IS 12456: Fire Protection of Electronic Data Processing Installation - Code of Practice

2004·1.8 MB·English

by  Bureau of Indian Standards

इंटरनेट मानक
Disclosure to Promote the Right To Information
Whereas the Parliament of India has set out to provide a practical regime of right to
information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of public authorities,
in order to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority,
and whereas the attached publication of the Bureau of Indian Standards is of particular interest
to the public, particularly disadvantaged communities and those engaged in the pursuit of
education and knowledge, the attached public safety standard is made available to promote the
timely dissemination of this information in an accurate manner to the public.
“जान1 का अ+धकार, जी1 का अ+धकार” “प0रा1 को छोड न’ 5 तरफ”
Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Jawaharlal Nehru
“The Right to Information, The Right to Live” “Step Out From the Old to the New”
IS 12456 (2004): Fire Protection of Electronic Data
Processing Installation - Code of Practice [CED 36: Fire
Safety]
“!ान $ एक न’ भारत का +नम-ण”
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda
““IInnvveenntt aa NNeeww IInnddiiaa UUssiinngg KKnnoowwlleeddggee””
“!ान एक ऐसा खजाना > जो कभी च0राया नहB जा सकता हहहहै””ै”
Bhartṛhari—Nītiśatakam
“Knowledge is such a treasure which cannot be stolen”

IS 12456:2004

(&n
?JJ%P)7
Indian Standard
FIRE PROTECTION OF ELECTRONIC DATA
PROCESSING INSTALLATION — CODE OF PRACTICE
(’FirstRevision)
[CS 13220 20; 35.020

0 BIS2004
BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS
MANAK BHAVAN, 9 BAHADUR SHAH ZAFAR MARC
NEW DELHI 110002

