Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A satisfactory means of escape should allow staff, pupils and any other person in
the school to move quickly to a place of safety. Escape from any part of a building will normally
be by one of two alternative routes, each leading to a final exit or to a door to a staircase that is
protected by fire doors and walls. Rooms with only one exit should accommodate no more than
60 people. Escape routes should be short enough to allow all occupants to escape in two or
three minutes.
HIGH RISK AREAS
Teaching areas
Some school activities carry a higher fire risk, such as:
> design technology
> laboratories
> home economics
> art
> photographic darkrooms
> drama.
Non-teaching areas
These include kitchens, offices, science and technology rooms, boilerhouses, most
storage areas and electrical switchrooms. Some of these areas, such as kitchens and
boilerhouses, have a higher than normal fire risk and particular attention must be paid to fire
precautions. All storage areas should be kept clean and tidy. Particular attention should be paid
to caretakers and groundskeepers stores, stage storage areas, PE stores for foam mats, waste
storage areas and similar places where flammable material can accumulate.
Smoking
Many schools have a no smoking policy or restrict smoking to specially designated
areas. Wherever smoking is allowed, fireproof receptacles should be provided with notices
indicating their position and purpose. Waste bins should not be used as ashtrays and ashtrays
should not be emptied into waste bins, but into metal containers.
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
Computers and other equipment can impose heavy demands on the electrical system.
Wiring, plugs and sockets that are overloaded or in poor condition are a fire hazard. The risk of
overloading sockets can be a particular problem in winter if supplementary electric heaters are
used. Electrical equipment should be switched off when not in use unless it is designed to be
permanently connected.