Fire Safety in Schools
A fire can destroy so much and be very traumatic and have severe consequences, both in terms of loss of lives and property damage, and in a school especially causing disruption to the children’s/student’s education. Therefore, it is vital to practise and follow all fire safety legislations, to ensure a safe learning environment for all.
Statistics of Fire Safety in Schools:
In 2021 a report from the Home Office that approximately 90,000 students had experienced disruptions to their education due to fires in schools. Between 2016 and 202, fires have caused damage to over 74,000 square meters of teaching facilities, this equates to roughly 10 football pitches.
Schools unfortunately are at the top of building types for most suspicious arson attacks. Annually about one in twenty schools face fires with nearly 60% of these being intentionally started.
Best Fire Safety Practise for Schools:
Carry out regular fire risk assessments and update them to promote fire safety in schools is essential.
Enforce a “No Smoking” policy on the school grounds
Ensure fire doors are kept shut
Regular PAT test all electrical equipment
Ensure flammable substances are stored safely
Dispose of waste regularly and correctly
Make sure all furniture and fixtures are fire retardant
Create a safety plan to deal with an emergency
Fire drills should be done at least once a year
England & Wales: The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is the primary legislation governing fire safety in schools. This comprehensive order outlines the duties and responsibilities of those responsible for the premises, including the school management, to conduct fire risk assessments, establish emergency plans, and ensure adequate fire safety measures are in place.
Scotland: The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006 play crucial roles in regulating fire safety in schools. These acts stipulate similar responsibilities for fire risk assessments, emergency planning, and the installation and maintenance of fire safety equipment within educational premises. Despite legislation being similar it's worth familiarising yourself with the specific act as there will be subtle differences between the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and Regulatory Reform order 2005 such as The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 introduces a formal certification process for fire engineering strategies. Importantly Scotland (and Wales) also mandates that sprinkler systems are installed in all new or substantially refurbished schools.
Stay safe and always follow best fire safety practises.
At Safety For, we take Fire Safety very seriously. We’ll soon be launching a whole line of fire related training courses, beginning with our Fire Risk Assessment in Medium-Risk Premises - Level 3 Award, a 5 day course starting 20 May.
For any more information on this course, please contact Laura