What defines a high-rise residential building according to this code?

A building with a height of 15 meters or more. (Clause 3.1)

When are sprinkler systems mandatory?

Sprinkler systems are mandatory throughout residential buildings exceeding 60 meters in height. (Clause 5.3)

What is the minimum water storage required on the terrace for firefighting?

A static water storage tank of 20,000 litres capacity is required. (Clause 5.2.1.2)

How many staircases are required in a high-rise building?

At least two staircases are required, located as far apart as possible, with one preferably on the external wall. (Clause 4.2.1)

IS 10459

: 1982

Code of Practice for Fire Safety of High-Rise Residential Buildings

SupersededSpecializedCode of PracticeBIMFire Safety · Fire Safety

Superseded by NBC 2016 Part 4

Archive.org BIS Portal Google

This standard provides guidelines for fire prevention, life safety, and fire protection for high-rise residential buildings (over 15m in height). It covers requirements for means of egress, fire detection and suppression systems, and smoke control to ensure occupant safety during a fire.

Provided specific fire safety requirements for the design and construction of high-rise residential buildings (superseded by NBC 2016 Part 4).

Quick Reference Values

High-rise building definition height15 m or more

Mandatory sprinkler system trigger height60 m

Minimum number of staircases2

Terrace tank static water storage for firefighting20,000 litres

Portable fire extinguisher provisionOne 9-litre extinguisher per 100 m² of floor area

Practical Notes

This code is officially withdrawn by BIS. Always refer to the latest version of the National Building Code of India (NBC), Part 4 'Fire and Life Safety' and local fire authority bye-laws for current compliance.

The 15m height threshold for a building to be classified as 'high-rise' is a fundamental concept from this code that is still widely used in many municipal regulations.

Although withdrawn, it serves as a historical reference for understanding the evolution of fire safety norms in India for high-rise construction.