QCVN06 2010 vietnam building code fire safety

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM

VIETNAMESE CODE 06: 2010/BXD

VIETNAM BUILDING CODE ON FIRE
SAFETY OF BUILDINGS

HA NOI – 2010


TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREAMBLE
1. GENERAL REGULATIONS
2. TECHNICAL CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE
3. ENSURING THE SAFETY FOR PEOPLE
4. STOPPING THE SPREADING FIRE
5. FIRE FIGHTING AND EVACUATION
Appendix A – Definition of Terms
Appendix B
Division of construction material according to the fire characteristic
Appendix C
Grading of house and rooms according to the fire and explosion danger
Appendix D
Protection regulations of anti-smoke for building and construction work
Appendix E
Requirements of fire protection distance between premises and works
Appendix F
Nominal fire resistance limits of some structure elements
Appendix G
Regulation on distance to emergency exits and emergency exit width
Appendix H

The Requirement Of The Limit Floors (The Limit Height) And Fire Area Of The Building


PREAMBLE

QCVN 06: 2010/BXD prepared by the Institute of Building Technology Science, submitted by
Department of Technology Science and Environment, issued by the Ministry of Construction
together with Circular No. 07 /2010/TT-BXD dated 28 /07/2010. This Regulation is revised and
replaced Chapter 11, Part III, episode II, Vietnamese Construction Regulation issued together
with Decision No. 439/BXD-CSXD of Minister of Construction on 25/9/1997.


VIETNAM BUILDING CODE ON FIRE SAFETY OF BUILDINGS

1. GENERAL REGULATIONS
1.1.

Scope of application

1.1.1. This regulation prescribes general requirements of fire safety for rooms, houses and

construction buildings (hereinafter referred to as building) and it is obligatory to
apply it in all phases of new construction, renovation, repair or change of function; it
also specifies classification of fire grades for houses, parts of house, rooms, building
structures and building materials.
NOTE: The term "Fire Safety for houses, buildings" referred to section A.1 of Annex A.

1.1.2. Section 3, 4 and 5 of this regulation are not applied to building with particular function

(production or storage of explosive substances and facilities, oil depots and oil

products, natural gas, repository of toxic chemicals, military works, underground of
subways, mining projects, ...).
1.1.3. Standards and requirements of fire prevention, fire protection of materials in

construction standards must be based on the requirements of this regulation.
Along with the application of this regulation, it must also comply with the specific
requirements of fire prevention in other documents that are prescribed to each kind of
house and building. When there is not standards specified as requirements of this
regulation, it is allowed to use specific regulations in the current standards until such
regulations are revised, as well as it it allowed to use current standards of foreign
countries on the principle of ensuring the requirements of this regulation and the laws
of Vietnam in the application of foreign standards on fire protection and application of
foreign standards in construction activities in Vietnam.
In current standards related to fire prevention, fire protection for houses and buildings,
if there are provisions, technical requirements with level of fire safety lower than the
rules and requirements of this regulation, this regulation will be applied.
NOTE: The term "standard document" referred to Section A.11 of Annex A.

1.1.4. The design documentation and technical documentation of houses, structures,
components and construction materials must show the technical characteristics of fire

as specified in this Regulation.
1.1.5. When design and construction, in addition to meeting this regulation, it must also

comply with the provisions in other documents related to fire prevention and other


requirements for public works such as planning, architecture, structure, water supply
systems, electrical systems, electrical equipment, lightning protection, fuel systems,
heating, ventilation systems, air conditioning, safe when using glass and avoiding

falling, breaking.
1.1.6. For houses without fire prevention & fire protection standards, as well as houses of fire

hazard group on the features F 1.3 (1) with a height greater than 75 m (2), houses of fire
hazard group on the other features with a height greater than 50 m, houses with over one
basement, especially complicated and unusual houses, it must comply with this
regulation and also other additional technical requirements and solutions suitable to
specific characteristics of fire prevention of theses houses on the basis of current applied
standards. Theses requirements and solutions must be approved by authorized Police
Department of fire and rescue.
1.1.7. In some particular cases, Ministry of Construction only allow to reduce some

requirements of this regulation for specific projects, when a feasibility study is
submitted to the Ministry of Construction with additional measures, replacement; and
this feasibility study must be appraised and approved by the Police Department of fire
fighting and rescue.
1.1.8. When there is a change of function or change of planning and structure of existing

house or separate rooms of that house, it must apply this Regulation and current
standard documents suitable to these changes.
1.1.9. For individual houses with 06 storeys or less, it is not required to apply this Regulation,

but comply with specific guidance which is appropriate to each kind of houses and
residential areas.
1.2.

Application objects

Agencies, organizations and individuals involved in construction activities of civil and
industrial building in Vietnam must obey provisions of this Regulation.

1.3.

Definitions

The terms and definitions in this Regulation are set out in Annex A.
1.4.

General regulations

1.4.1.

