Hyderabad, Oct 29 (PTI) Telangana Fire Department has issued special fire and life safety guidelines for Data Centres prescribing specific safety requirements for scrutiny and processing of applications for provisional Fire NOCs, officials said on Thursday.
Telangana Fire, Disaster Response, Emergency and Civil Defence Department Director General Vikram Singh Mann issued the guidelines for Data Centres operating in the state through a circular on October 28, an official release said.
Keeping in view the government's top priority for setting up Data Centres in the state, the guidelines will facilitate ease of doing business and speed of doing business by faster processing of the Fire NOC applications by taking into consideration the ground realties and practical fire safety requirements for Data Centres, it said.
The initiative aims to strengthen fire prevention, improve emergency preparedness and ensure compliance with prescribed fire and life safety standards for Data Centres across Telangana, thereby promoting the safety of critical infrastructure and supporting effective emergency response, it further said.
Data Centres house servers, data storage systems, networking equipment and other critical infrastructure that require uninterrupted electricity, cooling and communication systems. The presence of UPS systems, batteries, transformers, generators, fuel storage and extensive cable networks creates specific fire risks that require specialised preventive and protective measures, the officials said.
The guidelines prescribe requirements for fire detection and alarm systems, suitable fire suppression systems, compartmentation, firefighting shafts, wet risers, refuge areas and adequate firefighting water storage and pumping facilities.
Automatic sprinkler systems are prescribed for administrative areas, while technical areas require suitable water-mist or clean-agent gas suppression systems to ensure effective fire protection.
Special emphasis has been placed on the safety of battery, UPS, transformer and switchgear rooms and other critical electrical installations.
The guidelines also require comprehensive fire risk assessments, adequate ventilation, fire-rated separation, emergency shutdown arrangements and appropriate protection for fuel storage and other high-risk areas.
The guidelines are based on the assessment of the fewer number of people present in a Data Centre as compared to a convention business building, they said.
The circular further emphasises the integration of fire detection and suppression systems with relevant building management and emergency systems.
"Measures must also be taken to prevent the accumulation of combustible materials, including cardboard, packaging materials, wooden pallets and waste, in data halls and other critical areas. Specific conditions concerning basement levels and the protection of critical infrastructure have also been prescribed," they said.
DG Fire services instructed the scrutinising officers to verify compliance with the approved fire safety design and the prescribed conditions as per the circular.
The guidelines shall apply to the applications for Provisional Fire No Objection Certificates submitted on or after November 6, the release added.
