Article 120Supplement v1, p. 120

COMMERCIAL LAWS SUPPLEMENT

shall extend from the ceiling downward at least 300

millimeters on all sides. Automatic sprinkles shall be

provided around the perimeter of the opening and within

a 600 millimeters of the draft curtain. The distance

between

the sprinkles shall not exceed 1.80 meters

center-to-center.

(c) Other Vertical Openings . — All shafts, ducts, chutes,

and other vertical openings not covered in paragraph (b)

above shall have enclosing walls conforming to the

requirements specified under the type of construction of

the building in which they are located. In other than

Group A Occupancies rubbish and linen chutes shall

terminate in rooms separated from the remainder of the

building

by

a

One-Hour

Fire-Resistive

Occupancy

Separation. Openings into the chutes shall not be located

in required exit corridors or stairways.

(d) Air Ducts . — Air ducts passing through a floor shall be

enclosed in a shaft. The shaft shall be as required in this

Code for vertical openings. Dampers shall be installed

where ducts pierce the shaft enclosure walls. Air ducts in

Group A Occupancies need not be enclosed in a shaft if

conforming to the mechanical provisions of this Code.

SECTION 1205. Floor Construction . — (a) Floors shall be of

such

materials

and

construction

as specified under

Chapter 5 — Fire Zones and Fire-Resistive Standards and

under Chapter 6 — Types of Construction.

(b) All floors shall be so framed and secure into the

framework and supporting walls as to form an integral

part of the whole building.

(c) The types of floor construction used shall provide

means

to

keep

the

beam and girders from lateral

buckling.

SECTION 1206. Roof Construction and Covering . — (a)

Roof Covering . — Roof covering for all buildings shall be

either fire-retardant or ordinary depending upon the

fire-resistive

requirements

of

the

particular

type

of

construction. The use of combustible roof insulation shall

be permitted in all types of construction provided it is

covered with approved roof covering applied directly

thereto.

(b) Roof Trusses . — All roofs shall be so framed and tied

into the framework and supporting walls so as to form an

integral part of the whole building. Roof trusses shall have

all joints well fitted and shall have all tension members

well tightened before any load is placed in the truss.

Diagonal and sway bracing shall be used to brace all roof

trusses. The allowable working stresses of materials in

trusses shall conform to this Code. Camber shall be

provided to prevent sagging.

(c) Attics — (1) Access . — An attic access opening shall be

provided in the ceiling of the top floor of buildings with a

combustible ceiling or roof construction. The opening

shall be located in a corridor or hallway of buildings of

three or more storeys in height, and readily accessible in

buildings of any height. An opening shall not be less than

600 millimeters square or 600 millimeters in diameter.

The minimum clear headroom of 800 millimeters shall be

provided

above

the

access

opening.

For

ladder

requirements,

refer

to

the

Philippine

Mechanical

Engineering Code.

(2)

Area

Separation .

—

Enclosed

attic

spaces

of

combustible construction shall be divided into horizontal

areas not exceeding 250 square meters by fire-resistive

partitions extending from the ceiling to the roof. Except ,

That where the entire attic is equipped with an approved

automatic fire-extinguishing system, the attic space may

be divided into areas not to exceed 750 square meters.

Openings

in

the

partitions

shall

be

protected

by

self-closing doors.

(3) Draft Stops . — Regardless of the type of construction,

draft stops shall be installed in trusses roofs, between roof

and bottom chords or trusses, in all buildings exceeding

2000 square meters. Draft stops shall be constructed as

for attic area separations.

(4) Ventilation . — Enclosed attics including rafter spaces

formed where ceilings are applied direct to the underside

or roof rafters, shall be provided with adequate ventilation

protected against the entrance of rain.

(d) Roof Drainage System .— (1) Roof Drains . — Roof drains

shall be installed at low points of the roof and shall be

adequate in size to discharge all tributary waters.

(2) Overflow Drains and Scuppers . — Where roof drains

are required, adequate overflow drains shall be provided.

(3) Concealed Piping . — Roof drains and overflow drains,

when concealed within the construction of the building,

shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of the

National Plumbing Code.

(4) Over Public Property . — Roof drainage water from a

building shall not be permitted to flow over public

property, except for Group A and J Occupancies.

(e) Flashing . — Flashing and counterflashing shall be

provided at the juncture of the roof and vertical surfaces.

SECTION 1207. Stairs, Exits and Occupant Loads . — (a)

General . — The construction of stairs and exits shall

conform to the occupant load requirements of buildings,

reviewing stands, bleachers and grandstands:

(1) Determinations of Occupant Loads . — The occupant

load permitted in any building or portion thereof shall be

determined by dividing the floor area assigned to that

use by the unit area allowed per occupant as determined

by the Secretary.

(2) Exit Requirements . — Exit requirements of a building

or portion thereof used for different purposes shall be

determined by the occupant load which gives the largest

number of persons. No obstruction shall be placed in the

required width of an exit except projections permitted by

this Code.

(3) Posting of Room Capacity . — Any room having an

occupant load of more than 50 where fixed seats are not

installed, and which is used for classroom, assembly, or

similar purpose shall have the capacity of the room

posted in a conspicuous place near the main exit from

the room.

(4)

Changes

in

Elevation .

—

Except

in

Groups

A

Occupancies, changes in floor elevations of less than 300

millimeters along any exit serving a tributary occupant

load of 10 or more shall be by means of ramps.

(b) Exits — (1) Number of Exits . — Every building or usable

portion

thereof

shall

have

at

least

one

exit.

In all

occupancies, floors above the first storey having an

occupant load of more than 10 shall not have less than

two exits. Each mezzanine floor used for other than

storage purposes, if greater in area than 185 square

meters or more than 18.00 meters in any dimension, shall

have at least than two stairways to an adjacent floor.

Every storey or portion thereof, having an occupant load

of 500 to 999 shall have at least three exits. Every storey or

portion thereof having an occupant load of 1000 or more

shall have at least four (4) exits. The number of exits

required

from

any

storey

of

a

building

shall

be

determined by using the occupant loads of floors which

exit through by using the occupant loads of floors which

exit through the level under consideration as follows: 50

percent of the occupant load in the first adjacent storey

above (and the first adjacent storey below, when a storey

below exits through the level under consideration) and 25

percent of the occupant load in the storey immediately

beyond the first adjacent storey. The maximum number

of exits required for any storey shall be maintained until

egress is provided from the structures. For purposes of

this Section basement or cellars and occupied roofs shall

be provided with exits as required for storeys. Floors

above the second storey, basements and cellars used for

other than service of the building shall have not less than

two exits.

(2) Width . — The total width of exits in meters shall not be

less than the total occupant load served divided by 165.

Such width of exits shall be divided approximately equally

among the separate exits. The total exit width required

© Compiled by RGL

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