For houses, design must include solutions of structure, planning of space and technical
of buildings to ensure that when fire occurs:
- Everyone in the house (not dependent on age and health status) can be evacuated to
outside into the safe areas (hereinafter referred to outside) before it happens risk of life-


threatening and health because of the dangerous elements of the fire;
- It is possible to safe people;
- Forces and means of fire fighting can reach fire and implement fire fighting measures,
rescue of persons and property
- Do not let the fire spread to the adjacent houses, even in the case of a collapsed
burning house.
- To limit direct and indirect damages of material, including house and property inside
the house, regard to economic correlation between losses and expenses for solutions and
technical equipment for fire prevention.
1.4.2. During construction phase, it must ensure:

- To implement in priority measures of fire prevention following design complying with
current standards and approved as prescribed;

- To perform requirements of fire prevention and fire fighting for works under
construction, auxiliary works and fire prevention regulations during construction and
installation according to the Law of current fire protection;
- To equip fire fighting facilities as prescribed and they must be available for use.
- Ability to safe escape and rescue, as well as a protection of property in case of fire in
building under construction on site.
1.4.3. During utilization, it must:
- To retain structure, interior of house and availability of fire protection facilities

following design requirements and its technical documentations.
- To perform regulations of fire protection under current law;
- Do not allow to change structure or solutions of planning of space and technical of
building without approved design as prescribed;
- In case of repair, do not allow to use components and materials that do not meet
requirements of current standards and regulations.
For houses with restrictions of fire load, in terms of number of people in the house or
any part of house, it must put inside the house a notice of these restrictions at
conspicuous places; house management department must establish measures of fire
protection and evacuation in case of fire.
1.4.4. When analyzing a risk of fire, it can use scenarios that are calculated based on
correlation between parameters: development and spread of dangerous elements of fire,
evacuation of people and implement of fire fighting.

2. TECHNICAL CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE
2.1.
2.1.1.

General regulations

Houses, parts and components of houses, rooms, construction materials, construction

structures are classified in terms of fire based on following natures:


-

Fire

-

Fire resistance: nature against effects of the fire and prevention of spread of

hazard:

nature

arising

and

developing

elements

of

fire

hazard;

dangerous elements of the fire.

2.1.2. Classification of fire is sued for establishment of necessary requirements of fire

protection of structures, rooms, houses, parts and components of houses depending on
their fire resistance and / or their fire hazard.
2.2.

Construction materials

2.2.1. In terms of fire safety, construction materials is characterized by fire hazard.

Fire hazard of construction materials is determined by technical characteristics of fire as
follows:
Flammability, ignition, spread of fire on surface, ability of arising smoke and toxic.

2.2.2.

According to combustibility, construction materials are classified into non-flammable
materials and flammable materials. Flammable materials are classified in 4 groups:

− Ch1 (slight combustion);
− Ch2 (moderate combustion);
− Ch3 (strong and moderate combustion);
− Ch4 (deflagration).
Combustibility and groups of construction materials are determined in Annex B, Item
B.2.
For non-flammable materials, it is not specified on fire hazard and other criteria.
2.2.3. According to combustibility, flammable materials are classified in 3 groups:

− BC1 (difficult to burn);
− BC2 (medium flammable);

− BC3 (strong flammable).
Materials with combustibility are determined in Annex B, Item B.3.
2.2.4. According to spread of fire on surface, flammable materials are classified in 4 groups:

− LT1 (non - spreading);
− LT2 (weak spreading);
− LT3 (moderate spreading);
− LT4 (strong spreading).


Construction materials with spread of fire on surface are specified for surface materials
of roof and floor, including carpet in Annex B, item B.4.
For other construction materials, it is not determined and specified classification of
spread of fire on surface.
2.2.5. According to ability of arising smoke, flammable construction materials are classified in
3 groups:

− SK1 (low smoking ability);
− SK2 (moderate smoking ability);
− SK3 (high smoking ability).
Construction materials classified as smoking ability are determined in Annex B, item
B.5.
2.2.6. According to toxicity of flammable products, flammable materials are classified in 4
groups:

− ĐT1 (low toxicity);
− ĐT2 (moderate toxicity);
− ĐT3 (high toxicity);
− ĐT4 (extremely high toxicity).
Construction materials classified as toxicity of flammable products are determined in

Annex B, item B.6.
2.3.

Construction structures

2.3.1. Construction structures are characterized by fire resistance and fire hazard.

Fire resistance of a structure is represented by its limit of fire resistance. Fire hazard of a
structure is represented by its level of fire danger.

2.3.2. Limit of fire resistance of structure is determined by a period of time (in minute) since

starting of fire test under standard temperature until an appearance of one or some
continuous signs of limit state specified for structure as follows:
− Loss of load capacity (load capacity is symbolic by letter R);
− Loss of integrity (integrity is symbolic by letter E);
− Loss of heat insulation capacity (heat insulation capacity is symbolic by letter I)
NOTE: 1) Fire resistance limit of construction structure is determined by fire test according to standards
TCXDVN 342: 2005 to TCXDVN 348: 2005(1) or equivalent standards. Fire resistance limit of construction


structure can be determined by calculation following applied designed fire resistance standard.
2) Required fire resistance limit of structure is specifically prescribed in this Regulation and in technical standards
for each type of project. Required fire resistance limit of structure is symbolic by REI, EI, RE or R together with
corresponding time index affected by fire in minute. For example: structure with fire resistance limit REI 120
means that structure must retain 3 capacities: load, integrity, heat insulation during period of fire of 120 minutes;
structure with fire resistance R60 means that structure must maintain load capacity during 60 minutes, heat
insulation capacity and integrity are not required.
3) Construction structure is considered as meeting requirements of fire resistance if it is satisfied one of two
following conditions:

a) Composition of structure with specification similar to test of fire resistance; and this test shows fire resistance
limit not less than required fire resistance of this structure.
b) Composition of structure with specification suitable to structure mentioned in Annex F; and corresponding
nominal fire limit in this Annex is not less than required fire limit of this structure.

