NFCC calls on Government to strengthen sprinkler requirements

The NFCC is calling on Government to require that sprinklers are installed in all new care homes, schools and student accommodation, irrespective of building height. According to the position paper, existing schools, student accommodation and care homes that are undergoing refurbishment should also be retrofitted with sprinklers.

Further, the NFCC is calling on the Government to mandate the retrofitting of sprinklers in all existing residential buildings over 11 metres tall on a risk-assessed basis.

The NFCC has consistently recommended that Government make it a requirement to retrofit sprinklers in all high-rise residential buildings over 18 metres (or of at least seven storeys) that have only a single staircase.

In England, the regulations covering sprinklers “trail behind” the rest of the UK. In Scotland, sprinklers are required in all blocks of flats, care homes, social housing and schools. Wales requires sprinklers in all new single dwellings, including all new care homes, student halls of residence, boarding houses and certain hostels.

Care homes have been destroyed in high-profile fires across England including those at the Beechmere Extra Care Village (in 2019) and at the Newgrange Care Home (in 2017). Current evacuation strategies are dependent on staff having enough time to evacuate residents before escape routes become compromised by smoke. If escape routes are compromised, staff and residents will likely be placed at significant risk.

The NFCC’s position statement also focuses on schools. In both Scotland and Wales, sprinklers are mandatory in all schools regardless of building height.

Consistently reliable

Jonathan Dyson, the NFCC’s lead on sprinkler systems, said: “Sprinklers have been used for over a century and are consistently reliable at saving lives and reducing injuries. Analysis shows that they’re 99% effective in extinguishing or controlling a fire. Sprinklers can buy crucial additional time for firefighting and can also protect property, reduce repair costs and minimise the environmental impacts of fire.”

Dyson added: “The NFCC welcomed the lower height threshold for sprinkler installation in new residential buildings, but we remain concerned that there’s still no requirement to retrofit existing residential buildings with sprinklers. We’ve consistently urged the Government to make it a requirement to retrofit all existing residential buildings over 11 metres tall on a risk-assessed basis.”

Mark Hardingham, chair of the NFCC, commented: “Thankfully, deaths and injuries in school fires are rare. However, it’s important that we protect school buildings as they are vital community assets. School fires can be devastating. The use of sprinklers is proven to not only minimise the disruption to their education, but also the impact on pupils’ families and the community.”

The NFCC has consistently called for sprinklers to be mandated in all new and refurbished school buildings in England, which would provide the same level of protection as schools in the rest of the UK.

“We also have serious concerns about fire safety in care homes,” continued Harding. “Sprinklers are critical for protecting vulnerable residents as well as employees. Installing sprinklers in care homes would reduce the likelihood of a fire spreading beyond the room in which it originated. This buys valuable time for evacuation and firefighting and can reduce the need for vulnerable residents to be moved.”

Harding concluded: “We welcome the Government’s proposal requiring that sprinklers be installed in all new care homes regardless of height. However, it must go further to include existing care homes undergoing refurbishment.”