CIC raises concerns over Government’s guidance for school sprinkler systems

The CIC has been “made aware” of a document issued by the Department for Education which appears to be a specification for all new schools being built under the 2025 DfE contract and promotes a reversal of the school sprinkler policy.

Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of this document deal specifically with fire safety and, in the third paragraph of the first column on page nine, it states: “The use of BB100 (2007 version) is no longer required.”

Building Bulletin 100 (2007) has required new schools to be designed and built to include sprinklers unless it could be evidenced that the risk was low and that sprinklers would not be proportionate.

The CIC is “deeply worried” about the profound negative impact of this policy upon people and their local communities in cases where educational buildings are damaged by fire. The loss of those buildings can have a significant impact on individual welfare and the wider well-being of local communities as the unavailability of a given school building is likely to curtail a range of social and educational activities.

Significant challenges

In the event of a building being damaged by fire, the local authority and community is likely to face significant challenges and costs until the building can be repaired, rebuilt and returned to active use.

With the current review of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations taking place, the CIC feels that “the time is right” for Government to consider the wider impact of fire issues on people’s mental health and well-being “as a matter of urgency”.

The letter also requested the Equality Impact Assessment the Department for Education is required to undertake under its S149 Equality Act Public Sector Equality Duty in order to assess the impact of this policy change on SEND pupils (and, indeed, any staff of protected characteristics), as well as the potential impact on any other members of a given school and user community who have protected characteristics.

*Further information is available online at www.cic.org.uk