2.3.3. According to fire hazard, construction structures are classified in 4 grades:

− K0 (non risk of fire);
− K1 (low risk of fire);
− K2 (moderate risk of fire);
− K3 (fire danger).
NOTE: 1) Level of fire hazard of construction structure is determined by testing according to Vietnam's current
standards or equivalent.
2) It is allowed to determine level of fire hazard of structure without testing as follows:
+ Level K0: if structure is composed of non-flammable material;
+ Level K1: if outer surface of structure is composed of material with specifications of fire less dangerous than
Ch1, BC1, SK1;
+ Level K2: if outer surface of structure is composed of material with specifications of fire less dangerous than
Ch2, BC2, SK2;
+ Level K3: if outer surface of structure is composed of material with only one of these specifications of fire less
dangerous than Ch3, BC3, SK3;

2.4
2.4.1

2.4.2

Fire prevention
The fire prevention is usedin order to stop fire and combustion products spread out from
combustion chamber or a fire compartment to other ones.

The fire prevention is included fire prevention wall, fire partition, fire slab.
The fire prevention is specified by fire resistant of its parts, including:
- Separation (partition, wall, slab …);
- Fixings of separation (frame, bracing …);
- Supports of separation (supported beam, frame, supporting wall…);

-Fire
Connecting
resistancedetails;
limit in status of none bearing capacity (R) of the Fixings of separation, of
Supports of separation and connecting details of them must not be lower than the required
fire resistance limit of separation.
Fire hazard of fire prevention part is defined by the fire hazard of separation as well as
the connection details and fixings of separation.


2.4.3 Fire prevention part must be separated according to fire resistance limit of separation as
in Table 1. If the fire prevention parts have door, gate, cover, valve, window, curtain
(hereby called door and fire valve in general), or if those doors have the separated
chamber (called fire chamber), doors, fire valve and fire chamber must be the kinds that
have the fire prevention ability in accordance to type of fire prevention part as stipulated
in Table 1.

Fire resistance limit of doors and fire valves in fire prevention part is stipulated in Table
2.
Fire resistance limit of parts of fire chamber (partition, slab, door and fire valve) at doors
and fire valve in fire prevention part must be accordance to regulations in Table 3.
Fire prevention part Type 1 must be belonged to fire hazard grade K0. In particular cases,
it is allowed to use grade K1 in fire prevention parts type 2 to type 4:

Fire prevention
parts

Table 1 – Categorization the fire prevention parts
Type of door and
Fire resistance limit
Type of fire stop
fire valve in fire
of fire prevention
parts
prevention parts,
parts, not less than
not lower than

Type of fire
chamber, not
lower than

Fire prevention
wall

1

REI 150

1

1

2

REI 60

2

2

Fire prevention
partition

1

EI 45

2

1

2

EI 15

3

2

1

REI 150

1

1

2

REI 60

2

1

3

REI 45

3

1

4

REI 15

4

2

Fire fighting
floor

Table 2 – Fire resistance limit of door and fire valve in fire prevention parts
Door and fire valve in fire
Type of door and fire valve in
Fire resistance limit, not

prevention parts

fire prevention parts,

less than

Door, gate, cover, valve

1

EI 70

2

EI 45*


Window

Curtain

3

EI 15

1

E 70

2

E 45

3

E15

1

EI 70

NOTE: * Fire resistance limit of door in lift opening is allowed to be not less than E 45.

Table 3 – Fire resistance limit of parts of fire chamber at door and fire valve in fire
prevention parts
Type of fire
Fire resistance limit of parts of fire chamber, not less than
chamber
Chamber walls
Chamber floors
Door and valve of
chamber

1

EI 45

REI 45

EI 30

2

EI 15

REI 15

EI 15

2.5 Lift and Staircase:
2.5.1 Lift and staircase used for exit are separated into following types:

a) Types of staircase:
+ Type 1 – indoor staircase, located in staircase box;
+ Type 2 – indoor staircase, opened;
+ Type 3 – outdoor staircase, opened;
Note: “opened” means not to put in staircase box.
b) Types of normal staircase boxes:
+ L1 – having door openings in every floor (opened or installed glass);
+ L2 – natural lighting from roof openings (opened or installed glass);
c) Types of staircases that not be affected by smoke:
+ N1 – having the entrance to staircase box from each floor by traversing the
outdoor clearance of opening walkway (this clearance is usually in loggia or balcony
type). The walkway throughout this clearance is not affected by smoke.

+ N2 – having positive air pressure (air pressure in staircase box is higher than
outside staircase) in the staircase box in case of combustion.

2.5.2

+ N3 – having the entrance to staircase box from each floor by traversing fire
chamber of positive air pressure (the positive air pressure in fire chamber is regular or in
case of combustion).
Fire escape that serves for fire fighting and rescue are classified into two following kinds:
- P1 – Vertical staircase


o

- P2 – Step staircase with the inclination is not over 6:1 (not over 80)
2.6
2.6.1

Building, fire chamber, compartment
Building or parts of building that is separated by fire walls – class 1 (called fire chamber)
is classified by fire-resistance grade, structural fire hazard grade and usage fire hazard
group.
- Fire-resistance grade of building and fire chamber are defined by fire-resistance limit of
their construction elements;
- Structural fire hazard grade of building and fire chamber are defined by participation
degree of construction elements into the fire development and formation of hazard factors

of flame.
- Usage fire hazard group of building and parts of building are defined by the purpose of
use and feature of technological procedures that arranged inside them;

