Fire is a constant threat to public health around the globe. Whether it occurs in our homes, offices, or industrial settings, fires often lead to the worst-case loss of life, bodily injury, and property. India is no exception as fires are a daily occurrence across the country. India is particularly vulnerable to the devastating effects of fires. The single largest cause of fire disasters in urban areas are electric short circuits. Poor city infrastructure for firefighting and accessibility to site further increases the potential for fire hazards in India.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau of India, 208 deaths were reported in commercial building fires in 2020, while residential or dwelling buildings saw a staggering 5,391 fatalities.
Fire prevention codes and standards are used to provide reasonable protection of life and property from the hazards of fire. A code is a set of rules that serve as an accepted guideline for industry to follow. Standards create a common language to instruct how to meet the code. Fire codes generally refer to a set of rules for both commercial and residential building construction. Fire codes can be extensive and lengthy due to the variety of structures covered, e.g., a home, office building or medical facility. Fire standards can be both mandatory and voluntary in adoption.
- The National Building Code (NBC)of India, 2016: Published by the Bureau of Indian Standards, NBC is a “recommendatory document”, and state governments are expected to incorporate it into their local building by laws, making the recommendations a mandatory requirement. It mainly contains administrative regulations, general building requirements such as fire safety requirements, structural design, and construction (including safety) provisions.
- Model Building Bye Laws, 2003:Under Modern Building Bye Laws 2003, fire clearance is the responsibility of the Chief Fire Officer at each point. The concerned Development Authority must provide the building plans to the Chief Fire Officer for clearance purposes.
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):Guidelines by National Disaster Management Authority stipulates fire safety requirements for public buildings, including hospitals along with design guidelines relating to maintaining a minimum level of open space, exit mechanisms, stairs, and evacuation drills.
There is a need for strict implementation and enforcement of the National Building Code as well as the Model Building Bye Laws. Both these laws have recommended use of Flame retardants in electrical distribution systems. Hence, more awareness is required to be created on the benefits of using flame retardants for electrical and electronic equipment.
Flame retardants in insulation foams and furniture used in Residential buildings also help to contain fire and reduce the risk of damage to life and property.
The role of Flame Retardants to help meet Fire Safety Standards
Flame retardants are chemicals added to materials to reduce their flammability which prevents or slows down the spread of fires. The use of flame retardants helps to meet fire safety standards that help prevent fires from starting or spreading, which in turn can save lives and reduce property damage. Globally, there are multiple fire safety regulations which require the use of flame-retardant materials in certain applications, such as in upholstered furniture, electronics and building insulation. This is because flame retardants can greatly improve the fire resistance of these materials and reduce the risk of fires. To achieve these fire repelling properties, many flame retardants are composed of the chemical element, Bromine. Brominated flame retardants (BFRs) are particularly effective and are widely used in a large variety of products/industries including building & construction.
The Attractiveness of Bromine industry for India
McKinsey & Company’s report, “India: The Next Chemicals Manufacturing Hub?” outlines several factors that support India’s position as a key player in the chemical industry, including a favourable cost structure, availability of raw materials, and a growing domestic market for chemicals. The Indian government’s “Make in India” initiative is also highlighted as a driver of growth for the sector. Flame retardants are noted as an attractive segment selected on basis market size and growth, competitive cost, and production for manufacturing in India, historical performance, and macro trends.
The report goes on to discuss the challenges that the Indian chemical industry faces, such as regulatory and environmental hurdles, as well as infrastructure constraints. Additionally, the industry’s historical focus on commodity chemicals and lack of investment in research and development is noted as a potential barrier to growth. However, the same report also notes that of 11 Inorganic chemical segments, Bromine offers high-cost competitiveness for manufacturing in India, due to availability of competitive Raw Material.
Hence, India has the potential of becoming a global hub for Bromine manufacturing in India given India’s competitiveness, as well as widespread usage as a flame retardant.
