GOST 12.1.004-91 PDF

Full title and description

GOST 12.1.004-91 — Система стандартов безопасности труда. Пожарная безопасность. Общие требования (Occupational safety standards system. Fire safety. General requirements). National (USSR/Russian) standard establishing general fire-safety requirements, terminology and principles for design, organization and operation of fire‑safety measures for protected objects of various purposes throughout their life cycle.

Abstract

GOST 12.1.004-91 sets out general principles, basic definitions and mandatory requirements for ensuring fire safety of buildings, structures, equipment, processes, materials and people. The standard defines a system-level approach to prevention, detection, limitation of fire spread and protection of people and property, and provides methods for classification of fire hazard, evaluation of fire‑safety measures, and requirements for documentation, organization and maintenance of fire‑safety systems.

General information

• Status: In force / applied (originally approved by the State Committee for Standards of the USSR; provisions amended; parts incorporated into later normative acts — verify current legal status in the national registry).
• Publication date: Approved 14 June 1991; effective 1 July 1992 (GOST designation year: 1991).
• Publisher: State Committee for Standards of the USSR (Gosstandart); maintained and referenced by national standards bodies (Rosstandart) and emergency services authorities.
• ICS / categories: ICS 13.220.01 (Protection against fire in general); classification group T58 (safety standards system).
• Edition / version: Designation GOST 12.1.004-91 (with amendment Amd. 1, 1995). Original 1991/1992 edition.
• Number of pages: Approximately 65–68 pages (published text commonly listed as 68 pages).

Scope

The standard establishes general fire-safety requirements applicable to objects of various designations at all stages of their life cycle: research and development, normative documentation, design and construction, manufacture, installation, commissioning, operation (use), maintenance and repair, storage, transportation, sale (including export), testing and disposal. It provides rules for development of compensatory fire-safety systems where objects do not meet existing regulatory norms.

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and terminology for fire, fire hazard, system of fire safety, fire‑safety level and related concepts.
• Principles for organization of a fire‑safety system: prevention, detection, limitation of spread, extinguishing and evacuation.
• Classification of objects and premises by fire and explosion hazard; categorization for design decisions.
• Requirements for constructional fire resistance, compartmentation, fire barriers and limiting spread of fire and smoke.
• Requirements for fire detection and alarm systems, automatic fire‑fighting installations and manual firefighting means.
• Evacuation principles: calculation of evacuation times, marking of routes and intervals between signs (visibility under smoke conditions), organization of safe exits.
• Handling, storage and compatibility rules for flammable and combustible materials; measures to prevent self‑ignition.
• Requirements for testing, inspection, maintenance, documentation and training of personnel in fire‑safety procedures.
• Methods for probabilistic assessment of fire occurrence, evaluation of levels of people protection and economic efficiency of fire‑safety systems.

Typical use and users

Used by fire safety engineers, building designers and architects, facility and plant managers, safety officers, regulatory and inspection authorities, emergency services, industrial enterprises, and organizations responsible for development of fire‑safety documentation, design of detection and suppression systems, and preparation of evacuation plans.

Related standards

Commonly referenced and related documents include other GOST and GOST R standards on fire safety and terminology (for example, standards on classification of fire hazard, fire-resistance tests and methods of fire testing), as well as national technical regulations on fire safety. Users typically consult GOST 12.1.033 (classification of fire hazard of objects and materials) and GOST R fire‑safety series and applicable building codes and technical regulations when applying this standard.

Keywords

fire safety; occupational safety; evacuation; smoke control; fire prevention; fire detection; automatic fire suppression; fire resistance; hazardous materials; fire‑safety system; emergency planning.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: GOST 12.1.004-91 is a national standard (USSR origin) that defines general requirements, terminology and system principles for fire safety across objects and activities — covering prevention, protection, detection, limitation of spread and evacuation.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers general fire‑safety requirements for buildings, structures, processes, materials and people at all stages of an object's life cycle; classification of fire hazards; measures for prevention, detection and suppression; evacuation rules; documentation, testing and maintenance of fire‑safety systems.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Fire safety engineers, designers, facility managers, safety officers, inspectors, emergency services and organizations preparing fire‑safety documentation or designing fire‑protection systems in jurisdictions where the standard is referenced or accepted.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The standard was approved in 1991 and came into force 1 July 1992 and has had amendments. Many authorities and technical registries continue to reference its provisions; however, parts of its content have been incorporated into later standards and technical regulations. For legal or regulatory use you should verify current applicability and any superseding documents in the official national standards registry or with the national standards body.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes — GOST 12.1.004-91 is part of the System of Labor Safety Standards (ССБТ) dealing with fire safety; it is connected to a broader set of GOST and GOST R documents addressing fire testing, classification, methods and specific requirements for materials, equipment and installations.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Fire safety, occupational safety, evacuation, fire detection, fire suppression, fire resistance, smoke, hazardous materials, system of fire safety, prevention.