September 2004 Price Group 6
Fire Safety Sectional Committee, CED 36
FOREWORD
This Indian Standard (First Revision) wasadopted bytheBureau ofIndian Standards, after the draft finalized by
the Fire Safety Sectional Committee had been approved bythe Civil Engineering Division Council.
Electronic data processing (EDP) equipment isamachine oragroup ofmachines that useselectronic circuitry to
perform arithmetic orlogical operations automatically bymeans ofaninternally orexternally stored programme
of machine. The development and the use of EDP system is a direct result of the technological breakthrough.
With increased complexity ofmodem industry, business andresearch work, ithasbecome avital tool inrecent
yearsandobviously warrants proper protection. Astheequipment isusedforprocessing largeamount ofstatistical,
problematical and experimental information, its malfunctioning can put the whole programming operation in
jeopardy. This speaks forthe importance ofitssafeguarding against anyfirehazard sincearise intemperature of
the surroundings ofthesystem exceeding 45°Cwillcauseitsmaltimctioning andasustained ambient temperature
above 50”C may cause irreversible failures.
The electronic data processing area should be deemed to include the following areas:
a) Centralprocessing area — Wherethecentralprocessing unitanditsassociated equipment are installed.
b) Data handling area — Where thedata isprocessed through thecomputer media, for example, punched
cards, punched paper tape, magnetic tape or disk, etc.
c) Media stores — Ready use paper store and magnetic media library.
d) Output printing area — Where the printing ofoutput data iscarried out.
e) Communication area — Where the EDP telecommunication system isinstalled.
The tackling of fire with speed and effectiveness assumes great importance. The security staff and other staff
should be trained inthe use of fire fighting equipment.
The purpose ofthis standard isto setforth theminimum requirements fortheprotection of electronic computer/
data processing equipment and associated areas from damage by not only tire but also itsassociated effects that
is smoke, corrosion and water. T his standard was first published in 1988 and with the experience gained and
technological advancement inthe fi e ld and inview ofhalon phase out,thetechnical committee hasnow revised
this standard.
For the purpose of deciding whether a particular requirement of this standard is complied with, the final
value, observed orcalculated, expressing the result ofatest oranalysis, shallberounded off inaccordance with
IS2:1960 ‘Rules for rounding offnumerical values (revised’. The number of significant places retained inthe
rounded off value should be the same asthat ofthe specified value inthis standard.
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IS 12456:2004
Indian Standard
FIRE PROTECTION OF ELECTRONIC DATA
PROCESSING INSTALLATION — CODE OF PRACTICE
(First Revision)
1SCOPE c) Economic lossfrom value of equipment.
This standard lays down the minimum requirements 3.3Nothing inthis standard isintended toprevent use
for the protection of electronic computer/data of systems, methods or devices of superior quality,
processing equipment fi-omdamage by fire covering strength, fire resistance, etc, provided technical
the structural environment and itsprotection. documentation is submitted to the authorities
concerned to demonstrate the superiority.
NOTES
1 Therequirements contained inthisstandard areapplicable 4TERMINOLOGY
toinstallationsforcommercialelectronicdataprocessing(EDP)
and industrial process control where substantial material 4.1 Approved — Acceptable to the authorities
damage and/orbusiness interruption lossescouldoccur.They concerned.
arenot intended tocovertabletop ordesktypecomputers or
remote terminals or micro-processors (having limited value 4.2Authority Concerned —Theauthority concerned
concentration) although they maybeused asaguide forthe istheorganization, office orindividual responsible for
protection ofthistypeofequipment. Thisdocumentmayalso
“approving” equipment and/or an installation or a
be useful where a small group of desk type computers are
installed inacertain location. procedure.
2 Software installations situated inelectronic andindustrial
4.3 Automated Information Storage System
parks may also usethis standard asaguide forprotection of
(AISS) — An enclosed storage and retrieval system
their equipment.
that moves recorded media between storage and
2 REFERENCES electronic computer systems.
The standards given in Annex A contain provisions 4.4 Aspiring (Smoke Sampling) System — A fire
which through reference in this text, constitute detection system that monitors a protected space for
provisions ofthis standard. Atthetime ofpublication, the presence of smoke by drawing anair sample from
the editions indicated were valid . All standards are the protected space, through pipework, to a central
subject to revision, and parties to a g reements based detectionpoint.Theairsampleistestedforthequantity
on this standard are encouraged to investigate the of smoke present and an alarm condition is signalled
possibility of applying the most recent editions ofthe atapre-determined response level.
standards indicated at Annex A.
4.5 Business Interruption — The effect on business
operations from the time that equipment was initially
3 GENERAL
lostordamaged until ithasbeenrestored totheformer
3.1 The application of this standard shall bebased on level ofoperation.
the risk considerations as stated in 3.2. The mere
4.6 Central Processing Area — The room or
presence of the electronic computer/data processing
enclosure inwhich the central processing unit and its
equipment does not constitute the need to invoke the
associated equipment are installed.
requirements of this standard.
4.7Coincidence Connection —A facilityincorporated
3.2 Following factors shall be considered when
into a fire detection and alarm system, whereby the
determining the need for protecting the environment,
detection of the products of combustion (for example
equipment, function, programming, records, and
smokefromafire)byatleastNO separately identifiable
supplies:
detection sources(thatisdetection andconfirmation of
a) Fire threat of the installation to occupants the existence of fire) generates a suitable output for
or exposed property particularly for the triggering, for example, the release of a gaseous total
telecommunication installations, flooding extinguishing system.
b) Economic loss from loss of function or loss 4.8Communications Area — The room orenclosure
or records, and inwhich the EDP telecommunications are installed.