2.6.2

Building and fire chambers are classified by fire-resistance grade as Table 4.
Load-bearing parts of building include load-bearing columns and walls, struts, solid
partitions; slab parts (beam, bar, plate) participated in the guarantee of general stability
and shape non-variation of building in case of combustion.
Load-bearing elements that are not participated in the guarantee of general stability of
building must be instructed in specification of building by the designer.
There is no regulation of fire resistance limit for sealed parts of clearance hole (doors,
gates, windows, manholes, skylight), except doors, fire valve inside fire prevention parts
and in particular cases.
In case of minimum fire resistance limit of required element is R 15 (RE 15, REI 15), it is
allowed to use uncoated protection steel structure without depending on its actual fire
resistance limit, except the cases when fire resistance limit of load-bearing parts of
building according to test result is less than R 8.
In staircase boxes that are not affected by smoke – N1 type, staircase plates and landings
are allowed to use with fire resistance R 15 and belongs to the fire hazard grade K0.
Table 4 – Fire resistance grade of building
Fire resistance limit of construction element, not less than

Fire

Load-

External

Flooring

Roof component

resistance
grade of
building

bearing
part of
building

wall non
loadbearing

between
floors
(include
attic floor
and floor

(without attic floor)
Roof
plate
(including

Truss,
beam,
purlin

Staircase box

Internal
wall of

staircase

Staircase
plates
and


above
basement)

insulating
roof
plate)

box

landings

I

R 150

E 30

REI 60

RE 30

R 30

REI 150

R 60

II

R 120

E 15

REI 45

RE 15

R 15

REI 120

R 60

III

R 90

E 15

REI 45

RE 15

R 15

REI 90

R 60

IV

R 30

E 15

REI 15

RE 15

R 15

REI 30

R 15

V

No regulation

NOTE: 1) Inside the buildings with fire resistance grade I, II, III, the floor and ceiling of the
basement, half-basement must be made from non-flammable materials and has fire
st
resistance limit at least 90 minutes. Flooring of 1 floor and top floor must be made

from materials with combustibility not less than the Ch1.
2) In the buildings with fire resistance grade IV and V, the floor of basement or half
basement must be made from materials with combustibility not less than the Ch1 and
has fire resistance limit not less than 45 minutes.
3) In the rooms with the production or storage of flammable liquids, the floor must be
non-flammable materials.
4) Walls, wall partition and floor of the lift box and machine room of lift located inside
house of any fire resistance grade must be made from non-flammable materials with
fire resistance limit not less than 60 minutes. If the lift is located outside, the fire
resistance limit of stated parts not less than 30 minutes.
5) Wall, cover of the middle corridor of the house with fire resistance grade I, must be
made from non-flammable materials with fire resistance limit at least 30 minutes and
the house with fire resistance grade II, III and IV must be made from non-flammable
materials or weak combustion (Ch1) with fire resistance limit at least 15 minutes.
Particularly, the house with fire resistance grade II of production D, E class, can be
covered up the corridor with glass walls.

2.6.3

According to the structural fire hazard, building and fire chambers that are classified by 4
grades S0, S1, S2, S3 as in Table 5 are called the structural fire hazard grade of building.
There is no regulation of fire hazard for doors, gates, windows, manholes in cladding
structures of building except particular cases.


Table 5 – Structural fire hazard grade of building
Structural fire hazard grade of construction element, not less than
Structural
fire hazard
grade of

building

S0
S1
S2
S3

Loadbearing parts
External wall
– bar form
from outside
(column, bar,
truss, etc…)

K0
K1
K3

Wall,
partition,
floor and
roof without
attic floor

Wall of
staircase box
and fire
prevention
parts

Staircase
plates and
landings in
staircase box

K0
K1
K2

K0
K0
K1
K1

K0
K0
K1
K3

K0
K2
K3
No regulation

2.6.4 When applied to actual construction of structures or structural system without defining
their fire resistance limit or fire hazard grade based on standard fire resistance tests or
based on calculation, it is necessary to carry out the fire resistance test for samples similar
to real structure of those parts as requirement of current regulation on fire resistance test.
2.6.5 Building and parts of building (rooms or group of rooms with relevant usages) are
classified by usage fire hazard groups depending on the feature of use, the threat level to

safety of people in case of happening flame that allow for: age, physical condition, the
ability of having persons to sleep, groups of users on the main functions and the number
of that group. Categorization of usage fire hazard is stipulated in Table 6.

Building and room used for production or storage are classified by fire and detonating
combustion hazard depending on the number and detonating combustion hazardous
nature of substances and materials contained inside, allow for feature of productive
technological procedure. The classification is stipulated in Annex C.
Production compartments and storage compartments, including laboratories and factories
in buildings of group F 1, F 2, F 3 and F 4, will be arranged in group F 5.
Table 6 – Categorization of building based on usage fire hazard
Group

Purpose of use

Feature of use

(1)

(2)

(3)

House for living regularly or temporarily

Rooms in this building are usually used

(in which living all day and night)
Kindergarten, nursery school, function
house for senior citizen and handicapped

people (not apartment), hospital, block of
houses of boarding schools and of schools

for both day and night. Group of people
which can include a lot of ages and
different
physical
condition.
Characteristic of these buildings are
included the bedroom.

F1

F1.1


for children;

F.1.2

Hotels, hostels, block of houses of nursing
establishment and general accommodation,
from campsites, motels and nursing homes;

F.1.3

House with a lot of flats (Apartments)

F.1.4

House with a separated apartment including
houses with semi-detached apartments and
each apartment has its own way out.

