A Guide to Fire Regulations for Schools

According to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO), schools are required to have thorough procedures in place to minimise fire risks.

All educational institutions including nurseries, primary and secondary schools, academies, special schools, and pupil referral units must adhere to strict regulations. These include regular maintenance of fire safety equipment and conducting fire risk assessments to ensure that all necessary steps have been taken to safeguard lives and property.

Who Has Responsibility for Enforcing Fire Regulations Legislation in Schools

Every school in the UK has a duty to appoint a responsible person who will take accountability for the enforcement of fire safety legislation on their premises.

Additionally the RRFSO states that at least one capable person or persons with the title fire marshals will help with the prevention and protection activities. This includes things such as making sure there is a minimal amount of flammable materials stored anywhere on the school premises. 

Are Schools Required to carry Out Fire Risk Assessments

There is a mandatory requirement for all schools to carry out fire risk assessments (FRSA). However, the assessments will be tailored in line with the specific needs of the particular school. One example of this is escape routes which will be determined by how many people are in the building and how capable they are.  

How Often Do Schools Have to Carry out a Fire Risk Assessment

There is a legal requirement for schools to undertake an organised and methodical fire risk assessment annually. During the assessment the premises will be looked at along with the type of activities carried out there and how likely it is that a fire will start. 

An external assessment must be carried out every 5 years or sooner if the school premises have been altered in any way. The reason for this is to help ensure that existing fire regulations are adequate and up to date.. 

Schools have an obligation to allow local authorities to undertake an inspection of your fire risk assessment. If they consider that your school is unsafe in any way or that regulations have been breached fines or penalty notices can be issued depending on how severe any violation is. 

Establishing a Fire Safety Policy

 No matter how many students attend your school or how big it is, you should have a fire safety policy that meets your specific needs. This should cover everything you do to alert people that a fire has broken out or the measures you have in place to stop it spreading. 

Assign a Responsible Person 

The first thing you need to do when following legislation is to appoint a responsible person or persons who will take responsibility for all fire safety measures on site. Quite often these duties are delegated to either the headteacher or the governing body. This is because it is important that they have a good understanding of all fire safety protocols. 

Assess and Tackle Risks 

One of the duties of the responsible person is to carry out an annual fire risk assessment which will highlight all fire hazards. All these hazards must then be communicated to all other members of staff.

It is imperative that you attempt to keep any risks you identify to a minimum especially if they provide an opportunity for arsonists which tend to be a common cause of fires within school buildings. 

All significant findings must be documented and action taken. The needs of anyone considered to be vulnerable or who has special needs should be taken into account. 

The Implementation of Fire Safety Processes.

Certain fire safety measures must be implemented and regularly maintained. These include a full range of emergency protocols such as fire evacuation procedures and assembly points. 

In line with safety guidelines for schools laid down by the UK government there is a minimum requirement to carry out a fire drill annually, however the preference is to do them once a term at different times of the day. 

Firefighting equipment, fire alarms, and fire doors are also the responsibility of designated individuals and should be kept in proper working condition.

Fire doors play a crucial role in fire safety and should never be propped open. These doors must stay closed using door closers, and all seals should be intact to ensure they provide effective fire and smoke protection in the event of a fire.

Here at Acuity we have experience of helping schools remain compliant with fire regulations and legislation. If you would like to find out how we can help you establish a good and effective fire safety policy contact our team without delay.