The long awaited new edition to guidance for fire safety in schools – BB100 – was last month officially launched by schools’ minister Jim Knight. Design for fire safety in schools is aimed to help school designers and fire safety officers take the right steps to ensure new school buildings give staff and pupils appropriate levels of protection from fire.
There is now a presumption that new schools, built under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, will include sprinklers in the vast majority of cases. BSF is the largest school building programme in 50 years and will involve every primary and secondary school in the country being refurbished or rebuilt.
The guide includes:
– New design standards for fire safety in schools – both for new builds and refurbishment projects
– The policy to install sprinkler systems in new schools; all new school designs will have to include sprinkler systems unless they demonstrate there is a very low fire risk
– Guidance of fire safety management; schools should have regular fire drills, and regularly test their fire alarm systems and evacuation plans.
“Fire safety must be central to the design of all new school buildings,” said Jim Knight. “It is right to put safety first when investing more in creating schools fit for education in the 21st century. School fires not only damage buildings and potentially put lives at risk, but can have longer-term effects, including loss of coursework and disruption to classes. A major fire can disrupt children’s education and mean postponing tests and exams.”
One in 20 schools annually suffers from a fire, ranging from small fires to more serious incidents, and 60% of fires are started deliberately. Mr Knight continued: “Arson is a serious crime and a real threat to the communities that are targeted. We will come down hard on those who are found guilty of such a serious criminal offence.”
Peter Holland, chief fire officer of Lancashire added: “The new guide incorporates best practice in both life safety needs and property protection measures, a dual approach that acknowledges that preventing fire deaths and injuries when fire strikes – though a priority of course – is not enough, and property protection too should be a vital element of fire prevention and protection measures.”
BB100 Design for fire safety in schools is available from: www.teachernet.gov.uk/fire
