Schools

School fires have become an increasing problem. Each year around 2000 schools are damaged by fire with 70% of these fires being caused by arson. Over the last 10 years the average direct costs as a result of fire in schools has been £50 million per annum.

However this direct cost only tells part of the story. Course work, project and examination work can all be destroyed and years of hard work by staff, pupils and parents devastated. With the inevitable disruption that ensues when a fire occurs, it can take several years for the school and its dependant local community who use the school to recover from a major fire disaster, especially when you consider that many schools are used for other activities outside of the normal school day. These indirect costs are rarely calculated or considered.

Whilst many school fires (around 62%) occur outside during school time, worryingly, 38% of fires between 8am and 4pm, acknowledged as the “school day”. Whilst no child has died in a daytime school fire for some 50 years, if the current trends continue additional consideration must be given to the safety of pupils and staff.

It is often thought that a sprinkler installation in a school is vulnerable to vandalism. Experience suggests that this fear is unfounded but good design can minimise even this small risk. The sprinkler pipework is usually concealed in the ceiling voids and roof spaces or installed at high level. Concealed sprinkler heads may be used which, for all intents and purposes are invisible and therefore less like for attack. Where sprinklers are in more vulnerable areas such as sports halls and gymnasiums, protective guards can be fitted.

The installation of sprinkler systems to schools, especially a new build school is fairly straight forward and even in existing schools installing a system can be done with the minimum disturbance to the running of the school. Work can be carried out over the course of the summer holidays. Larger schools may determine that work should be carried out over phases of several school holidays.

Argus have many years of experience installing sprinkler systems into schools, assisting from initial planning and consultancy stage right through to the project completion. Recent school projects include Medlock Valley School (Oldham), Blackshaw Lane Primary School (Oldham), Charter Primary Schools (Coventry), Weldon School (Nottingham), Gunns Village School (West Bromwich) and the Queen Mary’s School of Medicine (London).

On these projects, ensuring minimum disruption to the education process was vital. From small primary education facilities to “super colleges” and universities the best safety solution can be combined with an aesthetic architectural solution too that may be important to the design.

This is once again why Argus Fire Protection Company Limited are the preferred fire engineering contractor for the protection of schools.

For any further information regarding this product please either visit our technical library or contact us.