Leading built environment bodies call for sprinklers in all schools

Leading bodies in the built environment have signed a joint statement calling on the Government to require the installation of sprinklers in schools, including the retrofitting of sprinklers in existing school buildings when relevant refurbishment takes place.

The joint statement comes ahead of Parliamentary scrutiny on the Building Safety Bill.

The statement signed by all parties reads:

“As leading professional bodies in the built environment, we believe further action is required to improve the fire safety of buildings in the UK.

"Lives, stock and property are saved by the use of Automatic Fire Suppression Systems (AFSS), which includes sprinklers. At present, England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland differ in their requirements on sprinklers in schools yet the science of fire knows no political or geographical boundaries. Fire safety of occupants and firefighters is of primary concern. Loss of schools in a community can have devastating effects. Recent research has evidenced the number of fires in schools and the benefits AFSS would bring.

"Achieving a more consistent approach to life safety and sprinkler installations in schools that draws on best practice from all the UK nations would provide clarity to the industry and help better protect the public and communities.

"We support the installation of AFSS in all new and converted school buildings of any height and retrofitting to existing buildings when refurbishment occurs as ‘consequential improvements’ where a building is subject to 'material alterations’.”

Each of the professional bodies will bring forward guidance for our own professionals in line with this statement in the absence of government legislation.

Signed by:

• CIOB – Chartered Institute of Building
• NFCC – National Fire Chiefs Council
• RIBA – Royal Institute of British Architects
• RICS – Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors

This article originally appeared on the CIOB website. It was published on 19 October 2020.

--CIOB

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Addressing building failures: Grenfell Tower and Edinburgh schools.
• Automatic fire sprinkler.
• BS 9999: Code of practice for fire safety in the design, management and use of buildings.
• Building Safety Bill.
• CIOB articles.
• Fire.
• Fire detection and alarm system.
• Fire protection engineering.
• Fire Safety Bill.
• Making the case for sprinklers and dispelling myths.
• Overview of automatic sprinkler system design and operation.
• Risk assessment under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Sprinkler.
• Sprinkler head.
• Sprinkler systems explained: A guide to sprinkler installation standards and rules.

[edit] External resources

• Zurich Municipal, "Schools twice as likely as other buildings to be hit by a blaze".