COMMERCIAL SAFETY & SECURITY
Why Fire Safety Should be a Primary Concern for Schools
» TO PROTECT PUPILS , STAFF AND visitors , schools must adhere to stringent fire safety regulations . And with fire safety design standards under the spotlight , Karen Trigg of Allegion UK recalls the necessity of ongoing assessments and maintenance periods within school buildings .
The UK Fire Service is called out to extinguish fires in approximately 1,500 UK schools per year . Each year , these incidents - regardless of magnitude - disrupt the education of around 90,000 students , cause economic strain through physical building damage and , most significant of all , compromise safety .
In line with this , the government recently opened consultation on proposed revisions to its non-statutory fire safety guidance in schools . The Building Bulletin 100 ( BB100 ), as it ’ s known , was first introduced in 2007 and gives thought to school building design , crucially advising on how to minimise the spread of fire and make the structure adequately resistant to fire .
Yet , the BB100 requires updating and simplifying . Many have raised concerns towards the guidance , specifically for
“ falling short ” on active fire protection methods such as sprinklers - which in newly built school facilities have seen a reduction in installation from 70 % in 2007 to around 15 % today . With this renewed focus on legislation and schools back at full capacity , passive fire protection methods , such as fire doors and their hardware , must also be considered as part of a complete , fire safety package .
Legislation and liability
As the Department of Education seeks views on the revised BB100 reform , decision makers must be proactive in improving the fire safety standards within their own school buildings . Fires are unpredictable , beginning in and out of school hours and across various areas of the premises , too , from food tech rooms to chemistry labs where combustible materials are held . Arson is also a common offence , accounting for up to 70 % of incidents in school environments for some local authority fire brigades .
In the event of a fire , should a school be considered unsafe or in breach of the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order
2005 , it is in danger of receiving heavy penalties and fines . Not to mention the risk of a damaged reputation . To remain compliant , decision makers must approach fire safety as a continuous process , routinely managing all areas of fire safety within their facilities to be prepared for all contingencies .
This is demonstrated in the Regulatory Reform ( Fire Safety ) Order 2005 , where it ’ s stated all workplaces must designate a Responsible Person ( RP ) to ensure their building is prepared in the event of a fire . Often , within education environments , this responsibility can be shared . In local authority schools for example , accountability can be shared between headteacher and the authority , and in private or independent schools , the responsibility often lies with the building owner . As part of their obligations , the RP must manage the ongoing compliance with fire safety legislation , while ensuring fire systems and procedures , including fire drills , are uncompromised . Additionally , the RP must possess a robust knowledge of fire safety to manage and perform regular fire safety risk assessments .
Sources ; https :// www . nationalfirechiefs . org . uk / News / nfcc-reiterates-its-calls-for-schools-to-be-fitted-with-sprinklers , https :// consult . education . gov . uk / technical-standards / building-bulletin-100 / supporting _ documents / BB100 _ consultationoverview _ Final . pdf , https :// consult . education . gov . uk / technical-standards / building-bulletin-100 /, https :// www . nationalfirechiefs . org . uk / write / MediaUploads / Consultations / Technical _ Review _ of _ BB100 _ - _ Design _ for _ Fire _ Safety _ in _ Schools _ CfE _ - _ NFCC _ FINAL _ 31 _ May _ 19 . pdf
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NOV / DEC 2021
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