Fire Safety Measure which a Buyer should check before Buying a Flat.

By Abhay Harish Shah , Realty Quarter

Some Builders/Developers designs a building which is more likely to attract modern requirements of the public, to do so they might do cost cutting in safety measures which are essential in any building. Whether it a Commercial or Residential building, a developer has to consider safety precautions for one’s life.

People like to own a flat in a skyscraper building, but they should understand the safety measures of a particular building. One of the measure safety precautions which a buyer must ask is about whether this building is safe? There are many fire accidents happened in well-known society. A robust fire-fighting system is a crucial aspect of a building’s safety plan. There are many old buildings in Mumbai, for them the fire department needs to take steps, to create awareness about fire safety among the residents of the building.

For newly constructed buildings, the government has given some set of rules concerning fire safety which a developer needs to follow. Apart from following the norms laid out by civic bodies for approvals, developers can add value, by selecting fire-resistant materials for constructions.

Top 5 Fire Safety measures which a buyer should check before buying a flat:

1) Provide adequate means of escape: It is dangerous to provide only 1 specific area to escape so, the first rule of fire management requires sufficient escape routes out of the building, in accordance with its scale and occupancy. The number, size and location of exits are specified in the National Building Code (NBC) 2005, a detailed set of guidelines for constructing, maintaining and operating buildings of all types.

2) Install smoke detection & smoke suppression systems: Smoke detection can sense the fire instantly which will alert by providing an automatic alarm system. This system has helped many times, as the premise can be evacuated before the fire spreads in the whole building. Also, Smoke suppression system helps to sprinkle water on the fire detected area.

3) Use flame-retardant materials in interiors: Materials used in the interiors can save or endanger lives. The combination of wood, paper and textiles makes workstations highly combustible. Fabrics can be made flame-retardant, however, so that they self-extinguish when lit. An increasing number of companies, especially multinationals, request such fabrics despite their price premium, according to data from Indian office furniture manufacturer BP Ergo.

4) Ask the local fire brigade to assess safety: Fire department will assess your building’s level of fire safety for a nominal fee. Storage of dangerous or inflammable materials, old and unstable structures, insufficient getaway routes or electricity over-burdens are potential death traps that are best surveyed by experts.

5) Comply with National Building Code: “Green buildings” are in vogue but safe structures are sadly not. Both the Mumbai Fire Brigade and BMC commissioner concede that 80% of buildings likely violate accepted codes of building safety, with ignorance and personal whims leading to illegal modifications after gaining requisite occupancy permission.

Before buying a property people research so many things but forget about this most important element. So, it will be a good practice if one can see all of the above Safety measures before booking a flat.