F2

Main rooms in this building are
specified by a large number of visitors
stay in the certain time.

Mass sport-culture buildings

F.2.1

Theatres, cinemas, concert halls, clubs,
circuses, sport works with stand, libraries
and other projects have calculated the
number of seats for guests in the closed
rooms;

F.2.2

Museums, exhibitions, dance rooms and
other similar establishments in the closed
rooms;

F.2.3

The establishments are mentioned
Section F.2.1, open to outdoor;

in

F.2.4

The establishments are mentioned
Section F.2.2, open to outdoor;

in

F3

Residential service establishments

F.3.1

Sale establishments;

F.3.2

Public catering establishments;

F.3.3

Railway Stations;

F.3.4

General practice clinics and emergency;

F.3.5

Rooms for guests of life and public service
establishments where the number of seats
for guests not be calculated (post office,
saving fund, ticket office, a legal advice

The rooms of these establishments are
specified by a large number of visitors
are greater than service staffs.


office, notary office, laundry shop, the
garment, shoe and clothing repair shop,
barber shop, funeral service establishment,
religious
establishment
and
similar
institutions);

F.3.6

F4

F.4.1

The physical training complexes and sport
practice areas without stand; The service
rooms; Bathroom;

Schools,
designing
and
science Rooms in these buildings are used for
the certain times in a day, there is fixed
organizations, management agencies.
group of people inside rooms,
acquainted with condition in place with
defined age and physical condition.
High schools, training institutions outside
the high schools, professional schools,
vocational schools;

F.4.2

Universities,
colleges,
professional
improvement training schools;

F.4.3

Establishments of management agencies,
designing organizations, information and
publishing house organizations, scientific
research organizations, banks, agencies and
offices;

F.4.4

F5

Stations (teams) of fire fighting and rescue
salvage.
Buildings, works, rooms
production or warehouse.

used

for These rooms are specified by the
presence of group of people that work
fixedly, include working all day and
night.

F.5.1

Buildings and production works, production
and testing compartments, workshop;

F.5.2

Buildings and warehouse works, car parking
without technical service and repair, book
store, storage, and storage rooms;

F.5.3

Buildings for agricultural purpose.

3. ENSURING THE SAFETY FOR PEOPLE
3.1.

General regulation

3.1.1.
-

The requirements of this section in order to ensure:
Timely and unobstructed escape for people.
Rescuing the people to be effected by the hazardous factors of fire.
Protecting people on the way to escape, avoiding the people to be effected by the
hazardous factors of flame.

3.1.2. Escape is the organized self-moved processof people to go out from the rooms, where
the hazardous factors of flame may impact on them. Escape is also the lost self-control
movement of group who is less likely to mobilize and carried out by the service staffs.
Escape is executed on the exit routes through by the escape exits.
3.1.3. Rescue is the compelled movement of people to go out when they are affected by the
hazardous factors or when appearing the direct hazard of these effects. Rescue is
executed self-control with the supporting of the fire fighting forces or the staffs are
trained professionally, including the use of the rescue means, escape through by the exits
and the emergency exits.
3.1.4. The people protection on the escape routes must be ensured by a combination of the
space planning solutions, facilities, structures, engineering technique and organization.

Escape routes within the room must ensure the safe escape through the escape exit from
that room without allowing for the smoke protection and fire-fighting means in this room.
Outside the room, we must allow for the protection of the escape routes from the safe
escape conditions for people that is mentioned to the usage fire hazard of the rooms on

the way out to escape, number of people escape, fire resistance grade and structural fire
hazard grade of the building, number of exits from a floor and escape from the entire
house.
Inside the room and on the escape route outside the room, it must limit the fire hazard of
construction materials of the structure surface layers (finishing layer and facing)
depending on the usage re hazard of the room and house, allow for the other solutions for
the protection of the escape routes.
3.1.5. When arranging the escape routes from the room and the house, it is not allowed for the
methods and means to rescue, as well as the exits do not meet the requirement of the
escape exit as specified in Section 3.2.1.


3.1.6. Do not allow to arrange the rooms belong to class A or class B of group F 5 below the
rooms which have presence of more than 50 people at the same time, as well as in the
basement or half-basement.

Do not allow to arrange the room belong to group F 1.1, F 1.2 and F 1.3 in the basement
or half-basement.
NOTE: 1) Basement is the floor which over the half of its height is under the ground level of the construction
according to the approved Urbanism planning.
2) Half-basement is the floor which the half of its height is upper or horizontal the ground level of the
construction according to the approved Urbanism planning.

3.1.7. To ensure the safe escape, it must discover the fire and fire alarm in time. Building and
parts of building must be equipped with the fire alarm systems according to the current
regulations.
NOTE: The basis requirements about the fire alarm system arrangement are stipulated in TCVN 3890: 2009.

3.1.8. To protect the escape for people, the escape routes of the house or the part of the house
must be protected against the penetration of smoke.

NOTE: The basis requirements about the smoke protection of the house are stipulated in Annex D.

