DEPARTMENT FOR
CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES News Release (2007/0203) issued by
The Government News Network on 9 November 2007
Schools Minister
Jim Knight today launched a new guide which will help ensure
schools are safer and better protected than ever before from the
risk of fires.
'Design for fire safety in schools' will help school
designers and fire safety officers take the right steps to ensure
new school buildings give staff and pupils the highest level of protection.
He said 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 - these will
apply to both new builds and refurbishment projects;
* The
policy to install sprinkler systems in new schools; and from this
year all new school designs will have to include sprinkler systems
unless they demonstrate there is a very low fire risk;
* The
management of fire safety; schools should have regular fire
drills, and regularly test their fire alarm systems and evacuation plans.
Schools Minister Jim Knight said:
"Fire safety must be central to the design of all new school
buildings.
This new guide shows how to protect school
buildings from fire damage and will ensure that the schools we
build or refurbish will be safer than ever before. It is right to
put safety first when investing more in creating schools fit for
education in the twenty-first century."
"I expect new schools to be built to include sprinkler
systems as a safeguard against school fires. The installation of
sprinklers can extinguish fires quickly and reduce damage to buildings.
"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.
"The number of school fires has gone down in recent years,
although 1 in 20 schools annually still have a fire, ranging from
small fires to more serious incidents. I am particularly concerned
that 60% of fires are started deliberately. 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. Whilst I am glad that the number of
school fires has decreased steadily over the last few years, it is
essential that we continue to work hard with the police to tackle
this issue head on."
Peter Holland, the Chief Fire Officer of Lancashire and a member
of the Chief Fire Officer's Association, said:
"As fire officers we know that the true cost of arson in
schools goes far beyond the huge financial losses involved. The
disruption to the education process following an arson attack can
be immense and the devastating effect on the wider community is
also a major concern, particularly now that school buildings are
being utilised for a whole range of activities."
"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."
"I wholly commend this guide as a significant contribution
to fire safety and fire protection in schools."
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. BB100 Design for fire safety in schools is available from
Teachernet at http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/fire
2. The Arson Prevention Bureau provides information for schools
on how to protect themselves, up-to-date stats on school arson
trends and an access Kids Zone which provides activities and info
for kids and teachers. More details can be found at http://www.arsonpreventionbureau.org.uk.
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