Schools: Fire Extinguishers

(asked on 10th June 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the requiring the installation of sprinkler systems in schools in England.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 18th June 2021

The Government attaches the highest priority to the safety of pupils and staff, and to ensuring that the owners of school buildings take the necessary action to protect those buildings.

The Department’s policy, set out in Building Bulletin 100, is that sprinklers must be fitted where they are deemed necessary to keep pupils and staff safe. This is in accordance with the Building Regulations and all new school building projects must comply with building regulations on fire safety.

The Department is currently updating its guidance, Building Bulletin 100, on fire safety design for schools. To support this review, a call for evidence was issued asking for stakeholder views and supporting evidence on the benefits of multiple fire safety features, including sprinkler systems. A comprehensive review of the responses has been undertaken along with any information submitted subsequently. This included the merits of various fire safety systems, such as upgraded fire alarms, installation of evacuation lifts and sprinkler systems.

The Department’s consultation on the revised version of Building Bulletin 100 is currently live. Once the consultation has concluded, Ministers will review all responses to the consultation, particularly any new evidence, before agreeing a final version.

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