Fire Safety in Schools: Protecting Pupils, Staff & Property
🚨 The Impact of Fires in Schools
When a fire breaks out in a school, the effects can be devastating—not just for staff, students, and parents, but for the wider community. Whether caused by vandalism or accident, the cost of school fires—both financially and emotionally—can be catastrophic.
While many small fires are contained quickly, larger incidents can cause major disruption to education and place lives at risk. That's why schools must take proactive, preventative measures to ensure safety for all building users.
👤 Assigning a Responsible Person
Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, all UK workplaces must appoint a 'responsible person'. In schools, this role typically falls to the headteacher or governing body.
Duties include:
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Carrying out a full fire risk assessment
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Installing necessary fire precautions
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Ensuring safety for all 'relevant persons', including those with disabilities or additional needs
🔎 Tip: Consider areas where students are unsupervised or unfamiliar visitors may be present. These zones often carry higher risk.
🏗 Installing Fire Protection Measures
Once fire risks are identified, schools must act to mitigate them. This involves:
✅ Smoke detectors & fire alarms: early warning is key
✅ Evacuation plans: legal requirement; must be reviewed regularly
✅ Fire drills: conduct once per term at varied times
✅ Clear signage: exits and escape routes must be well-marked
Evacuation Tip: Ensure photoluminescent signage in corridors and stairwells are installed for visibility in power outages.
🧯 Fire Extinguishers in Schools
The number and type of extinguishers required depend on school layout and specific risks:
Area Recommended
- Equipment Classrooms & Corridors - Water & CO2
- Science Labs & prep rooms - CO2, Foam, Alcohol Resistant Foam, Fire Blankets
- Kitchens - Wet Chemical, CO2, Fire Blankets
- Design & Tech - Fire Blankets, CO2
- IT Classrooms - CO2
- Boiler Rooms - CO2 or Powder
🧠 Staff must be trained to locate and operate extinguishers confidently in an emergency.
🔐 Preventing Misuse & Vandalism
Sadly, fire safety equipment in schools can be targeted by vandals. Reduce the risk by:
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Installing fire extinguisher cabinets in public areas
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Fitting protective covers on fire extinguishers in classrooms
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Keeping spare extinguishers on-site to ensure coverage if one is tampered with, it can be swapped with a safe extinguisher.
🧑🔧 Ensuring Contractor Security
To protect pupils and uphold safeguarding standards, always ensure that fire safety contractors have valid DBS checks before working onsite.
✅ Kings Fire guarantees all field engineers are DBS-verified before visiting schools.
✅ Summary: Fire Safety Best Practices for Schools
Fire safety in schools is a shared responsibility. Follow these core steps:
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Appoint a competent Responsible Person
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Carry out a thorough fire risk assessment
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Install and maintain detection, alarm, and extinguisher systems
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Conduct regular fire drills and staff training
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Prevent vandalism by safeguarding critical equipment
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Choose reputable, DBS-checked fire safety contractors
🎓 Why Schools Choose Kings Fire
Kings Fire proudly serves over 50 educational settings including schools, colleges, nurseries, and academies across the region. We provide:
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Ansul kitchen suppression system servicing
📝 Get a Fire Safety Quote Today
Ready to ensure your School or College is fully compliant? Kings Fire has special discounted rates for all educational settings.
Contact us via our online enquiry form
Call our friendly fire safety team for expert advice on 01462 337037
Prefer an in-person consultation? We're happy to offer a free site visit to discuss your fire extinguisher servicing requirements