1. ------IND- 2017 0221 FIN EN- ------ 20170623 --- --- PROJET
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Ministry of the Environment Decree


For the purposes of this Decree:

automatic fire-extinguishing system refers to equipment that detects a fire and extinguishes it at its initial stage, or else keeps it under control until final extinguishing can be carried out;

dry riser refers to a pipeline intended for the transfer of water for fire-extinguishing that is permanently installed in a building;

passageway refers to a passable route from each point of the floor area leading to an exit;

usable attic refers to an attic in a residential building for the storage of household goods or for drying laundry;

flashover refers to a rapid transfer of conditions in which the surfaces of combustible materials within an enclosure are entirely ignited;

heating appliance refers to a device forming part of the building or external to it in which solid, liquid or gaseous substances are burned, and that is joined to the building or to a separate chimney flue;

heat insulator refers to a construction product used for thermal insulation made from one or more materials;

material refers to one base material or an evenly distributed mixture, for example metal, stone, wood, concrete, mineral wool, whose properties are evenly distributed, or a polymer;

fire-separating door refers to a door that fulfils the requirements of a prescribed fire class;

fire-separating building element refers to a building element that separates fire compartments, meeting the requirements of a prescribed fire class;

fire-separated exit refers to a fire-separated area through which safe evacuation from the building can be made;

division into parts refers to the division of a fire compartment or void into smaller areas or volumes by a building element that meets the requirements of a prescribed class in order to limit the spread of fire;

fire or explosion hazardous area refers to an area with a significant or major fire or explosion hazard;

fire detector refers to an installation that automatically and immediately indicates a beginning fire, and also warns of defects endangering its operational reliability;

fire load refers to the sum of the total heat released through the complete combustion of the materials in a room. These materials include the load-bearing, bracing, fire-separating and other building elements and furnishings;

fire load density refers to the fire load per floor area expressed in megajoules per square metre (MJ/m2);

fire- and smokeproof exit refers to a fire-separated exit that is accessed only though a fire-separated space on storey level (safety lock) and further through a balcony or other space facing the open air in order to prevent the release of fire and combustion gases into the exit;

fireproof exit refers to a fire-separated exit that is accessed only through a fire-separated space (safety lock) on storey level;

fire wall refers to a wall that prevents the spread of fire to the other side of the wall for a stated period of time and withstands the collapse of adjoining buildings and impacts caused by the collapse;

fire resistance refers to the ability of a building element to fulfil the requirements prescribed for it for a specified period of time (load-bearing requirement or fire-separating requirement, or both) at a specified load and a specified fire exposure;

fire resistance time refers to the period of time, expressed in minutes, for which a building element has been verified to meet the prescribed requirements;

safety lock refers to a fire-separated space between two fire compartments. A safety lock has doors that open separately into each adjoining fire compartment without a need to open the doors at the same time;

fire compartment refers to an interior area of the building from which the spread of fire is prevented for a stated period of time by fire-separating building elements or by some other effective means;

fire lane refers to a driveway or other drive access by which fire engines can get sufficiently close to the building and to water supply facilities in case of fire;

surface refers to the surface part of walls, ceilings and floors, the properties of which have an influence on the ignition and spread of fire;

evacuation area refers to a unitary and functional part of a building in relation to the arrangements for evacuation;

building element refers to a fixed part of a building, such as a wall, dividing wall, floor, roof, beam, column, door or duct, which may mean both separate construction products with their connections and elements that consist of one or more products;

extinguishing route refers to a passageway for firefighters that leads from the outside to basement floors and that is separate from the exits of storeys;

smoke extraction refers to the removal of smoke and heat generated by fire from a building, automatically or by gravity;

chimney refers to a structure that consists of one or more flues surrounded by a wall or walls. Combustion products are conducted along the flue to the open air;

internal corridor refers to a corridor in an evacuation area that leads to an exit;

protective covering refers to a construction product or object composed of a number of construction products that protects a building material behind it from ignition, charring or other fire damage for a stated period of time;

fire detector and alarm connected to mains power supply refers to a device that detects a beginning fire, alerts those in the area, is connected to the electrical mains power supply and whose supply of electrical current is ensured;

