Chapter 2

COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BUILDING

Section 1.0 Scope

This chapter covers general guidelines in the choice and design of industrial
building. It includes safety rules and requirements for the various aspects of
industrial buildings, and matters on machinery and equipment foundation
designs.

Section 2.0 Plant Design Procedure

2.1 Basis of the Structure Design.

For industrial works, the utilization demand of the industry for which the
building is to be used are of utmost importance in the design of buildings.

Aside from geographical location and economic consideration, the

mechanical and electrical equipment requirements are extremely important
for all modern buildings, particularly factories.

2.2 Requirements for number, size, location and height of rise for elevators
with particular attention to penthouse dimensions and
equipment loads.

General requirements for plumbing with particular attention to the location

of soil stacks, Standpipes, main pumps, water storage tanks and sprinkler
systems.

b. If steam is to be produced within the buildings, requirements of the boiler

room and accessories, such as fuel storage, the probable location of steam
mains and ducts and their approximate sizes in order to avoid
interference with a structure member of other utilities.

c. Typical lighting demands with particular attention to ceiling outlets as their

proper locations may influence the framing of the building and the necessary
space required for the electric conduits often affect the floor
design.

d. For industrial buildings, all specific demands of the manufacturing

processes such as special mechanical and electrical equipment
of interior clearances, should be identified.

Section 3.0 General Requirements

3.1 Space Requirements

a. Work Rooms (referring to maintenance shop and machine room) shall be

at least 3 000 mm in height from floor to ceiling.

b. The maximum number of persons working or will be working shall not

exceed one person per 12 cubic meters. In calculating the working space
requirement, no deduction shall be made for benches or other furniture,
machines or materials but height exceeding 3 000 mm shall be
excluded.

3.2 Crowding of Floor Space

a. The floor space in a machine room shall strictly follow safety requirements
and shall not be crowded with machineries in a manner dangerous to
employees, or be over crowded with materials or products so as to constitute
hazards to them.

b. Sufficient space shall be provided around the individual machine or

process units to allow for normal operation, adjustments, ordinary repairs,
and for material supplied, in process or completed.

3.3 Stumbling Hazard

a. The parts of floors over which any person is liable to work shall be
sufficiently even to afford safe walking and safe trucking of materials.

b. Such parts shall be free from holes and splinters, improperly fitted covers
for gutters of conduits, protruding nails and bolts, projecting valves or pipes ,
or other projections and obstructions which might
create stumbling hazards.

3.4 Slipping Hazards

 a. Floors, stair treads and landings shall not be slippery under any
condition or made of any material which will become slippery through
wear. In the case of concrete stairs, it should have a rough finish and for
steel stairs, checkered plate or standard metals and non-slip strip shall be
used.

b. Stairways, ramps, elevators, platforms and similar places where slipping

may be especially hazardous, shall be provided with non-slip walkway
surfaces.

3.5 Floor and Wall Opening:

a. Ladderway, floor openings shall be guarded on all exposed sides, except

at the entrance to the opening, by permanent railings and
toe boards, the passage through the railings shall be provided with a barrier
or gate so arranged that a person cannot walk directly into the opening.

b. Stairway floor openings shall be guarded onall exposed sides, except at

the entrance to the stairway, by permanent railings and toe boards.

c. For seldom used stairways where traffic the opening prevents the use of
permanent railings, the guard shall consist of a flush-hinged cover of
adequate strength equipped with railings attached thereto so as to leave
only one side exposed when the cover is open.

d. Hatchway chute, pit and trap door openings (it cold be an elevator pit or a
maintenance pit) shall be guarded by:

1. Removable railings with toe boards on not more than two sides and
permanent railings with toe boards on all other exposed sides, or

2. Flush-hinged cover as specified for stairway floor openings.

3.6 Manholes and Other Openings

a. Manhole floor openings shall be provided with manhole covers of adequate

strength which need not be hinged.
b. other floor openings into which persons can accidentally fall through shall
be guarded either by permanent railings and toe boards
on all exposed sides or by hinged floor opening covers of adequate strength.

c. When covers for either type are not in place, the opening shall be
constantly attended to by someone or protected by portable enclosing
railings.

