As with all buildings, schools are required to undertake fire 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.
Fire is a huge risk to schools and the school management have a legal duty to ensure that all fire safety duties are fulfilled. Fire safety starts with conducting a fire risk assessment (FRA), as required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. A fire risk assessment should be carried out by the Responsible Person or by a competent person, who has the necessary skills, training and experience, to carry out a fire risk assessment on behalf of the Responsible Person.
What is looked at in a fire risk assessment?
A fire risk assessment is an organised and methodical look at your premises and the activities carried on there. It assesses the likelihood of a fire starting, the cause of that fire and the resulting harm that could come to those in and around the premises. The assessment looks at how likely a fire is to start, what the consequences would be if a fire did start and what needs to be done in the building to minimise the risk of fire starting or spreading. The law says the assessment must be ‘suitable and sufficient’ for the building.
Fire risk assessments consider potential sources of ignition; possible sources of fuel and considers oxygen and air flow which can further contribute to a fire. Therefore, things such as the electrical installation is considered along with gas safety and heating systems. Also the risk from arson, lightning and other sources of ignition are investigated. When an assessor is carrying out the FRA they are looking for build ups of fuel sources, which for schools include things such as paper, card, furniture and sports equipment and considers where they are stored and located. In addition to the sources of ignition, fuel and oxygen, the building itself is considered to see how well it would protect occupants during the evacuation phase. In looking at this we consider your automatic fire detection systems, staff training and the construction of the property.
When the fire risk assessment has been carried out the assessor considers the likelihood of a fire starting and the consequences to life from a fire. From here, a qualitive calculation is carried out to assess the level of fire risk associated with the property. An action list is then formulated which should be addressed in order to reduce the potential consequences from and likelihood of a fire.
Do schools have particular fire hazards?
Yes they do. Schools are complicated environments that are densely populated with a high number of children and adults. Fires in schools can occur in all areas but they can be more likely to start in areas where there are higher risks such as in the kitchens, boiler rooms, science areas and DT classrooms. Schools have a large variety of fuels ranging from gas bottles to furniture from coats and bags to maintenance equipment. As a result, the risk of fire in schools are very real. Schools are also often subject to arson attack and so security is very important to prevent fires.
What does a school need to do to manage the fire risks?
Again, everything starts with the fire risk assessment, which in many ways audits the fire safety situation and directs management how to rectify the issues they face. In addition, the school must:
-Make sure fire safety plans are in place to reduce the likelihood of fire
-Maintain fire detection and alarm systems
-Make sure staff and pupils are familiar with emergency evacuation plans
-Train staff in Fire Marshal duties and Basic Fire Awareness Skills (mark pls link these courses to the online training)
-Carry out regular maintenance and inspections
How can JCH Safety Help?
JCH Safety are third party accredited fire risk assessors, as advised by the UK Government, and Chartered Health and Safety consultants. We specialise in carrying out fire risk assessments and advising schools about risk management and accident prevention. We can assist your school to manage fire risk and train your team to know how to prevent fires and what to do should a fire break out.
We have specialist online training courses that are third party assessed to ensure their quality. To find out more please have a look at our online training suite https://jchsafety.co.uk/fire-safety-training-3/
Please feel free to get in touch to find out how JCH Safety can help your school become a safer place to be. We work across Nuneaton, Coventry, Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Fire Risk Assessments – Online Training – Health and Safety Services