A fire risk assessment is a legal requirement as part of fire safety in schools. Responsible staff must ensure that all employees and staff understand the school fire drill. All school fire alarms must be checked to be in full working order, and risk levels to staff and pupils need to be assessed, especially if there are vulnerable people in the school community.
At Tall Oaks Academy several preventative measures are in place to reduce the risk of a fire from occurring.
These include making sure that:
- Fire doors are in good working order.
- Evacuation plans are up to date.
- Regular fire drills are undertaken.
- All means of escape routes are kept clear and without obstructions.
- Fire doors are not wedged open.
- Rubbish and waste is removed from the school building and securely stored in bins that cannot be accessed by intruders.
- There are minimal flammable materials stored within school buildings.
- Storerooms containing flammable materials are made from fire-resistant materials to provide extra protection in the event of a fire.
Our school’s fire drill is reviewed regularly to make sure that everybody knows the steps they should follow when they hear the fire alarm.
Below is a checklist summarising all of the recommendations and requirements of what we do when we undertake a school fire drill.
- Fire drills must be carried out at least once per school term.
- Run each drill at a different time.
- Ask individual members of the school staff to observe and take notes as the fire drill is carried out.
- Test people’s knowledge of fire escape routes and fire alarm locations.
- Make sure that all staff know how to help students evacuate and where the evacuation point is located.
- Test our schools registration procedure.
- Make sure that people know what to report, including unclear alarms, blocked fire escape routes, and to whom they should report.
- Correct any issues discovered during the fire drill.
