It is essential that staff and students are safe in their place of learning, whether it’s a school, university, college, or anywhere else. According to research, an average of 1,500 fires happen each year in educational establishments, causing a “significant impact on the social and emotional experiences of pupils, staff and the wider community and on teaching and learning in the affected schools.”
According to insurance reports from Zurich, in 2019 alone there were 40 fires in schools each month, causing damage to nearly 15,000 square meters of classroom space. Based on these fires alone, the report estimates that the cost of school fires will soar to £320 million in the next 10 years. Below is a comprehensive guide to fire safety in UK schools and the regulations that govern them. Included overviews of who holds responsibility for compliance, and what protective measures must be implemented in educational facilities.
The central fire safety regulations for schools
Schools and academic skills have a legal task to save students, staff, and marks against fire risks
Schools and educational facilities have a legal duty to protect students, staff, and property against fire hazards. There are several acts and policies that must be complied with by UK law to maintain fire safety, many of which are becoming stricter in terms of regulations and penalties for non-compliance. These include:
- Building Bulletin 100 (BB100): BB 100 covers regulatory compliance in terms of school fire risks, property protection, and fire safety management. It is most applicable to building designers, fire engineers, and building control officers. The regulations are met if appropriate early warning systems are installed (in accordance with BS 5839-1), including systems that support the hearing impaired. This regulation also requires clear escape routes and a place of safety where people can gather. Finally, it requires fire-stopping and passive fire compartmentation solutions to be used in educational facilities. These work to limit the spread of smoke and fire, allowing more time for evacuation and minimizing property damage.
- Approved Document B: This legislation provides guidance for designing, building, expanding or renovating structures such as schools. It has recently been upgraded in light of post-Grenfell inquiries. Changes include an outright ban on metal composite material panels with unmodified polyethylene in buildings of any height. Regulations also stipulate the need for fire-resistant external cladding and compartmentation to limit the spread of flames and smoke in any buildings on school premises that are over 11m tall.
- The Fire Safety Act 2021: The Fire Safety Act 2021 clarifies how the Fire Safety Order should be applied. It states that one or more responsible persons must be appointed to implement and maintain compliance with the order. These people must arrange to have a fire risk assessment completed, as well as implement the measures needed to manage fire risks appropriately. These can include fire doors, cavity barriers, and compartmentation measures. All measures must meet the standards for product performance and installation to be compliant with the Act. Finally, The Fire Safety Act requires that all employees are provided with relevant information and training regarding fire risks.
What can happen if fire safety regulations are not followed?
The main concern with non-compliance is the increased risk of personal injury and property damage. A fire can have a devastating impact on a school’s reputation and can set back learning for months while repairs are made.
If a school is found to be falling short of regulatory requirements, local authorities and organizations such as the Building Safety Regulator can issue legal notices and penalties to facilities that are not meeting the appropriate standards. These notices include:
- An alterations notice: This formal fire safety notice can be sent by local authorities if the educational facility has significant fire safety risks, or if renovations have been made to buildings that may affect fire protection.
- An enforcement notice: This is a more severe formal notification used when school fire safety risks are considered to either be particularly high or improperly managed. This notice will outline measures that have to be taken along with a deadline for implementation.
- A prohibition notice: A school can receive a prohibition notice if it is decided that the facility presents a dangerous fire risk. This will prohibit entrance to the school for all employees and students and are effective as soon as they are received. They also carry penalties.
- Severe penalties: Due to the impact a fire can have on an educational facility, penalties for non-compliance are high. This includes costs of up to £5,000 for minor offenses, while significant fire safety breaches can incur unlimited fines and even a prison sentence of 2 years.
General fire precautions for every school and learning facility
Fire protection solutions need to be customized to meet each school’s unique set of structural
Fire protection solutions need to be customized to meet each school’s unique set of structural and functional specifications. For example, schools supporting young children with disabilities or mobility needs will need an entirely different approach to a more mainstream school.
That’s where a professional passive fire protection specialist can be invaluable, customizing fully compliant solutions to protect the facility and students. Having said that, there are general fire safety precautions that apply to all educational institutions.
Passive fire protection
These are solutions and products that slow the spread of fire, smoke, and harmful gasses. Their purpose is to limit property damage and give people enough time to safely evacuate, as well as enough time for fire services to arrive. For example, school kitchens are a recognized fire risk area due to the presence of heat sources and flammable materials.
If a fire were to break out in the kitchen space, compartmentation solutions would contain flames and smoke long enough for the building to be safely evacuated. It would also prevent fire from spreading to classrooms and other high-risk areas like chemistry laboratories that contain flammable materials.
Active fire protection
Invaluable solutions that must comply with fire safety regulations and should be usable
This includes manual and automatic systems that combat fire, such as fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, early warning systems, and fire sprinklers.
These are invaluable solutions that must comply with fire safety regulations and should be usable for facilities where people may have hearing impairments. These systems work alongside passive fire protection solutions to provide comprehensive fire safety and risk management.
Training
As part of the duties of the responsible person, staff must be trained to manage fire risks. This includes safe storage of flammable materials, general fire safety, and evacuation procedures in the event of a fire.
For example, in a larger school, may need 2 or more responsible persons to share these duties. One person could bring in a fire risk assessment team to identify fire hazards and install compliant solutions, and then oversee ongoing maintenance. Another person could take on the responsibility of going on a fire safety and response course, and then training teachers and staff on how to manage fire risks and respond in an emergency. This helps people act quickly in the event of a fire so safety procedures are properly adhered to.