3.1.9. The effect of measures to ensure the safety for people while fire can be assessed by
calculation.
3.2.

The escape exit and emergency exit

3.2.1. The exits are considered the escape exits (also called the escape routes) if:
st

a) To be connected from the rooms of 1 floor to go out according to one of following
methods:
- To go out directly;
- To corridor;
- To entrance (or waiting room);
- To staircase;
- To corridor and entrance (or waiting room);
- To corridor and staircase;
b) Starting from rooms of any levels, except level 1, into one of the following places:
- Directly to the walking staircase or the walking staircase class 3;
- Into corridor or directly to the walking staircase cage or walking staircase class 3;
- Into the common room (Or waiting room) having exit directly to the walking staircase
cage or walking staircase class 3;


c) Leading to the adjacent room (Except room of group F5 class A or B) on the same
level from which there are exits as shown at a) and b). Exits into room class A or B are
considered to be emergency exits if they start from technical local without place for
frequently working people but which is only used to serve rooms of class A or B as said

above.
3.2.2. Exits from the basement and half-basement are emergency exits when they lead directly

outside and are separate from the common walking staircase of the building.
It is allowable to arrange:
− The emergency exits from the basement through common walking staircase cages
which have private walk way to outside separated from the remainder of the walking
staircase by using fire-rated solid partition class 1;
− The emergency exits from the basement and half-basement which have rooms of class
C, D, E, going into rooms of class C4, D and E and going into the hall on level 1 of the
group F5 when satisfying the requests of 4.24;
− Emergency exits from the waiting room, locker-room, smoking room and sanitary
rooms on the basement or half-basement of building group F2, F3, and F4 going into
the hall of level 1 through private walking staircase class 2;
− Intermediate space, including double intermediate space on the direct exit way from the
house, from the basement and half-basement.
3.2.3.

Exits are not considered as emergency exits if at these exits entrance doors or gates
having sliding or folded up wings, rolling shutter, rotating shutter are installed.
Doors having outside opening wings (Hinged doors) as listed above are considered as
emergency exits.

3.2.4. The quantity and width of emergency exits from rooms, levels and houses are calculated

accordingly to the max number of exit people which could get through of them and the
permitted limit distance from the farthest point which may have people (Activities,
working place) to the nearest emergency exit.
NOTE: 1) The max numb er of exit people from various spaces of the building or building part is calculated
accordingly to the appendix G, article G.3;

2) Apart from common requests as shown in this Code, the quantity and emergency exit width are shown
in the Technical Code applied for each class of construction. Appendix G shows some regulations for
some popular groups of houses.

Parts of houses which are in risk of fire according to various functions and separated by firestopping components have to have private emergency exits.
3.2.5. The following rooms have to have not fewer than 2 emergency exits:

− Rooms of group F 1.1 having at thesame time over 10 people;


− Rooms in the basement and half basement having at the same time over 15 people;
except rooms in the basement and half basement having from 6 to 15 people at the
same time, then one of two exits has to respect requests shown in 3.2.13d;
− Rooms having at the same time over 50 people;
− Rooms of group F5 class A or B having people working in the most crowded shift over
5 people, class C – over 25 people or having a surface over 1.000 m2;
− Open working platform or platforms used for maintenance staffs in rooms belonging to
class F5 having a surface over 100 m2 – To rooms belonging to class A and B or
having a surface over 400 m2 – To rooms belonging to other classes.
Rooms of group F1.3 (Apartment) arranged on both floors (2 levels – which are usually
called 2-storey apartment), when the higher storey height is over 18m then it is asked to
have emergency exits for each storey.
3.2.6. Storeys belonging to following groups have to have not fewer than 2 emergency exits:

− F 1.1; F 1.2; F 2.1; F 2.2; F 3; F 4;
− F 1.3 when the total surface of apartments on one storey is over500 m2 (To single
house this surface is that of one storey of the single house). In case the total surface is
less than 500 m2 and when there is only 1 emergency exit from each level, then with
each apartment at the height of over 15m, apart from the emergency exit it is asked to
have an urgent exit following 3.2.13;

− F 5, class A or B when the number of people working in the most crowded shift is
over 5 people, class C when the number of people working in the most crowded shift is
over 25 people.
Basement and half basement have to have nor fewer than 2 emergency exits when the
surface is over 300 m2 or when there are 25 people present at the same time.
In houses having height not higher than 15m, it is allowable to have one emergency exit
from each floor (Or from one part of the floor separated from other parts of the floor by
fire-stopping components) which has fire risk according to function F 1.2, F 3, F 4.3
having surface over 300 m2, with the number of people not over 20 people and when
the emergency exit entering into the walking staircase which has fire-rated door of class
2 (Table 2).
3.2.7. The number of emergency exits from one level is not fewer than 2 of this level has

rooms whose request on the number of emergency exits is not fewer than 2.
The number of emergency exits of a house is not fewer than the number of emergency
exits from any levels of that house.
3.2.8

When there are 2 emergency exits or over, they have to be distributed (Except exit way
from corridors into smoke uncontaminated walking staircase). Min distance L(m)


between farthest emergency exits (This one to another) is calculated accordingly to the
formula:
- For exit way from rooms:

L ≥1,50

- For exit way from corridors: L≥0,33
In which:

P – Room perimeter, m;
n – Number of emergency exit;
D – Corridor length, m.
If in the room, on the level or in the house which has 2 emergency exits or over, then in
calculation regarding to exit capacity of exit ways it is need to assume that the fire stops
people using those exit ways. The remaining exit ways have to make sure a safe
emergency exit for all people in rooms, on the level or in that house.
3.2.9

Clear height of emergency exit must not smaller than 1,9m , clear width will not be
smaller than :
+ 1,2 m – from rooms belonging to group F 1.1 when exit people is over than 15
people, from rooms and houses belonging to fire risk group of other function which
have exit people over 50 people , except group F 1.3;
+ 0,8m – For all other cases.
The external doors width of the walking staircase as well as all doors from the walking
staircase into hall will not smaller than the calculation value or the width value of stairs
slab specified in 3.4.1.
In all cases, when deciding the width of an emergency exit it is asked to take into account
of the geometry shape of the exit way through door or door opening in order not to disturb
the movement of stretcher on which there is man.

