Sprinklers in Schools
To prevent the spread of fires within school buildings, it is essential to install a suitable sprinkler system.
While assessing the arson risk to school property, it is important to go beyond life safety considerations and include property protection goals. Combustible construction materials significantly contribute to fire development and spread, emphasising the need to carefully evaluate site-specific arson risks and implement controls to reduce such incidents. The installation of sprinkler systems can play a pivotal role in preventing substantial losses and preserving educational continuity for children.
Grave Concern
School fires are a grave concern that can result in devastating consequences for students, teachers, and communities. In England, Home Office figures from 2021/22 reveal that 219 primary and secondary schools were damaged by fires, a 35% increase compared to the previous year's 162 incidents. Some schools even experienced damage to the entire building or multiple floors, with major blazes costing up to £20 million, according to Zurich Municipal's claims data.
Inappropriate Construction Materials
Many schools still employ combustible construction materials, including highly flammable and lightweight substances, despite the insurance industry's recommendation for non-combustible construction, especially in high-risk areas. Examples of combustible construction in schools include timber cladding on timber battens with flammable vapour membranes, high-pressure laminate panels lacking fire-retardant properties, lightweight render systems with highly combustible expanded polystyrene insulation, and combustible insulation behind lightweight cladding systems.
Sprinklers in schools are becoming increasingly important due to emerging fire risks associated with modern construction methods, which often employ combustible materials. While timber frame and modular construction may have a lower carbon impact, it is evident that these contemporary methods are less resilient to fire, underscoring the urgent need for mandatory sprinkler protection in all new school buildings.
Fire Prevention
To prevent the spread of fires within school buildings, it is essential to install a suitable sprinkler system designed, installed, and maintained according to BS EN 12845 and incorporating Technical Bulletin 221 (TB 221) on Sprinkler Protection of Schools. Even with a sprinkler system in place, it is crucial to control external combustible materials, potentially requiring the extension of the sprinkler system, such as beneath canopies meeting TB 221 requirements. In Scotland and Wales, the government mandates the installation of sprinklers in all new and extensively refurbished schools to safeguard students and buildings. However, such rules are not yet in place in England, leading to a disparity in fire safety standards.
Should Sprinklers be Mandatory in Schools?
Although the current wording of Building Bulletin 100 (BB100), the design guide for fire safety in schools, suggests an expectation for sprinkler installation in new schools in England, the actual implementation is lacking. Only 8.5% of new schools built between 2015 and 2021 were equipped with sprinklers (21 out of 248 schools), and 14.7% of extensively refurbished schools during the same period had sprinklers (69 out of 468). In 2021, the government's consultation on changes to BB100 disappointingly recommended mandating sprinklers only in new Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools, new school buildings over 11m in height, and new boarding accommodations.
Arson
Arson poses a significant threat to schools, and there is an increased risk of arson during certain periods, such as August when school buildings are frequently empty due to summer breaks. Zurich Municipal's analysis indicates a 44% higher incidence of school fires in August between 2015 and 2020 compared to the average for that period. Many school arson attacks are unplanned and opportunistic. Arson motivations can range from deliberate attempts to damage school buildings, reckless behaviour under the influence of substances, fires started for other reasons but spreading to the building, and arson used to cover up break-ins.
To reduce the risk of arson, schools should implement a combination of measures. These include restricting or deterring access to the site through proper fencing, gates, and CCTV, limiting access to combustible materials such as securely placing bins away from buildings and emptying them at night and assessing site features that may increase arson risks, such as providing easy access to roofs leading to secluded areas.
Waste Bins
Schools should also consider the placement of waste bins, ensuring that waste is separated and stored appropriately to avoid providing ready sources of combustible materials to potential arsonists. Additionally, maintaining adequate site security with alarms, proper waste management arrangements, and staff awareness of external door and window security can help deter arson incidents. Monitoring contractors and ensuring their adherence to security measures is crucial, as is being cautious with the disposal of packaging materials that could attract attention.
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