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1S 12456:2004
4.9 Computer Area — An area of a building where 4.21 Interconnecting Cables — Signal and power
the computer room islocated including support rooms cables for operation and control of system.
servedbythesamespecialairconditioning/air handling
4.22 Labelled —Equipment ormaterials towhich has
equipment asthe computer room.
been attached label, symbol orother identifying mark
4.10Computer Room —Aroomwithinthecomputer of an organization acceptable to the authority
area that contains the electronic computer/data concerned andconcerned withproduct evaluation, that
processing equipment. maintains periodic inspection ofproduction oflabelled
equipment or materials and by whose labelling the
4.11 Console — A unit containing main operative
manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate
controls of the system.
standards orperformance inaspecified manner.
4.12 Data Handling Area — The room or enclosure
4.23 Listed — Equipment or materials included in a
inwhich data isreceived and transferred to computer
list published by an organization acceptable to the
input media such as magnetic tape or disc, including
“authority concerned” and concerned with product
direct heading equipment.
evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of
4.13 Easily Accessible — When the covers, panels, production oflistedequipment ormaterials andwhose
doors,orotherenclosuresfortheelectroniccomponents listingstateseitherthattheequipment ormaterial meets
within theequipment ortheflooring canberemoved or appropriate standards or has been tested and found
opened by quick, simple operations toexposeanyarea suitable for use inaspecified manner.
thatmightbeinvolved infireandpermittheapplication
NOTE—Themeansforidentifyinglistedequipmentmayvary
of anextinguishing medium.
foreachorganizationconcernedwithproductevaluation, some
4.14 EDP Installations — A fixed installation of a ofwhichdonotrecognizeequipment aslisted unlessitisalso
Iabelled. The concerned authority should utilize the system
system of electronic data processing equipment or
employed by the listing organization to identify a listed
industrial process control. product.
4.15 Electronic Computer System —Anyelectronic 4.24Master Record — Arecord of information on a
digital or analog computer, along with all peripheral, medium that can be referred to whenever there is a
support, memory, programming or other directly needto rebuild adatabase.
associated equipment, records, storage, andactivities.
4.25 Media Stores — The ready-use paper store and
4.16 Electronic Data Processing Area (EDP magnetic media library.
Area) — The room or enclosure in which the
4.26 Non-combustible — The property of amaterial,
machinery and electronic equipment necessary to
whichsatisfiestherequirements fornon-combustibility
receive or transmit data, to process it and either to
whentested inaccordance with IS3808.
record orprint the output results, ortofeedtheoutput

directly to controlled process are situ ated. The EDP 4.27 Operations Room — A room in which the

area may comprise the central processing area, data general running of the EDP operations is managed.
handling area, media stores, output area, This room may beremote from the EDP installation.
communications area and other areas served by the
4.28Output Printing Area —Theroom orenclosure
same air conditioning system. Other areas such as
inwhich the printing of output data iscarried out.
clean rooms and industrial processing may be
determined to constitute part of the EDP area. 4.29 Program — Instructions to direct system
4.17 Electronically Interconnected —Unitsthatmust operation. #
beconnected byasignal channel tocomplete asystem
4.30 Protected Enclosure — An enclosed volume
or perform an operation.
protected by a fire detection and/or extinguishing
4.18 Fire Resistance — The period for which an system inwhichtheEDP installation andother related
element ofstructure satisfiestherelevant requirements equipment isinstalled.
ofthe test for fire resistance specified in1S3809.
4.31Protected Space — Theareaorvolume protected
4.19 Fire-Resistant Rated Construction — by a fire detection and/or extinguishing systems in
Construction in which the structural members, which the EDP and other equipment are installed.
including walls, partitions, columns, floors, and roof
4.32 Raised Floor — A platform with removable
construction, have fire resistance ratings of time
panels on which equipment is installed, with the
duration not lessthan that specified inthis standard.
intervening space between it and the main building
4.20Heat Detector— Adevicethatdetectsabnormally floor used to house the interconnecting cables and at
high temperature or rate-of-temperature rise. times asameans for supplying conditioned air to the

