Fire Safety Tips for Welsh Schools

Nurseries, schools, colleges, and universities are places where people should feel safe, inspired and passionate about learning; environments that help craft students into the best versions of themselves they can be.

Where any fire is regretful, for schools they can have devastating effects on staff, students and parents alike. This is why ensuring such establishments are protected from the risks of fire is essential.

And, the education sector is one that is currently revising its fire safety procedures.

Just recently, Labour announced plans to bring all schools ‘up to a good standard’, making sprinkler systems mandatory. There are also talks of the government paying to remove asbestos and flammable cladding from existing sites.

So, with current laws and practices in focus, now is a great time to start thinking about your school and the fire threats it faces, ascertaining whether or not your current fire safety setup is sufficient.

Hot fire risk areas

Schools are facilities built to unlock the imagination and make learning fun. And, while getting the Bunsen Burner out and playing with fire helps students understand chemistry and the likes, such learning processes can carry huge fire threats. Below we look at a few hot spot areas for fires in schools.

Science labs – packed with chemicals, gas taps and various flammable properties, science labs should be at the center of your school’s fire safety plan. Featuring the right carbon dioxide fire extinguishers in these types of facilities can limit the risk of fires spreading tenfold, so ensure the extinguishers in your labs are sufficient.

Libraries – Although the size of school libraries are shrinking due to learning material being digitalised, the majority of schools still have physical libraries of some form. From a fire safety point of view, these are rooms filled with dry paper that can fuel fires dramatically, needing to be regularly assessed to ensure they have working water fire extinguishers installed.

Computer rooms – electric fires are the most common types of fires that break out in school environments. This is due to the sheer amount of electronic equipment modern schools now operate. Form computers and printers to digital screens and other smart learning resources, schools are now technology hubs. While great for learning, plug-in electrics come with their own set of fire risks, needing to be regularly checked and maintained to ensure they are safe to use.

Fire safety products and services for your school

When it comes to protecting schools, no fire safety service or product should be overlooked. This is because as an individual running the school you have a responsibility and moral obligation to instill safety. Below are the top fire safety products and services we are supplying to schools across the South Wales region: