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The objective behind the enforcement of fire license

Fire safety laws are in place to guarantee that buildings are built and maintained with the proper protection to avoid or control fires in high-risk areas. These rules are included in Section 2(HB) of the West Bengal Fire Services Act, 1950, which applies to high-rise buildings with a height of more than 14.5 metres. Organisation should obtain Fire License in West Bengal.

Authorized Personnel to issue a license

The Director-General of Fire and Emergency Services and the Deputy Director for Fire Services are in charge of licencing and safety procedures.

Process of application for Fire License

A fire licence is required for the formation of new constructions with the intent of manufacturing and storing risky and harmful highly flammable materials. The Office of the Director-General of Fire Services in Siliguri is where an applicant from the northern region of Bengal should register for the licence. Simultaneously, the application for the districts of South Bengal must be lodged at the Collector’s Office in the Fire Brigade Department’s License Section, situated at Mirza Galib Street in Kolkata. The issue and renewal of a fire licence will occur at the location where the application is received.

Attachments for Application

• 2 copies of the warehouse or workshop site plan, created at a scale of 1 cm: 1 metre.
• A declaration identifying the dangerous materials to be stored or handled on the premises, as well as their maximum quantity.
• A statement containing information on fire services, such as the number of full-time firefighters and their qualifications, as well as the name of the building’s fire prevention and fire safety equipments.
• A statement describing the structure and nature of the planned warehouse or workshop.
• Certificate of Fire Safety.

Classification of Establishments

• Buildings with a height of more than 14.5 metres or a volume of more than 5000 cubic metres are classified as Class A.
• Class B – refers to high-risk structures with a coverage area ranging from 5000 to 2000 cubic metres and a minimum height of seven metres to a maximum of 14.5 metres.
• Buildings with a height of fewer than seven metres and a volume of less than 2000 cubic metres are classified as Class C.

Fire Safety Certificate

Fire safety certificates are issued to assure that buildings are constructed and managed with the necessary precautions in place to prevent fire accidents of any kind. This comprises any high-rise structures with a height of more than 14.5 metres.

The fire certificate application for both North Bengal and South Bengal applicants must be sent to the same location as the fire licence application.

Documents to be attached

• The architect and the landlord or occupier both sign 2 copies of the structural blueprint. A floor plan, key plan, floor-by-floor plan, section plan, proof plan, and floor-by-floor area statement must all be included in the sketch.
• The layout of the structure, including the number of occupants and their purposes.
• The structural plan is a diagram that shows how the building will be built.
• Documents relating to ownership and tenancy.

Renewal of Fire Safety Certificate

• A photocopy of the Checklist compared to the FSR issued by the appropriate persons.
• A photocopy of the Fire Safety Certificate that has been certified.

Application Procedure

Step 1: The candidate must first go to the relevant website, which may be found here – https://eservices.wb.gov.in/portal/web/guest/application-for-granting/renewal-of-fire-license

The Renewal Option is the second step.

From the e-services option on the left side of the screen, choose “Application for renewal of fire safety certificate.”

Step 3: Create an account.

By entering the user’s login details, you can access the portal.

Step 4: Save your FSR or submit it.

The applicant should now select the “Work on Saved/Submitted FSR” choice.

Step 5: Submittal Method

To work on applications that have been submitted online, click on the option “Submitted in online mode.”

Step 6: Fill out an online application.

Click on the option Apply online from the View details menu to launch the Application for Renewal of Fire Safety Certificate form.

Editing is the seventh step.

The site will redirect to a form that will auto-fill depending on the applicant’s past data. By selecting the Edit button, the candidate can begin updating. To move on to the next level, select Save and Next from the drop-down menu.

Step No. 8: The Last Act

The proceedings will be effectively concluded on the following page, which consists of a simple verification of the papers and data supplied by the applicant. To save the e-form, select the Save and Submit option. The applicant has the option of printing the completed application.

Tracking of Applications

Step 1: Go to the website.

