Fire Safety in the Education Sector

The Government guidance document “Advice on Standards for School Premises” has a section on risk assessment relating to fire protection regulations. It states:

“The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires schools to undertake risk assessments to identify the general fire precautions needed to safeguard the safety of occupants in case of fire, including their safe means of escape.”

The government guidance on fire protection regulations also covers early warning fire detection equipment and measures relating to evacuation:

“These will include ensuring procedures are in place to reduce the likelihood of fire, maintaining fire detection and alarm systems, and familiarising staff and pupils with emergency evacuation procedures. These risk assessments will need updating if any significant changes to the premises or their use takes place.”

Procedures for Risk Assessment

A further government guidance document “Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Educational Premises” covers a wide range of establishments, namely:

• schools (including Sunday schools and after-school clubs)
• universities
• academies
• crèches
• adult education centres
• outdoor education centres
• music schools

Risk assessments in each case are required to carry out the following steps:

1. Identify the hazards
2. Identify people at risk
3. Evaluate, remove or reduce risks and provide protection
4. Record, plan, inform, instruct and train staff in relevant procedures
5. Review actions

Being so exceptionally diverse, the hazards to identify and the people at risk in the education sector as a whole are vastly different. It covers schoolchildren and young people of every age as well as the teachers and teaching assistants responsible for them while they are in the building.

Advice, Services & Equipment

Surefire has worked with teachers and administrators in education for many years and has been able to offer advice and support on all elements of risk assessment and other aspects of fire protection regulations. As well as providing consultation and advice to the education sector, we also can supply schools, colleges and other education establishments with a range of equipment for the early warning of fire detection, such as fire alarms and air sampling systems.

Surefire also has a variety of solutions for the suppression of fire, including kitchen suppression systems, fire extinguishers, dry and wet risers and portable sprinkler mist systems. The safe evacuation of buildings is also of critical importance and can be a major concern when dealing with young and vulnerable children that could be liable to panic.

We are able to offer clients in the education sector invaluable advice on this subject, as supplying a wide selection of equipment to support the safe and ordered evacuation of buildings. These products include emergency lighting, vocal alarms and safety signs.

Surefire classifies the education sector as a critical environment, because of the range of unique potential hazards it presents. We are strongly committed to providing high quality services and solutions that are both designed for the sector as a whole and tailored to meet the specific requirements of each establishment and its occupants.