3.2.10 Doors of emergency exits and other doors on the exit way have to open along the exit flux
from inside to outside.
There is no regulation on opening direction for:
a) Rooms belonging to group F1.3 and 1.4;
b) Rooms containing at the same time not over 15 people, except rooms of class A or B;
c) Storages having surface not over than 200 m2 and there is no place for people

d) working

Sanitary frequently;
rooms;
e) Exit way leading to standing of walking staircase class 3.
3.2.11 Doors of emergency exits from level corridors, common space, waiting room, hall and
walking staircase chamber must not equipped with locks so that they could be easily


open from inside without key. In building having height over 15m, door wings as said
above, except apartment doors, have to be solid or in temper glazing.
For staircase chambers, entrance doors have to be equipped with door closers and door
gaps have to be well sealed .Door inside walking staircase chamber, which are directly
open to the outside, are not in need of door closers and it is no need to well door gaps.
Doors of emergency exits from rooms or corridors have to be anti- enforced smoke, they
have to be solid doors and equipped with door closers and doors gaps have to be well
sealed. These doors which may be open for service, then they have to be equipped with
door closers in prevention of fire.
3.2.12 Exits which do not satisfy requests applied for emergency exits could be considered as
urgent exits in order to increase safety level for people in case of fire. Urgent exits are not
taken into account of emergency exit in case of fire.
3.2.13 Apart from cases as shown in 3.2.12, urgentexits also includes:
a) Exits to balcony or loggia, where there is solid wall whose width is not smaller 1.2m
from the balcony edge ( Loggia) to window ( Or glazing door) or not smaller than
1.6m between glazing panels opening to balcony (( Loggia);
b) Exits leading to an intermediate open walk way( Crossing Bridge ) and then to an
adjacent single house belonging to group F1.3 or to an adjacent fire compartment
.This intermediate walk way has to be not smaller 0.6 m in width;
c) Exits to balcony or loggia, where there is an outside staircase connecting balconies or
Loggias of each level;
d) Exits to outside directly from rooms which have finish floor level not smaller than 4.5m and not bigger than 5.0m through windows or doors having size not smaller than

0.75m
1.5m,
through
trap doors
size not smaller
0.6m
x 0.8m;
In
that xcase
at also
these
exits there
have having
to be ladders,
slope ofthan
these
ladders
are not
specified;
e) Exits outside house roof which have fire rate of I, II and III belonging to SO and SI
through windows, doors or trap doors with dimension and ladders specified in article
d).
3.2.14 In technical levels it is allowable to arrange emergency exits with their heights not
smaller than 1.8m;

From technical levels in which they are only used for construction technical networks
(Piping, wirings,..) it is allowable to arrange urgent exits through doors with dimension
not smaller than 0.75m x 1.5m or through trap doors with dimension not smaller than
0.6m x 0.8m but no need to arrange emergency exits.
When the technical levels have their surface up to 300m2 it is allowable to arrange one

exit, and with each next surface which is smaller than 2.000m2 then it is asked to arrange
not fewer than one exit.
In underground technical levels these exits have to be separated from other exits of the
building and directly led to the outside.


3.3

Emergency exit

3.3.1

The emergency exit is a line for continuous moving and could not be interrupted from
any
Points in the building or construction on the way to the outside, Emergency exits have to
be well lit up and properly instructed accordingly to Standards TCVN 3890: 2009 – Fire
protection instruments equipped for house and construction, arrangement, testing and
handing.

3.3.2

The allowable limit distance from the farthest point of the room, or from the farthest
working place to the nearest emergency exit, which is measured along the axe of
emergency
exit line,
has
to be limited
depending
+ Fire Danger
group

according
to function
and on:
explosion danger class of the room and
house;
+ The number of exit people;
+ Geometry parameters of the room and the emergency exit line;
+ Structure Fire danger grade and fire rate of the house.
Length of the emergency exit line along walking staircase of class 2 is equal to 3 times of
that staircase height.

NOTE:

Request in detail on allowable limit distance from the farthest point to the nearest emergency exit is
shown in Codes applied for each kind of construction. Appendix G shows some regulations for some
popular groups of house.

3.3.3

In arrangement, Design if emergency exit lines it is asked to respect requests of 3.2.1. The
emergency exit line is not composed of lift, rolling elevator and some lines as shown
below:
- Lines through corridors which have exits from lift cabinet, through lift lobby and
intermediated compartment in from of lift, if the covering structure of the lift cabinet,
including lift cabinet door, could not satisfy requests as to fire stopping components;
- Lines through walking staircase chambers when they have a way getting through the
standing of the staircase chamber are a part of the corridor, as well as the way getting
through the room in which a walking staircase of class 2 is installed, and that this
staircase is not the staircase of emergency exit;
- Lines along house roof, except roof which are inuse or a roof part which is equipped

specifically for emergency exit purpose;
- Lines along walking staircase of class 2, which connectfrom and over 3 levels (Floors)
as well as leading from basement and half basement, except cases as shown in 3.2.2.