building material refers to a construction product, material or component that is used in construction;

fireplace refers to a building element or a device in which solid, liquid or gaseous substances are burned;

attic refers to the space between the uppermost floor and the roof of a building, where it is possible to move about;

exit refers to a door leading directly out from an evacuation area, or a space in the building or outside of it, through which safe evacuation to the ground level or to some other safe place is possible in case of fire;

fire escape refers to a route that is less passable than an exit through which it is possible to escape from a fire to safety. A fire escape may be a suitably located balcony or window opening through which escape is possible, either by rescue action or via a fixed ladder, or using some other suitable building elements, to the ground level or to some other safe place in the event of fire.

void in the uppermost floor refers to a space where it is not possible to move about due to insufficient height, the shape of the space or for some other reason.
1) automatic fire extinguishing system refers to equipment that detects a fire and extinguishes it at its initial stage, or else keeps it under control until final extinguishing can be carried out;

2) passageway refers to a passable route from each point of the floor area leading to an exit;

3) heat insulator refers to a construction product used for thermal insulation made from one or more materials;

4) fire-separating door refers to a door that fulfils the requirements of a prescribed fire class;

5) fire-separating building element refers to a building element that separates fire compartments, meeting the requirements of a prescribed fire class;

6) fire-separated exit refers to a fire-separated area through which safe evacuation from the building can be made;

7) division into parts refers to the division of a fire compartment or void into smaller areas or volumes by a building element that meets the requirements of a prescribed class in order to limit the spread of fire;

8) fire or explosion hazardous area refers to an area with a significant or major fire or explosion hazard;

9) fire detector refers to an installation that automatically and immediately indicates a beginning fire, and also warns of defects endangering its operational reliability;

10) fire load refers to the sum of the total heat released through the complete combustion of the materials in a room. These materials include the load-bearing, bracing, fire-separating and other building elements and furnishings;

11) fire load density refers to the fire load per floor area expressed in megajoules per square metre (MJ/m2);

12) fire- and smokeproof exit refers to a fire-separated exit that is accessed only though a fire-separated space on storey level (safety lock) and further through a balcony or other space facing the open air in order to prevent the release of fire and combustion gases into the exit;

13) fireproof exit refers to a fire-separated exit that is accessed only through a fire-separated space (safety lock) on storey level;

14) fire wall refers to a wall that prevents the spread of fire to the other side of the wall for a stated period of time and withstands the collapse of adjoining buildings and impacts caused by the collapse;

15) fire resistance refers to the ability of a building element to fulfil the requirements prescribed for it for a specified period of time (load-bearing requirement or fire-separating requirement, or both) at a specified load and a specified fire exposure;

16) fire resistance time refers to the period of time, expressed in minutes, for which a building element has been verified to meet the prescribed requirements;

17) safety lock refers to a fire-separated space between two fire compartments. A safety lock has doors that open separately into each adjoining fire compartment without a need to open the doors at the same time;

18) fire compartment refers to an interior area of the building from which the spread of fire is prevented for a stated period of time by fire-separating building elements or by some other effective means;

19) fire lane refers to a driveway or other drive access by which fire engines can get sufficiently close to the building and to water supply facilities in case of fire;

20) surface refers to the surface part of walls, ceilings and floors, the properties of which have an influence on the ignition and spread of fire;

21) evacuation area refers to a unitary and functional part of a building in relation to the arrangements for evacuation;

22) building element refers to a fixed part of a building, such as a wall, dividing wall, floor, roof, beam, column, door or duct, which may mean both separate construction products with their connections and elements that consist of one or more products;

23) extinguishing route refers to a passageway for rescue personnel that leads from the outside to basement floors;

24) smoke extraction refers to the removal of smoke and heat generated by fire from a building, automatically or by gravity;

25) internal corridor refers to a corridor in an evacuation area that leads to an exit;

26) protective covering refers to a construction product or object composed of a number of construction products that protects a building material behind it from ignition, charring or other fire damage for a stated period of time;

27) fire detector and alarm connected to mains power supply refers to a device that detects a beginning fire, alerts those in the area, is connected to the electrical mains power supply and whose supply of electrical current is ensured;

28) building material refers to a construction product, material or component that is used in construction;

29) attic refers to the space between the uppermost floor and the roof of a building, where it is possible to move about;

30) exit refers to a door leading directly out from an evacuation area, or a space in the building or outside of it, through which safe evacuation to the ground level or to some other safe place is possible in case of fire;

31) fire escape refers to a route that is less passable than an exit through which it is possible to escape from a fire to safety;

32) void in the uppermost floor refers to a space where it is not possible to move about due to insufficient height, the shape of the space or for some other reason.

