
on March 19th 2018. After detailed discussion with the security officer and his team, Senior
Engineer LDA Plaza & onsite observations, we have prepared a detailed safety audit report
attached herewith for your information & record.

Inspection Team:

1. Arch Imran Ahmad Saeed 2. Engr. Sajjad Mobeen

(Assistant Professor AED) (Associate Professor AED)

Chairman
Department of AED, UET Lahore

Encl:
1. Visit Report
2. Fire Safety Audit Checklist

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 VISIT REPORT

Fire safety audit report is to document the facility of fire protection and life safety necessities in
the building. This report would serve as a useful reference to fire safety managers, building owners,
registered inspectors, the Relevant Authority and to qualified persons appointed to carry out any
subsequent additions and alteration works.

A-Scope Of Work

The auditing team will investigate the fire safety situation of the required selected floors of LDA
Plaza 7-Egerton Road Lahore thorough safety audit regarding the Fire prevention control system,
Electrical systems, emergency preparedness, evacuation system and safety management. The fire
and safety audit team will mainly focus upon the following points: -

• Physical inspection of all floors with regard to fire safety control management.
• Discuss the fire safety norms and its hazards with the LDA plaza security officials.
• Discussion with the security official with regard to internal fire safety policy & to get
various information of the existing floors including available drawings, materials
specifications & related details.
• Audit will be as per (International fire codes & Standards).
• Building Code of Pakistan (Fire Safety Provisions 2016) will be followed.
• NFPA guidelines will be followed.

B-Objectives Of Fire Safety Audit

The main objectives for conduct of fire safety audit are as under: -

• Identification of significant hazards.

• Evaluate the existing safety measures
• Determine the additional control measures.
• Examine the availability of suitable emergency plan detailing responsibility and action of
key personnel.
• Evaluate the general awareness relating to fire safety and rescue operations.
• Evaluate the training and instructions on fire and safety imparted to the employees.

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 FIRE SAFETY AUDIT REPORT
1.0 Vehicle access to the Building

There is a vehicle access to the building from eastern side road (Kashmir Road). A L-shaped ramp for two-
way traffic has been provided for the parking in the basement without giving any median. The ramp should
have a median in-between to separate two-way traffic. In case of emergency no alternate exit from the
basement parking area has been provided.

Especially for L-shaped blind turn there should be a convex looking mirror to provide visual access on either
side of the road.

No emergency evacuation plan has been displayed.

No emergency signs have been displayed

No Illuminated emergency sign boards have been provided in the basement.

On Egerton side road no, proper vehicle access has been provided. Only pedestrian access to the main
entrance of the building has been provided through an overstretched raised platform. On right side of the
platform (Western side) standby generators have been placed in open to sky. These generators should be
placed in isolation/cordon off with regard to the public assessable areas. There is no proper vehicle access
for these generators for their fuelling & maintenance.

2.0 Emergency Stairs/ Internal Stairs

“The emergency staircase in a building shall be located in such a way that it provides clear access to the
road for rescue operation and firefighting. The staircase shall be separated from the main building by two
fire doors, opening outwards. The fire doors shall be hinge type with a cleared width of at least 3 feet and
minimum one-hour fire resistant rating. The staircase (s) route shall be adequately illuminated at all times
and free from all obstruction. A building having over 10,000 square feet area per floor shall have minimum
two staircases, one on each side of the building. The maximum travel distance to a staircase shall not
exceed over 100 feet.”

The typical covered area of the building floor (3rd to 6th Floor) is more than 20,000 Sft. The maximum
distance from a particular space is more than 160’. Only one metallic door (Not a fire door) has been
provided on entrance of each emergency stairs.

“Emergency stairs connected with the nonrated exterior walls of the building in the same plane should
have a fire rated constructed wall 10’ on each side as shown in the figure 1.0”

Fig.1.0
Stairway with nonrated exterior wall in same
plane as the building exterior wall

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No such fire rated constructed walls have been found on both emergency stairs.

All inside stairs serving as an exit shall be enclosed and protected with the required fire rated construction.
As shown in Fig.2.0

Fig.2.0
All internal walls should have a fire rated
Construction specifications.

All internal stairs have 13 1/2” thick

Walls, but tests would be required
to check the specification of the walls &
associated fire rated properties.

“Each staircase shall be clearly marked by a sign reading “EXIT” in plainly legible letters not less than 6
inches high.”

FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT

3.0 Portable Fire Extinguishers

“The wall mount type portable fire extinguishers shall be installed in such a way that the top of the fire
extinguisher is not more than 1.5 metres above the floor and not less than 30 cm from the bottom of
extinguisher to the finished floor.”

“Fire extinguishers shall be installed in an easily accessible location, immediate vicinity areas without
obstructing the escape path. Maximum travel distance to nearest extinguisher set should not be more than
15 meters.”

“In the corridor, passage way, lift lobby etc areas where aesthetic issue raises, the fire extinguishers can
be installed inside the fire hose cabinet, recessed inside the wall. In such case, proper identification signs
shall be placed on the cabinet and the front door shall be of partially wired glass door to view the fire
extinguishers. The fire extinguishers placed inside the cabinets shall face towards front side to read the
operating instructions clearly.”

In staircases and lift lobbies D.C.P type (Dry Chemical Portable) fire extinguishers with file hose cabinets
have been placed but their in-between distance is not as per standards. In corridors no such fire cabinets
have been provided. There is a need to add fire extinguishers in the corridors to reduce the in-between
required distances.

4.0 Inspection and Maintenance of Portable Fire Extinguishers

“All fire extinguishers shall be inspected immediately after the installation and periodically at regular
intervals not more than 30 days.”

“Inspection record shall be maintained at the facility by the management representative or the Civil
Defence approved fire protection installation and maintenance contractor appointed by the management.

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The persons conducting inspections shall maintain the record of all fire extinguishers installed in the facility
including the fire extinguishers which requires corrective action and the date of action taken.”

No such inspections/records have been carried out on monthly basis.

5.0 Training of Portable Fire Extinguishers’ Operation.

“At least 10 % of the Security personnel, Occupants, Employees and Supervisory personnel of each
occupancy shall be trained on basic fire awareness, types, use and operation of fire extinguishers in
emergency situation.”

No such training sessions have been arranged for the occupants/staff/security guards.

6.0 Fire Hydrant system

“All multistory building having four to ten floors should have a pressurized internal fire hydrant system
which independent overhead water tank of minimum 7500 gallons and external underground water lank
of 15000 gallons.”

“In case where the building is over 10 stories high, it shall have an independent overhead tank of 15000
gallons and external underground water tank of minimum 30000 gallons. The external underground tank
shall accessible to the Firefighting vehicles at all times.”

“The pressurized internal fire hydrant system shall be independent and separable from the normal water
supply system and shall be maintained at 3-5 bar pressure at all floors through an electric pump of suitable
capacity for firefighting, which remains operational even if the power supply of main building is shut off.”

“The pressurized internal fire hydrant system shall have a water hydrant outlet (with shutoff valve and a
pressure gauge) connected to a 1.5-inch X 100 feet fire hose stored in metallic hose cabinet at or near an
emergency staircase.”

A dedicated fire hydrant system has been found with 04 hydrants. Each hydrant is functional with a
maintained pressure of 3-5 bars. The fire hydrant type is Wet Riser with electric fire pumps. To fulfil the
water requirements an independent overhead water tank with a capacity of 35,000 gallons has been
provided. An external underground water tank accessible for the firefighting with a capacity of 50000
gallons has been found.

7.0 Fire Hose Reel System

“Fire hose reel systems are also normally pressurized with water having permanent water supply from fire
water pumps and fire water storage tanks.”

“Fire hose reel system comprises of one or multiple vertical riser pipes or horizontal runs of piping that are
connected to the 25 mm bore, 30 m long fire hose reels located at all the floors. System includes permanent
fire pumps and fire water tanks.”

No fire real system has been installed in the building

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8.0 Sprinkler System

“The sprinklers are the devices which consist of an orifice to discharge water is normally closed by a disc
or cap held in place by temperature sensitive element such as fusible link or quartzoid bulbs. Convicted
heat from a fire causes operation of one or more thermally sensitive sprinklers, thereby permitting water
to be discharged directly over the fire affected area. A typical sprinkler system consists essentially of a
piping network, connected to a permanent water supply and control valves feeding automatic water
sprinklers spaced regularly throughout the protected premises, incorporating local and fire department
service alarms.”

No sprinkler system has been installed in the occupied floors of the building.

The car parks in the basement have not adequate automatic water sprinkler system connected to the
pressurized internal fire hydrant system.

9.0 Fire /Smoke Alarm System

“An automatic fire alarm system shall provide in buildings. The control panel of system shall be placed in
the watch/ guard room preferably at the entrance of the building which shall be manned at all times.”

