Schools: Fire Extinguishers

(asked on 21st June 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the provision of sprinkler systems in school buildings.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 4th July 2017

The Department is undertaking an analysis of all school buildings to identify those over 18 metres or four storeys high to establish what, if any, external cladding has been used on these buildings. For these buildings, it will also check that where a fire risk assessment has identified the need to install a sprinkler system, installation has taken place. This exercise will cover school buildings of all ages.

Fire risk assessments should be used during the design process to determine whether a sprinkler system is required in a new school building. They may also be required as an integral part of a fire safety design for a school building.

The cost of installing sprinklers in an existing building undergoing refurbishment will vary depending on the building’s requirements and characteristics and can only be established on a case-by-case basis.

The Department does not collect data on the costs of school fires.

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