Introduction

• Large pandals, shamianas, tents and similar temporary structures are common at fairs, festivals, exhibitions, circuses, religious functions and other outdoor assemblies.

Hazards

• These occupancies are highly vulnerable to fire and quick spread of fire. In the past, fires in occupancies like circus tent in Bangalore, Nation Book Fair at Calcutta, a school function in Sirsa (Haryana), a religious function in Baripada (Orissa), Srirangam on Tami Nadu killed hundreds of people including school children.

Permission Required

• Permission/licence from the Municipal Corporation/Local authority for specific and limited period.

• NOG (No Objection Certificate) from Fire Services Dept.

• Licence for electrical connection.

Location

• Temporary structures should not e located.
  - within 15m from railway line, substation, chimney, furnace or similar hazard.
  - below live electric lines.
  - in hazardous areas where storage, handling or processing of in flammable/explosive substances is carried out.

Construction

• Structural members should resist fire for at least 10 min. to facilitate evacuation. For this purpose, these should be either.
  - non-combustible or
  - of substantial construction or
  - treated with fire retardant solution as prescribed in IS 8758-1993.

• Dip the fabrics, decorative cloth, coir ropes also in the solution.

Ignition Sources

• Electrica fault is the amin ignition source. Get the lighting done by a licenced electrical engineer and conform to the load per circuit & insulation test as per IS 1646-1982.

• Use PVC sheathed conductors with joints in porcelain connectors. Avoid twisted and taped joints.

• Provide overload, short-circuit and earth leakage circuit breakers.

• Residual current Circuit Breaker with 30 mA sensitivity is recomended.

• Portable gas lights if used, should not be hung from the ceiling of the structure. Place them on separate stands securely fixed.

• Fireworks and open flames (other than controlled fire for religious purposes) should never be allowed inside or in the vincinity.

• Cooking can only be done in a seggregated place away from the pandal.  Keep pan cover to extinguish oil pan fire.  Do not resort to make-shift arrangements such as joining lengths of rubber tubes for supply of gas to the stoves.

• Flammable chemicals and dry vegetation should not be allowed inside and upto 3 m around.

• Smoking should be prohibited and enforced strictly.

Fire Fighting

• Water supply should be readily available.

• Two fire buckets per 50 sq.m of floor space and one 2 kg CO₂ or 5 kg dry chemical powder extinguisher near electrical switchgear should be provided so as to be easily accessible.

• Emergency fire telephone number to be displayed prominently.

• Designate a responsible person at the site to inform the Fire Services in an emergency. Give them details of the premises in advance.

Means of escape

• The sides of the pandal should preferably be left open or at least the lower portions of the side walls should not be fixed. Provide ample exitsw as per guidelines below.

• 'EXIT' sign to be displayed conspicously and illuminated from reliable power supply.

• Provide central, side and cross gangways (1.5 m wide).

• In fire emergency, movable seats may cause hindrance to exit. Tie up 4 or more seats together and secure to the ground.

• Doors if provided for exits, should open outwards.