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IS 12456:2004
data processing equipment and the room (Sometimes floors having aminimum period of fire resistance as
referred to asafalse floor or secondary floor). given inTable 1.
4.33 Records (Important) — Records of which a 5.3 Openings inthe fire rated walls between the EDP
reproduction could be obtained only at considerable and adjoining areas shall be protected by fire check
expense and labour only after considerable delay. doors on either side having a combined fire rating
equivalent to that of the walls. The fire check doors
4.34Records (Vital) —Recordsthatareirreplaceable,
shall be fabricated and erected in accordance with
suchasrecords ofwhich areproduction doesnothave
IS3614 (Part 1)andthesamecanbe-ofeither manually
thesamevalueasanoriginal; records neededtosustain
or automatically operated type. No window openings
thebusiness promptly ortorecover monieswithwhich
shall be allowed inseparating walls.
toreplacebuildings’ equipment, rawmaterials,finished
goods, and work under progress; and records needed Table 1Fire Resistance for Walls and Floors
to avoid delay inrestoration ofproduction, sales, and
(Clause 5.2)
service.
SI Fire NatureofAdjoining
4.35Separate Fire Division —A portion ofabuildirtg
No. separation Occupancies
cut off from all other portions of the building by minutes
firewalls, fire doors, and other approved means
‘Walls Flood
adequate toprevent any firethat may occur inonetire
(1) (2) (3) (4)
division from extending to another fire division.
i) 120 120 Houses, oftice premises, banks and the
like
4.36 Smoke Detector — A device that detects the
ii) 120 120 Shops, canteens, risk having low fire
visible or invisible particles of combustion. hazard [see Nationsd Building Code
(PartIV)]andthelike
4.37 Supervision — Continuous surveillance of a iii) 240 240 Moderate and high hazard risks [see
system oroperation by special supervisory equipment National Building Code (Part IV)],
Storagewarehousesandthelike
orpersonnel to alert those responsible that failure has
occurred or that a hazardous condition is being
5.4 Consideration should also be given to the use of
approached.
smoke check doors for the separation narrated in 5.3.
5LOCATION AND CONSTRUCTION
5.5 The data handling area and output printing area,
5.1 Location and other areas where large quantities of paper are
handled, should preferably be separated from the
a) EDP areas should preferably be housed in
central processing area by wall or partitions of non-
a separate building of non-combustible
combustible construction having at least 1 h fire
construction (including l inings) having afire resistance extending from the main floor to structural
resistance of at least 1h, re served solely for ceiling. Self-closing fire check doors of at least 1h
the purpose of carrying out all processes
fire resistance should protect every opening therein.
associated with that function.
Paper and other combustible materials should bekept
b) Where the EDP area is bounded partly or intotally closed metal cabinets or similar receptacles.
wholly by external walls, which may be
5.6Walls(both external and internal), wall linings, or
subjected to exposure from an external tire,
ceiling materials/lining and any suspended ceiling
allwindow openingsthereinshallbeprotected
should bebuilt from non-combustible materials.
by 6mm thick-wired glasses inmetal frames
“
having afire resistance ofatleast60min.No 5.7 Where raised (platform) floors are built above
door openings shall be permitted on the existing main floors, they should be of a adequate
exposed side unless protected by fire check strength, non-combustible andshould not incorporate
doors having 60min fire rating, conforming materials having a melting point lower than 600”C.
to IS 3614 (Part 1). Thedesignofaraisedfloorshouldbesuchthatitretains
c) The EDP area should be so located that it is itsintegrity and provides adequate thermal insulation
not exposed to tire, water, corrosive fumes inthe event of atire developing in the void beneath.
and smoke from adjoining areas directly or Wherever combustible materials are used, the raised
indirectly. floor should be faced on the underside with non-
combustible material.
5.2WheretheEDPareaformsapartoflargerpremises,
that is, it is in communication with the adjoining 5.8 The false floor material should be anti-static.
occupancies inthesamebuilding, itshouldbeseparated Provision of facing on underside of panels with GI
from those occupancies by non-combustible walls/ sheethon-combustible material ispreferable.

