Article 140Supplement v1, p. 140

COMMERCIAL LAWS SUPPLEMENT

(17) any other substance with potential to cause harm to

persons, property or the environment because of one or

more of the following: a) The chemical properties of the

substance; b) The physical properties of the substance; c)

The

biological

properties

of

the substance. Without

limiting

the

definition

of

hazardous

material,

all

dangerous goods, combustible liquids and chemicals are

hazardous materials.

c) Safety Measures for Hazardous Operation/Processes —

Fire safety measures shall be required for the following

hazardous operation/processes:

(1) welding or soldering;

(2) industrial baking and drying;

(3) waste disposal;

(4) pressurized/forced-draft burning equipment;

(5) smelting and forging;

(6) motion picture projection using electrical arc lamps;

(7) refining, distillation and solvent extraction; and

(8) such other operations or processes as may hereafter

be prescribed in the rules and regulations.

d) Provision on Fire Safety Construction, Protective and

Warning System — Owners, occupants or administrator

or buildings, structures and their premises or facilities,

except such other buildings or structures as may be

exempted in the rules and regulations to be promulgated

under Section 5 hereof, shall incorporate and provide

therein fire safety construction, protective and warning

system, and shall develop and implement fire safety

programs, to wit:

(1) Fire protection features such as sprinkler systems, hose

boxes, hose reels or standpipe systems and other fire

fighting equipment;

(2) Fire alarm systems;

(3)

Fire

walls

to

separate

adjoining

buildings,

or

warehouses and storage areas from other occupancies in

the same building;

(4) Provisions for confining the fire at its source such as

fire resistive floors and walls extending up to the next

floor slab or roof, curtain boards and other fire containing

or stopping components;

(5) Termination of all exits in an area affording safe

passage to a public way or safe dispersal area;

(6) Stairway, vertical shafts, horizontal exits and other

means of egress sealed from smoke and heat;

(7) A fire exit plan for each floor of the building showing

the routes from each other room to appropriate exits,

displayed prominently on the door of such room;

(8) Self-closing fire resistive doors leading to corridors;

(9) Fire dampers in centralized airconditioning ducts;

(10) Roof vents for use by fire fighters; and

(11) Properly marked and lighted exits with provision for

emergency lights to adequately illuminate exit ways in

case of power failure.

SECTION 8. Prohibited Acts. — The following are declared

as prohibited act and omission:

a. Obstructing or blocking the exit ways or across to

buildings clearly marked for fire safety purposes, such as

but not limited to aisles in interior rooms, any part of

stairways,

hallways,

corridors, vestibules, balconies or

bridges leading to a stairway or exit of any kind, or

tolerating or allowing said violations;

b.

Constructing

gates,

entrances

and

walkways

to

building

components

and

yards,

and

temporary

or

permanent structures on public ways, which obstruct the

orderly and easy passage of fire fighting vehicles and

equipment;

c. Prevention, interference or obstruction of any operation

of the fire service, or of duly organized and authorized fire

brigades;

d. Obstructing designated fire lanes or access to fire

hydrants;

e. Overcrowding or admission of persons beyond the

authorized capacity in movie houses, theaters, coliseums,

auditoriums or other public assembly buildings, except in

other assembly areas on the ground floor with open sides

or open doors sufficient to provide safe exits;

f. Locking fire exits during period when people are inside

the building;

g. Prevention or obstruction of the automatic closure of

fire doors or smoke partitions or dampers;

h. Use of fire protective or fire fighting equipment of the

fire service other than for fire fighting except in other

emergencies where their use are justified;

i. Giving false or malicious fire alarms;

j. Smoking in prohibited areas as may be determined by

fire service, or throwing of cigars, cigarettes, burning

objects in places which may start or cause fire;

k. Abandoning or leaving a building or structure by the

occupant or owner without appropriate safety measures;

l. Removing, destroying, tampering or obliterating any

authorized mark, seal, sign or tag posted or required by

the fire service for fire safety in any building, structure or

processing equipment; and

m. Use of jumpers or tampering with electrical wiring or

overloading the electrical system beyond its designated

capacity or such other practices that would tend to

undermine

the

fire

safety

features

of the electrical

system.

SECTION 9. Violations, Penalties and Abatement of Fire

Hazards. — Fire hazards shall be abated immediately. The

Chief, BFP or his/her duly authorized representative, upon

the report that a violation of this Code or other pertinent

laws, rules and regulations is being committed, shall issue

notice/order

to

comply

to

the

owner, administrator,

occupant or other person responsible for the condition of

the building or structure, indicating among other things,

the period within which compliance shall be effected,

which shall be within ten (10) to fifteen (15) days after the

receipt

of

the

notice/order,

depending

on

the

reasonableness to adequately comply with the same.

If after the lapse of the aforesaid period, the owner,

administrator, occupant or other responsible persons

failed to comply, the Chief, BFP or his/her duly authorized

representative shall put up a sign in front of the building

or structure that it is a fire hazard. Specifically, the notice

shall

bear

the

words

"WARNING:

THIS

BUILDING/STRUCTURE IS A FIRE HAZARD", which shall

remain

posted

until

such

time

that

the

owner,

administrator, occupant or other persons responsible for

the

condition

of

the

building,

structure

and

their

premises or facilities abate the same, but such period

shall not exceed fifteen (15) days from the lapse of the

initial period given in the notice/order to comply.

Finally,

with the failure of the owner, administrator,

occupant or other persons responsible for the condition

of the building, structure and their premises or facilities

to comply within the period specified above, the Chief,

BFP may issue order for such abatement. If the owner,

administrator or occupant of buildings, structure and

their premises or facilities does not abate the same within

the period fixed in said order, the building, structure,

premises or facilities shall be ordered closed by the Chief,

BFP

or

his/her

duly

authorized

representative

notwithstanding

any

permit

clearance

or

certificate

earlier issued by the local authorities.

Any building or structure assessed and declared by the

Chief, BFP or his/her duly authorized representative as a

firetrap on account of the gravity or palpability of the

violation or is causing clear and present imminent fire

danger to

© Compiled by RGL

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