Steps to maintain fire safety in schools

Aug 23 2023 12:35PM

Fire safety is very important for any building, especially schools. You need to make sure that your fire safety equipment and procedures are up to date and effective, so that staff and students know how to act safely in case of a fire. Our team at Arion can help you with your fire safety management and improvement. Here are some steps to follow.

Step 1 – Fire Safety Management

The law requires that schools do a fire risk assessment under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order of 2005. We suggest that you do this often, as it can help the students remember how to behave during a fire alarm and where to find the nearest fire exit if they get separated from their class. In a school, everyone should know what to do if the fire alarm goes off. By checking the fire drill system, the staff can make sure that the fire exits are used properly and that there is no crowding of classes trying to get through one door. It also trains the students on how to act if there is a real fire.

Step 2 – Passive Fire Precautions

This means slowing down the spread of fire and smoke between floors, walls, and doors. Fire-resistant construction can offer 30, 60- or 90-minute protection. But you need to keep these barriers in good condition to ensure this level of protection. Fire doors are an important part of a building’s passive fire protection, as they separate rooms and corridors to keep escape routes clear for as long as possible.

Step 3 – Active Fire Precautions

This means detecting, alerting, stopping or containing a fire. One of the most important things in this step is to know how to test a fire alarm. A faulty fire alarm can be very dangerous, as it can take longer to notice a fire, and by then it may be too late. By testing the alarm system regularly, you can reduce false alarms and be sure that your alarm is working well and will alert you if there is a fire. Other useful installations to consider include emergency lighting, fire suppression and sprinkler, Dry and wet risers, public address voice alarms and fire.

If you want more advice on fire safety services in schools, feel free to contact us today for fire risk assessment guidance.