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IS 12456:2004
5.9 In order toavoid therisk ofwater damage from 6.3 Any filter media should also be non-combustible
external sources inthecomputer area, the main floor and regularly cleaned or replaced to remove
levelshould beraised andsills(with orwithout ramps) accumulations of combustible materials.
fitted at all door openings. Particular care should be
6.4 Good fire (and fire spread) prevention measures,
taken to avoid flooding of cable voids formed by
manually operatqd and suitably labelled Emergency
cutting ducts inmain floors. The main ceiling andthe
Override switches that can shut down the air
main floor of the EDP area should be made water-
conditioning system should beprovided inaddition to
resistant and dust proof, by suitable means to ensure
the automatic control facilities. The switches should
long-term protection.
be located near the main exit door with controlled
5.10 Servicepipescarrying water(forexample, central access,Manualcontrolsfordiscomecting theelectrical
heating), other than pipes for sprinkler protection of power supplies to the EDP installation (but not to
the EDP area shall not be brought into the EDP area essential services such asemergency lighting) should
unless a water supply is essential for the efficient be located near the main exit door and the operator’s
operation of the installation. In such cases provision consoles.
should bemade forcutting offanywater suppliesother
6.5 The air conditioning duct on the delivery side of
than those to sprinkler systems in an emergency.
the fanshould beprotected bysmoke detectors aspart
Bunding of pipes and the use of leakage detection
ofthe detection system described in8.1.
systems should also be considered.
6.6Only indirectly heated airshould beused inthe air
5.11 Allventilation orserviceorairconditioning ducts
conditioning system.
serving other parts of the building shall not pass
through EDP area. Where this is impracticable, this 6.7 Special arrangements should be made to prevent
may be allowed subject to the condition that the the accumulation of heat and smoke in the EDP area
ventilation andservice ductspassthrough fireresistant bythe useof extract systems.
shafts having rating according to that of walls and
6.8 To ensure control of fire spread and tightness of
floors of the EDP area (see 6.1).
space in the event of extinguishant discharge, the air
5.12 EDP areas should not be located in basements conditioning system (including dampers) should be
where this is absolutely impracticable; precautions interfaced with the fire protection system (see 8).
should be taken to prevent flooding and there should
6.9 Facilities should beprovided for the extraction of
be adequate access for fire fighting personnel.
extinguishant after adischarge.
5.13 Where large discharges ordeposits ofwater may
6.10 Lighting systems should be provided
occur (for example from the operation ofsprinklers or
in compliance with various requirements of the
leakage of water services), adequate facilities should
National Electrical Code. The illumination level shall
be available to enable removal ofthe water.
not be lessthan 500 lUX.
5.14 Smallworkshops required forthe maintenance of
6.11 The building housing the EDP area should be
EDP installations, supervisor’s room and the like
equipped with anefllcient lightning protection system
occupancies mayformpartoftheEDPareaonly,ifthey
inaccordance with National Electrical Code and also
are adequately sepa~ted from critical areas by fire
IS 1646. Consideration should also be given to
resistantcompatientation ofatleast1hfireresistance.
providing voltage transient protection on power and
6 UTILITIES AND SERVICES telecommunication lines and to electrical bonding of
equipment.
6.1 As faraspossible dedicated airconditioning plant
should be considered for the EDP area and the plant 6.12 All new electrical installations should also meet
room should be separated from theEDP areabywalls with therequirements inthe applicable sections ofthe
having tire resistance of at leastone hour. The access National Electrical Code.
to the plant room should be from outside and not
a) Cables should be installed in conduit or
through the EDP area (see 5.11).
trunking, or clipped to the slab or perimeter
6.2Allairconditioning ducts, including insulation and or on atray, Loose bundles of cables are not
acceptable.
lining, should be constructed of non-combustible
materials. In large EDP areas, consideration should be b) Power, lighting and communication cables
given to air conditioning systems independent from
should be segregated.
the rest ofthe building andtothetype ofsystem used.
All air ducts should include automatic dampers c) Inceilingandfloor voidsusedasairhandling i
(see 6.8) having arating of at least onehour. plenums, PVC data cables clipped to a tray