3.3.4

On emergency exit lines in buildings belonging to all fire rates and structure fire danger
grade, except buildings which have their fire rate of class V and building belonging to
S3, it is not allowable to use materials which have their fire danger higher than that of
groups as listed below:
- Ch1, BC1, SK2, ĐT2 –M To wall finishing, ceiling and suspending ceiling board in
halls, walking staircase chamber and inside lift lobby;
- Ch2, BC2, SK3, ĐT3 or Ch2, BC3, ĐT2- To wall finishing, ceiling and suspending
ceiling board in common corridor, common room and waiting room;
- Ch2, LT2, SK2, ĐT2 – To floor covering in hall, walking staircase chamber and lift


lobby;
- BC2, LT2, SK3, ĐT2- To floor coverings in the common corridor, common space and
waiting room.
In rooms belonging to group F5 of class A,B and C1 , in which there is manufacture
process, using or storing combustible liquids, the floors then have to be made in noncombustible materials or materials which have their fire properties of group Ch1.
The ceiling which is hanged in the rooms and on the exits must be made by the
incombustible material.
3.3.5

In the corridors of the exit as shown on the item 3.2.1, except the cases shown particular
in the specification, it is not allowed to arrange: the equipments which are salient out the
wall’s surface at the level of less than 2m, the flammable liquid and gas lines, as well as
wall cabinet, excluding communication panel and fire- plug panel.

The corridors as mentioned on the item 3.2.1 must be covered by fire material in
accordance with the specified standards for each building type.
The corridors of more than 60m must be partitioned by fire resistance partitions of the type
2 into the sections which have the length is determined according to the smoke protection
regulations’ shown in the Appendix D, but not exceeding 60m. The doors at these fire
resistance partitions must comply with the requirements of 3.2.11.
When the doors of the room are salient the corridor, the width of the exit according to the
corridor must be equal the clearance width of the corridor to minus:
- A half on
of one
the side
door’s
overhang
width (for the most overhang door)- when the door is
arranged
of the
corridor;
- All of the door’s overhang width (for the most overhang door) – when the door is
arranged on two sides of the corridor;
- This requirement is not applied tothe floor corridor ( lobby) located between the door
of the apartment and the door of the stairs room in the units of the group F1.3.

3.3.6

The clearance height of horizontal sections of the exits shall be not less than 2m, the
clearance width of the horizontal sections of the exits and the ramps are not less than:
+ 1.2m – for the common corridor used to exit for over 15 peoples from the rooms of the
group F1, for over 50 peoples – from the rooms of the fire hazard group as other features;
+ 0.7m – for the access go to the single working stations;
+ 1.0m- for all other cases.

In any case, the exits must be enough large, their geometry is also considered, in order to
not obstruct the transportation of stretchers with the wounded people lying on there.

3.3.7

It is allowed to arrange the steps with the difference height of less than 45cm or the highedges on the slab of the exit, except the threshold of the door. At step locations must
arrange the staircase step with the step number of not less than 3 or do the slope with the
angle of slopes of not more than 1:6 (the difference height does not exceed 10cm for the
0
length of 60 cm or a angle which is made by the slope and the plan is not more than 9.5
).


It is requested to arrange the handrails for the stairs at the locations which have the
difference height of the more than 45cm.

3.4

It is not allowed to arrange a spiral staircase, a curved staircase in full or in part according
to the layout and it is not allowed to arrange the staircase steps that their height and width
is different on the staircase and the room of staircase .It is not allowed to arrange a mirror
on the exit in order to cause the confusion on the exit.
Staircase and staircase chamber on the emergency exit

3.4.1 The width of staircase slab to exit , including the staircase slab inchamber staircase, not
smaller than the width of calculation or the width of any emergency exit ( door) on it, and

not less than:
a)
b)

c)
d)
3.4.2

1,35m- for the house of group F1.1;
st
1,2m - for the house having over 200 people on any floor, except the 1 floor;
0,7m - for the staircase leading to the single – work;
0,9m – for all remaining cases.
0

Slope (angle) of staircase s on the emergency exits, which are not over 1:1 (45
); the
width of tread is not less than 25cm, and the height of step is not more than 22cm.
Slope (angle) of open staircase going to the single working place, which is allowed up to
0
2:1(63,5 ).
st

It is allowable to reduce the tread height of curved staircase (usually arrange at hall of 1
floor) at place which is narrowed to 22cm; It is allowable to reduce the tread height to 12
for the staircase only use the rooms having the total number of working place over 15
people ( except the rooms of group F5, class A or B).
The staircase of class 3 must be made by the incombustible material and installed close to
the solid section (no windows or light gab) of wall having the fire hazard group not lower
than K1 and fire- resistance rating not lower than REI 30. These staircases must have the
staircase fly located at the same level of emergency exit, which have the balcony height
of 1,2m and arranged with distance not less than 1m from window gab.
The staircase of class 2 must satisfy the stipulated requirements for the staircase slab and
the staircase fly in the staircase chamber.

3.4.3

The width of staircase fly must not less than the width of staircase slab. And the width of
staircase fly in front of the entrance of elevator( the staircase fly is also the elevator
lobby) for the elevator which has hinged door open to outside, must be not less than the
total width of the staircase slab and half of door width of elevator, but not less than 1,6m.
The intermediate landing in the rectilinear staircase slab must have length which is not
less than 1m.
The doors have door leaf open to staircase chamber, and then opening the door leaf not be
reduced the calculated width of the staircase fly and the staircase slab.