Section 53 in Tamil Nadu Combined Development and Building Rules, 2019
53. Exit Requirements.
(1)The following general requirement shall apply to exits:(a)Every building meant for human occupancy shall be provided with exits sufficient to permit safe movement and also escape of occupants in case of fire or other emergency.(b)All exits shall be free of obstructions.(c)No building shall be altered so as to reduce the number, width or portion of exits to less than required.(d)Exits shall be clearly visible and the routes to reach exits shall be clearly marked and signs posted to guide the occupants of floor concerned.(e)All exit ways shall be properly illuminated.(f)Fire fighting equipment where provided along exits shall be suitably located and clearly marked but must not obstruct the exit way and there should be clear indication about its location from either side of the exit way.(g)Alarm devices shall be installed to ensure prompt evacuation of the occupants concerned through the exits, wherever required.(h)All exits shall provide continuous means of egress to the exterior of a building or to an exterior open space leading to a street.(i)Exits shall be so arranged that they may be reached without passing through another occupied unit, except in the case of residential buildings.(2)Types of Exits. - (a) Exits shall be either horizontal or vertical type. An exit may be doorway, corridor and passage to an internal staircase or external staircase, ramp or to a verandah and/or terraces that have access to the street or to roof of a building. An exit may also include horizontal exit leading to an adjoining building at the same level.(b)Lifts, escalators and revolving doors shall not be considered as exits.(3)Number and size of Exits. - The requisite number and size of various exits shall be provided, based on the occupants in each room and floor based on the occupant load, capacity of exits, travel distance and height of buildings as per provisions of the NBC Part 4 'Fire and Life Safety'.(4)Arrangement of Exits. - Exits shall be so located so that the travel distance on the floor shall not exceed 22.50m. for residential, educational, institutional and hazardous occupancies and 30m. for assembly, business, mercantile, industrial and storage occupancies. Whenever more than one exit is required for a floor of a building they shall be placed as remote from each other as possible. All the exits shall be accessible from the entire floor area at all floor levels.(b)The travel distance to an exit from the dead end of a corridor shall not exceed half the distance as stated above except in the case of institutional occupancy in which case it shall not exceed 6m.(5)Passenger elevators or lifts. - (a) Every High rise building, in addition to the stair-case, shall be provided with lift or lifts, depending on the number of persons using each floor and which shall be installed at such places and at such distances as prescribed in the National Building Code.(b)Every lift shall be in conformity with the following requirements:(i)The lift way and the car shall be enclosed.(ii)The lift shaft shall be enclosed with fire resisting materials and shall be ventilated from the highest point direct to the open air.(iii)The motors, the winding gear and the operating mechanism shall be installed in a chamber constructed of fire resisting materials and shall be ventilated from the highest point direct to the open air.(iv)These shall be fitted with an inter-locking device of such a type as will prevent,(a)all landing doors, other than the door to be opening at which the lift car is at rest, from being opened and(b)the car being moved until all doors, including the car door, are closed.(v)Precautionary measures shall be adopted to ensure the safety of passengers in the event of:-(a)an interruption or failure of electric supply;(b)a defect or failure in the controlling mechanism;(c)the rupture or displacement of ropes or shelves;(d)over running or excessive speed of the lift-car due to electrical or other defects in the motor or other mechanism;(e)the loading of the car in excess of its maximum capacity; and(f)articles falling upon the lift.(vi)The safe carrying capacity of the lift or elevator shall be conspicuously posted in or on the car or platform.(vii)Every lift shall be properly lighted.(viii)Once in every year, lift shall be got inspected and certified by a competent Engineer(c)For requirements regarding planning, designing and installation, etc. of lifts and escalators, reference shall be made to the NBC Part 8 'Building Services Section 5 Installation of Lifts and Escalators'.