d. Floor Openings into which person can accidentally walk on account of

fixed machinery, equipment or walls shall be guarded by covers securely
held in place and leaving no openings more than 25 mm in width or by toe
boards on all exposed sides.

e. All wall openings less than 1 000 mm from the floor having a height of at
least 750 mm and width of 450 mm from which there is a drop of more than
2 000 mm shall be solidly enclosed or guarded by fixed or rolling barrier
rails, picket fences, half doors, or equivalent barriers, capable of
withstanding a load of at least 100 kg applied in any direction except
vertically upward at any point on the top or corresponding member.

f. All other wall openings, irrespective of their width shall, if their lower edge
either 80 mm or less above floor level on the near side or 2 000 mm or more
above ground, or floor level on the far side, be guarded by:

1. A toe board across the bottom of the opening or

2. An enclosing screen, either solid or of grilles or slat work with

opening or slat work with openings not more than 25 mm in width.

3.7 Railings

a. All railings shall be constructed in a permanent and substantial manner of

wood, pipe, structure metal or other material of sufficient strength.

b. Standard railings shall be at least 1 000 mm from the upper surface of

the top rail to floor level.
[Link] railings shall have posts not more than 2 000 mm apart and
an intermediate rail halfway between top rail and the floor.

d. The dimensions of railings and posts and the anchoring and framing of
members shall be such that the completed structure shall be capable
of withstanding a load of at least 100 kg applied in any direction at any
point of the top rail.

e. Railing of the following types of construction shall be deemed

satisfactory:

1. For Wood Railings: Top rails and posts of at least 50 mm x 100

mm stock and intermediate rails of at least 50 mrn x 50 mm x
20 mm x 100 mm stock. All such railings shall be smooth and
free from large or loose knots, protruding nails or bolts, splinters,
fine slivers or cracks.

2. For Pipe Railings: Top rails and posts of metal pipe of at least 30
mrn diameter. And intermediate rails of metal pipe of at least 25
mm diameter.

3. Structural Metal Railings: Top rails 'and posts of angle iron at

Least 38 mm x 38 mm x 5 mm and intermediate rails of angle
iron of at least 32 mm x 32 mm x 3 mm.

f. All railings shall be sound materials free from defects and all sharp
corners shall be rounded and smoothed.

g. Toe boards shall be at least 150 mrn in height.

h. Toe boards may be made of wood, iron, steel or other substantial

material.

i. Toe boards shall be securely fastened in place with not more than
6mm clearance above floor level.

3.8 Stairs

a. All stairs, platforms, and landings shall be of sufficient strength to

sustain safely a live load of not less than 500 kg with a factor of
safety of four (4)
b. Width of stairs except service stairs, i.e. giving access to oiling platforms,
shall in no case be less than 900 mm and should be at least 1 120 mm
away from all obstruction except handrails.

c. Except for service stairs, the pitch of stairways should be between 30" and
38" from the horizontal and the slope should not be less than 20" or more
than 45".

d. Where the slope would be less than 20°, a ramp should be installed, and
where the slope is more than 45", a fixed ladder should be provided.

e. No stairway shall have a height of more than 2 750 mm between landings,

and intermediate landings shall have dimensions of not less than 1 120
mm measured in the direction of the run.

f. Headroom shall be provided at all points in the stairwell. The vertical

clearance shall not be less than 2 200 mm from the top of the tread in line
with the face of the riser.

g. Except for service stairs, the treads, exclusive of noosing or projections,

shall not be less than 230 mm in width and the risers
shall not be more than 200 mm or less than 130 mm in height.

h. There shall be no variation in the width of the treads and the heights of
the risers in any flight; the top and bottom treads of any flight should be
clear distinguishable.

i. All stairways having four or more risers shall be equipped with stair
railings on any open side.

j. Enclosed stairways less than 1 120 mm in width shall be equipped with the
stair railings on any open side.

k. Enclosed stairways less than 1 120 mm in width shall be equipped with at

least one handrail, preferably on the right side
descending.

l. Stairways 1 120 mm or more in width shall be equipped with one stair

railing on each open side and one handrail on each enclosed side.