§ 3


The essential technical requirements set for fire safety will be met if the building is designed and constructed in accordance with the classes and numerical criteria set out in this Decree.

The fire safety requirements will also be met if the building is designed and constructed based on a design fire scenario that covers the situations that are likely to occur in the building. The meeting of the requirement shall be attested on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the properties and use of the building. In a design that is based on a design fire scenario, methods that are of demonstrated validity must be used. The basis for the design, the models used and the obtained results shall be presented in connection with the building permit procedure.

If the height of the building exceeds 140 metres, the meeting of the essential technical requirements shall be demonstrated on the basis of a design fire scenario; however, the minimum requirements based on classes and numerical criteria must also be met.
The fire safety requirements will also be met if the building is designed and constructed based on a design fire scenario that covers the situations that are likely to occur in the building. The

meeting of the requirement shall be attested on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the properties and use of the building. In a design that is based on a design fire scenario, methods that are of demonstrated validity must be used. The basis for the design, the models used and the obtained results shall be presented in connection with the building permit procedure.

§ 4


For the purposes of this Decree:

dwellings refers to premises used as residences, such as residential apartments and leisure apartments;

accommodation premises refers to premises such as hotels, holiday homes and residential homes that are normally in use 24 hours a day and where no one is under care or in confinement;

institutions refers to premises such as hospitals, homes for the elderly, prisons and day-care centres that are in use 24 hours a day, and where people are under care or in confinement;

assembly and business premises refers to premises such as restaurants, shops, schools, day-care centres and other early childhood education premises, sports halls, exhibition halls, theatres, churches, libraries and day-care institutions that are generally in daytime or evening use and occupied by a considerable number of members of the public or customers;

office premises refers to premises such as offices and bureaux that are generally in daytime use and where the majority of the personnel are familiar with the premises;

production and storage premises refers to premises associated with industrial activity and storage, such as ordinary industrial premises, premises for agricultural production and large warehouses with a generally regular personnel familiar with the local conditions;

garages refers to premises intended for the keeping of cars and similar motor vehicles.
1) dwellings refers to premises used as residences, such as residential apartments and leisure apartments;

2) accommodation premises refers to premises such as hotels, holiday homes and residential homes that are normally in use 24 hours a day and where no one is under care or in confinement;

3) institutions refers to premises such as hospitals, homes for the elderly, prisons and day-care centres that are in use 24 hours a day, and where people are under care or in confinement;

4) assembly and business premises refers to premises such as restaurants, shops, schools, day-care centres and other early childhood education premises, sports halls, exhibition halls, theatres, churches, libraries and day-care institutions that are generally in daytime or evening use and occupied by a considerable number of members of the public or customers;

5) office premises refers to premises such as offices and bureaus that are generally in daytime use and where the majority of the personnel are familiar with the premises;

6) production and storage premises refers to premises associated with industrial activity and storage, such as ordinary industrial premises, premises for agricultural production and large warehouses with a generally regular personnel familiar with the local conditions;

7) garages refers to premises intended for the keeping of cars and similar motor vehicles.

The activities in production and storage premises are divided into two fire hazard classes:

1) activities involving a minor or moderate fire hazard;

2) activities involving a significant or major fire hazard, or where there may be an explosion hazard.

An area where there is fire or explosion hazard must not be located in a building where there are dwellings, accommodation premises, institutions or assembly and business premises. However, necessary areas where there is a fire or explosion hazard and that are required by the intended use of the building may be located with the above-mentioned premises if effective arrangements are in place to ensure that these do not jeopardise personal safety.