Heat & smoke detectors have been installed in the building on each floor with a control panel in the
basement. The system is not fully operational. As per given information the system will be functional
within next couple of weeks.

10.0 Emergency Evacuation Plan & EXIT Signs

“The emergency evacuation plan shall be displayed at conspicuous places in all buildings. The plan shall
describe layout of the building with complete firefighting equipment and emergency exits. An emergency
assembly area shall be clearly marked outside the building.”

No evacuation plans & emergency exit have been displayed anywhere in the building. Preparation of these
evacuation plans & emergency exit signs are in progress.

The following are the general design requirements for emergency and exit lightings.

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11.0 Doors/Internal Glass partitions

On each floor full height safety glass partitions/doors have been given. No evidence has been found
regarding the tempering of the glass used in these partitions. A test would be required to check the
tempering of the glass.

The external windows have aluminium panels with glass, the type of glass not yet identifies. Tempered
glass would be a required to fulfil the safety standards.

12.0 Fire Rating Requirements for Doors

“In many buildings there is a requirement for products, such as doors, screens and ceilings to resist the
passage of fire. These products help control the spreading of fire, which in turn protects life by giving time
to allow occupants to escape. Fire Doors are one area of a property where legislation enforces design
standards to achieve certain minimum ratings. The legislation and period of time required for fire resisting
doors is set and monitored by Local Authorities through Building control, and typically most residential fire
doors will need to meet a minimum standard of 30 minutes before failure, or in some circumstances 60
minutes.”

“The locations for fire doors are determined through risk assessment, and typically they would be in areas
between access / egress routes, and potential fire sources.”

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Fire rating of doors shall be as follows based on location and occupancies in the table below:

In LDA plaza the Metallic doors have been provided in emergency exits & Staircases, but their fire rating
properties are unknown. There is a need to replace these metallic doors with a fire rating door or to test
the existing doors with reference to their specifications required for fire rating. Addition of fire rated doors
can reduce the fire safety hazard

13.0 Electric Panels/Cabinets

No dedicated electric room has been provided for electricity panels on each floor. Electric panels/cabinets
have been placed in the corridors/circulation area.

Electric panels area should be properly cordon off from the circulation area. The electric cables should be
further protected by a fire resistance material like glass wool.

The electric cables from the standby generator are connecting with the main building through an open
cable tray.

“Location, arrangement and control, installation of electrical wiring of the secondary source of supply, be
it in the form of battery, standby generator, inverter or other accepted equipment, shall comply with the
requirements in NFPA 70.”

14.0 Interior Finish in Means of Egress

“Interior Wall, Floor and Ceiling Finishes in Exit Enclosures in exit enclosures, interior wall and ceiling finish
materials shall be non-combustible and nontoxic.”

No combustible & toxic materials found in the building.

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15.0 CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS
• Taking into account the audit report, fire prevention measures, installed fire safety equipment, fire
safety management plans & materials specifications observed during our site visit, it has been
concluded that the risk level of fire safety at this building is MEDIUM.
• However, changes/upgradation in the installed fire safety equipment, awareness of fire safety
measures to the occupants, upgradation of the safety/firefighting plans & compliance of the
International fire safety codes. The risk level of fire safety at this building can be changed to LOW.

Recommendations
a) All floors must have a fire plan and evacuation plan.
b) Review and approve all fire plans and evacuation plans in accordance with the Fire Code.
c) Keep documented evidence detailing when fire plans and evacuation plans were reviewed and
approved.
d) Ensure that buildings requiring a fire plan and evacuation plan have plans that meet the minimum
Fire Code requirements.
e) The Fire Code requires buildings to have a specified number of evacuation drills conducted each
year.
f) Fire safety/protection arrangements should be as per National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
g) Fire safety equipment should be properly monitored
h) Water Sprinkler system should be installed for an automatic control during a fire hazard.
i) Building materials especially doors, walls, ceiling & floors should be as ‘Code of Practice for the
Management of Dangerous Goods in the Emirates’ issued by Dubai Municipality 2011
j) Fire Hydrant system should be tested & functional.
k) First Aid Boxes should be provided on each floor.

REFERENCES

• GCC Code of Practice

• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• International Code Council (ICC)
• British Standards (BS)
• European Standards (EN)
• Singapore Fire Code
• ‘Code of Practice for the Management of Dangerous Goods in the Emirates’ issued by Dubai
Municipality 2011
• Building Code of Pakistan (Fire Safety Provisions 2016)