The website is used to conduct all key statutory processes, which is the same in this situation. The applicant can start the status-checking procedure by going to the same portal mentioned above.

Step 2: FSR saved and submitted

Click on the option Submitted Application from the drop-down menu under Work on Saved or Submitted FSR.  Select the option Submitted in online mode from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: Review the Work You’ve Already Done

Now select View Submitted Application from the drop-down menu. Select the option View Detailed Status to keep track of the status.

Process for approval

Step 1: Write to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO).

After submission, the application will be forwarded to the appropriate DFO.

Step 2: Disseminating it

Upon appointing an inspecting officer, the DFO would submit the information to the Head Assistant.

Step 3: Manual File Preparation

The Head Assistant creates a manual file and forwards it to the appropriate inspecting officer.

Inspection and reporting are the fourth and final steps.

Upon notifying the applicant of the inspection date, the Inspecting Officer who receives the application will inspect the building. The inspecting officer will write a report based on the findings.

Recommendation (Step 5)

The inspector will therefore express his or her opinion and suggest the renewal of the property has implemented fire and life safety precautions that comply with the National Building Code and appropriate local municipal building by-laws.

Step 6: Returning to the DFO

The report will be forwarded to the DFO by the inspecting officer in charge.

Step 7: Certificate is issued

When the DFO determines that the safety precautions discovered by the inspecting officer are in compliance with the standards, the renewal certificate will be issued. In the event of any discrepancies, the DFO will refer the application to the Deputy Director, who will review the data before forwarding it to the Director.

High-Risk Classification

• A facility or a portion of a building used for the upkeep, management, production, or processing of extremely flammable or explosive products and materials that are vulnerable to fire.
• Building or portions of structures used for the maintenance, handling, manufacture, or processing of materials or goods that could cause hazardous vapours or an explosion.
• Building or parts of structures used for manufacturing or processing materials or products using highly corrosive or noxious alkalis, acids, or other liquids/chemicals that have the potential to explode or emit toxic, irritating, or corrosive vapours or gases.
• A building or a portion of a building used for the upkeep, handling, production, or processing of materials that produce explosive dust mixes, with the risk of such chemicals being divided up into tiny particles owing to spontaneous fire.
• When pressurised with a fixed percentage of acetylene, ammonia, carbon dioxide, chlorine, hydrogen, methyl oxide, phosgene, sulphur dioxide, enlightening and natural gases, or gases of any other kind, a building or part of a building used for storage has the potential to be dangerous or emit toxic or cryogenic fumes or gases.
• Building or portions of buildings used for the storage and handling of hazardous and extremely combustible liquids and gases.
• A structure or a portion of a structure is used for the upkeep and management of toxic substances other than liquids, such as wool and cotton.
• A structure or part of a structure dedicated to the production of ammunition and fireworks.
• A structure or part of a structure dedicated to the production of artificial flowers and synthetic leather.
• A housing complex having more than eight dwelling units or a portion of a housing complex with more than eight dwelling units.
• A subterranean structure’s building or portion of a building.
• A building or a portion of a building that serves as a power generation and distribution centre, transformer house, industrial switch-gear room, big electrical installation, or telephone exchange.
• As an airport terminal or hangers, railway station, vehicle shed, and yard, a building or part of a building is used.
• A hotel, restaurant, club with bar facilities, parlour with sauna-bath facilities, guest-house, or Dharamsala is a building or part of a building constructed as a hotel, restaurant, club with bar facilities, parlour with sauna-bath amenities, guest-house, or Dharamsala.
• A structure that can accommodate a large number of people.
• A structure or section of a structure is used for public amusement and assembly.
• A hospital, nursing home, sanatorium, or laboratory, or a portion of a hospital, nursing home, sanatorium, or laboratory.
• A library, museum, or archaeological/research centre, or a portion of a library, museum, or archaeological/research centre.
• A building or a portion of a building that is used as a shopping mall, market, Katra, or fireworks display.