LAHORE: The Punjab Emergency Services Department has circulated its newly-amended ‘simplified’ Safety Buildings Regulations on Friday for commercial, industrial, healthcare and residential multistorey buildings and warehouses across the province.
These regulations, cited as the Punjab Community Safety Buildings Regulations 2022 (amended up to 2026), have added certain new features to ensure no major mishap happens in case of any fire emergency.
“Subsequently, certain amendments to the said Regulations have been made after the recent fire safety audit of all buildings across Punjab,” reads a notification issued by Punjab Emergency Services Secretary Rizwan Naseer.
Emergency Exits and Staircases
According to the notification, buildings shall have at least one exit staircase. After every six thousand square feet or occupancy of more than fifty persons per storey, there shall be an additional exit staircase on each floor. Maximum travel distance to an exit staircase from the entrance door of any room shall not exceed one hundred feet.
New ‘simplified’ regulations for commercial, industrial, healthcare and residential multi-storey buildings and warehouses across Punjab
The notification stated that all staircases should have external ventilation at each floor. In existing or new buildings, internal exit staircases shall have fire-rated walls while maintaining uninterrupted positive ventilation at all times, and each floor shall be separated by a self-closing exit door opening outwards with fire rating as per code.
All staircases shall have a minimum headroom clearance of eighty inches and a width of three feet for the exit door and the staircase. The number of exits and staircases shall increase as per the occupancy load in case of public gathering or assembly occupancy areas as per the code. The staircase shall be located in such a way that it provides access to an open area with clear access to the road for emergency evacuation and it shall remain obstruction free at all times.
In case of buildings above hundred feet there shall be refuge areas open to air on the periphery of the floor or on a cantilever projection as per the Code.
The staircase shall be well illuminated backed by uninterrupted power supply of at least ninety minutes having accessible windows opening towards an open area on each floor to enable evacuation of persons in case of an emergency.
Exit Signs
There shall be illuminated exit signs with emergency lights in each corridor guiding the way to the exit door and the staircase. ‘EXIT’ shall be written in plainly legible capital letters of not less than six inches in height. The exit signs shall be placed at points along the evacuation path for clear guidance and the exit sign shall be readily visible from any direction of exit access.
Hydrant Systems
External fire hydrants of pillar type in red color with two outlets of 2.5 inch diameter instantaneous type couplings shall be provided near the entry and exit of the building and pressure shall be maintained as per the code.
The hydrant shall not be located more than twelve feet from the fire rescue service access road and there shall be at least five feet clear space in front of each hydrant. Standpipe system shall be installed on each floor inside the buildings with 2.5 inch diameter landing valves with instantaneous couplings maintained at minimum seven bar pressure.
The system shall also be connected with a hundred feet long 1.5 inch delivery hose and nozzle or one inch non-collapsible hose reel which shall be stored in a hose cabinet located near each exit.
The hydrant and sprinkler systems shall be separate from normal water supply systems and pressure shall be maintained on all floors through an electric pump of suitable capacity with a backup pump that shall remain operational even during power failure or when the main supply of the building is cut off.
Building up to hundred feet shall have an independent internal overhead tank of seven thousand and five hundred gallons for fire suppression system. In case where a building is more than hundred feet, it shall have an independent internal overhead water tank of fifteen thousand gallons and underground water tank of thirty thousand gallons.
Fire Extinguishers
The notification states, the buildings shall have at least one multipurpose (A,B,C) dry chemical powder of minimum twelve pounds or appropriate fire extinguisher(s) in functional condition for each two thousand square feet of floor area as per the code.
The maximum travel distance to a fire extinguisher shall not exceed seventy-five feet but for combustible cooking areas or other hazardous areas, the travel distance shall not exceed thirty feet from hazard to the extinguishers.
Fire extinguishers with gross weight up to forty pounds shall be installed so that the top of the extinguisher is not more than five feet above the floor.
Fire extinguishers having gross weight greater than forty pounds shall be installed so that the top of the fire extinguisher is not more than three and a half feet above the floor and bottom of the fire extinguisher shall be at least four inches above the floor.
Fire Alarm System
Buildings shall have video-based fire and smoke detection and alarm systems in all common areas and corridors with uninterrupted power supply and 24/7 surveillance by trained safety staff.
All floors shall have manual pull station or push-button call points fire alarm located within sixty inches of exit doorway connected to both audible and flasher fire alarms.
The residential areas shall have battery operated smoke alarms, or automatic fire alarm systems with uninterrupted power supply.
The notification also elaborated the features pertaining to the clear access and removal of the obstructions, evacuation plans, assembly areas, general safety measures and other key issues with directions for the administrative departments to play their responsibilities in the larger interest of the public.
Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2026
