Each year, one in eight schools in Britain experiences an arson attack, with an estimated 90,000 school-going children having their education interrupted because of school fires. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has estimated that school fires cost £100 million annually.
When fire regulations in schools aren’t followed, their impact can be extensive; children who witness the fire or its aftermath are often left traumatised. In the case of large fires, decades of paperwork and memorabilia can be lost, and the monetary and infrastructural setback is massive.
This blog post explores the importance of fire safety in school regulations and how installing the latest fire doors can help contain the spread of fire, helping minimise damage to property and risk to life.
The team at Doorway Services can help maintain, repair and install fire doors and assist authorities in complying with fire door regulations for schools.
Get in touch for more details.
Who is Responsible for Fire Regulations in Schools?
School fires are often accidental or, in some cases, arson caused by vandals. No matter the reason, school authorities must take proper measures to mitigate the risks as much as possible. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) fire legislation must be closely followed to ensure fire safety in the building and the students.
The first thing that your school management must do is appoint a responsible person(s) to ensure proper management of the fire safety plan. This individual is usually the head teacher or a member of the governing body.
Sometimes, you might also need to hire external contractors, such as a Risk Assessor or Maintenance Engineer to oversee the fire management on school premises.
With this in mind, what is a fire management plan, and what must be included in it?
Schools Must Conduct Fire Safety Risk Assessments
Conducting a fire risk assessment (FRA) is one of the major components of the fire safety in school regulations. When you’re carrying out a FRA, which contains guidance set by the Ministries of Housing, Communities and Local Government, you’ll need to identify potential fire hazards and the people at risk. Following this, you need to evaluate, remove, and reduce these risks.
The entire procedure must be documented, and you must also train other personnel, teaching and non-teaching staff, and students about fire drills and best practices. You’ll be required to review the FRA periodically to ensure it’s still in compliance with government regulations and remove any loopholes that may jeopardise school safety.
Have Proper Fire Alarms and Firefighting Equipment
Once you’ve identified the responsible person for implementing fire regulations and conducted FRA, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
After the risks have been identified, you’ll need to make sure that your school uses appropriate fire alarms and equipment and maintains them regularly so they don’t malfunction in emergency scenarios.
Installing fire doors is a key part of fire regulations in schools. These doors prevent the spread of fire and allow for easy escape in case of a fire outbreak.
Your school authority must also install early detection systems, such as fire alarms and smoke detectors, in hallways, common areas, dining halls, and classrooms. Fire extinguishers, sprinklers and suppression systems should be placed at close intervals. Emergency exits must be properly marked and maintained with adequate emergency lights and easily opened push bars.
Have Fire Evacuation Plans
A proper fire evacuation plan is a mandatory requirement, and the responsible person must conduct regular fire drills so staff and students are aware of the entire process.
If your school has young students or students with special needs, you’ll need to have a Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) in place. The responsible person can elect a fire marshal or warden, responsible for conducting fire drills and implementing proper evacuation strategies.
Train The Staff About Fire Fighting
Your school staff is often one of the first responders in a crisis and few staff should have some basic firefighting skills, like operating handheld firefighting equipment and helping students move to a safe area.
You should conduct fire drills at least once a term, at different times during the day and under different mock scenarios. This will help prepare your staff and students for potential emergencies. The responsible person and the fire marshal must undergo regular training so they’re better equipped to help others and formulate proper plans.
Ensure Compliance With Regulations
Finally, school authorities must ensure that fire doors adhere to the Fire Safety Regulations 2025. This includes upgrading fire doors to comply with the latest European standard, BS EN 13501. If you’re looking to install new fire doors, contact us at Doorway Services for more information.
School buildings should comply with Building Bulletin 100 (BB 100), which ensures that buildings have been built in a fire-compliant manner.
Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to alteration notices, enforcement notices, prohibition notices, and heavy monetary penalties.
Contact Doorway Services to Install New Fire Doors in School
If you don’t follow fire regulations in schools, you’re not only breaking the law but also increasing the risk of massive destruction to your school building.
Hundreds of children are present at any time in school buildings, and if a fire occurs and the fire door regulations for schools aren’t maintained, your students’ lives may be at risk.
The team at Doorway Services installs and repairs fire doors that comply with the latest regulations and can help answer any questions you may have about fire safety at schools.
Contact us to learn more about our services.
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