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IS 12456:2004
are acceptable only if they are separated power cords, plugs, andconnectors shall beofalisted
from power cables and smoke detection is type. They shallbeconsidered aspart ofthe computer
provided. Mineral insulated cable may be systemandsuitableforinstallationonthefloororunder
installed unenclosed. araised floor.
Itisrecommended that flame retardant, non-corrosive 7.1.4 Cords
and low smoke producing cables, as specified in IS
Approved flexible cord and plug assemblies used for
1554(Part 1),be used where appropriate.
connecting computer equipment to the branch circuit
6.13Allservices,cableducts,etc,shouldbefirestopped (to facilitate interchange) shall not exceed 4.5 m in
to ensure the required integrity oftheconstruction. length.
6.14Thenumber ofjunction boxes inunder floorareas
7.1.5 Filters
should be kept to a minimum. If they are required to
beused,they should beofmetal, completely enclosed, Air filters foruse inthe cooling systems of individual
easilyaccessible, properly grounded andinaccordance units shall be of a listed type. They shall be arranged
with the requirements of the SP 30. No connection in such a way that they can be readily removed,
should be made in the underfloor area except within inspected, cleaned or replaced when necessary.
junction boxes, approved type receptacles, the
7.1.6 Liqui&
connector.
Ifthe design of the unit issuch that oil or equivalent
6.15 Cableopenings orotherpenetrations through fire-
liquid isrequired for lubrication, cooling orhydraulic
rated walls and/or floors or other fire rated partitions/
purposes, it shall have a closed-cup flash point of
assemblies within the EDP area and also between the
150°Corhigher, andthecontainer shall beofasealed
EDP area and the adjoining occupancies shall be fire
construction, incorporating automatic pressure relief
stopped with a properly installed listed fire stopping
devices.
material (passive equipment) that hasafire resistance
rating ofatleastequivalent tothefireresistance rating 7.1.7 Acoustical Materials
ofthepenetrated building components asstatedabove.
All sound-deadening tnaterial used inside computer
6.16 All the passive equipments, such as fire doors, equipment shallbeofsuchmaterial orsoarranged that
dampers, firestops,etc,shallhaveafireratingofatleast itdoesnot increase thepotential offire damage tothe
equivalent to the fire resistance rating of the building unit orthe potential or fire propagation from the unit.
components inwhich they are installed.
7.2 General Storage
7MATERIALS ANDEQUIPMENT WITHIN EDP
7.2.1 Paper stock, inks, unused recording media, and
AREA
other combustibles within the EDP area shall be

restricted to the absolute minimum necessary for
7.1 General
efficient operation. Anysuchmaterials intheEDParea
7.1.1Onlycomputer equipment andsupportequipment shall be kept in totally enclosed metal file cases or
shall be permitted inEDP area. cabinets.Ifitisprovided forindividualmachine design,
shallbe limited tothe quantity prescribed and located
NOTES
1 Small supervisory offices and similar light hazard intheareadesignated bytheequipment manufacturer. .
occupancies directly related to the electronic equipment
7.2.2 Reserve stocks ofpaper, inks, unused recording
operations maybepermitted within theEDParea.
mediaandother combustibles shallbestored inoneor
2 Recordsshall bepermitted intheEDPareabuttheamount
of records within the EDP areashall be kepttothe absolute more rooms outside of the EDP area (see 5.5).
minimumrequiredforitsessentialandefficientoperation.Only
7.2.3 The space beneath the raised floor shall not be
recordsthatareessential tothecomputeroperationsshouldbe
allowedtobekept intheEDParea. used for storage purposes.
7.1.2 Office furniture intheEDPareashallbeofmetal 7.2.4 Abandoned cables shall not be allowed to
construction. accumulate. Cables not identified for future use shall
beremoved.
NOTES
I Metal frame chairs with integral upholstery shall be 8 FIRE PROTECTION, DETECTION AND
permitted. EXTINCTION EQUIPMENT
2 Insulated or controlled conductive coverings shall be
permitted onsurfacesofchairs, tables, desksetc. 8.1 Automatic Fire Detection System
7.1.3 Interconnecting cablesandwiring between units, a) The EDP and all associated areas (including

5