School Arson Prevention - Control of External Risks
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August 2021 School Arson Prevention – Control of External Risks Arson/Wilful Fire-Raising has been and remains a significant problem in the UK. Deliberate fire-raising is a key risk for school sites with the potential for fires to be set inside and/or outside buildings, sometimes with multiple seats of fire. Fire spread can be aided by combustible contents, uncompartmented buildings, fire doors not being closed and combustible building elements. This can result in severe damage to school buildings resulting in multi-million pound losses, forcing the immediate closure of school buildings and leaving Local Authorities having to find temporary school building provision for significant numbers of students. This can result in significant disruption to the students and teaching staff and significant additional costs for the Local Authority for years to come, over and above any insurance claim paid. Externally set fires can result in significant fire development, in the presence of combustible building elements and/or combustible materials including sheds or other buildings, play equipment, furniture, waste materials, materials for recycling etc. Fire detection may not occur until the fire breaks into the building and at that stage, the fire might have developed to the point where any installed sprinkler system will be overwhelmed. Externally located combustible materials can be used to start fires deliberately. Zurich Risk Engineers have extensive experience in assessing risks to schools and have identified this as a significant and increasing problem. Recycling and outdoor play initiatives have increased the availability of combustible materials, often without appropriate measures being taken to address the additional risks that they present. In particular, outdoor play initiatives have often resulted in significant amounts of combustible materials being brought onto school grounds including tyres, pallets, cable reels, timber logs, other wooden objects, plastic piping etc. Such materials offer an abundance of fuel for would be arsonists/wilful fire raisers that can be stacked against buildings and then deliberately set light to.
August 2021
Implementing the following risk control measures will reduce the risk of
deliberate fires from external sources -
• Bins including waste bins, kitchen bins, recycling bins etc. are to be secured at least 8 metres
away from buildings either in locked bin stores/fenced compounds or restrained to immobile
objects by chains/padlocks to prevent them being moved around the site. This reduces the risk
of fire spreading to buildings and removes a potential access point onto low roofs.
• Small external litter bins are to be located a minimum of 5m from buildings.
• Skips are to have lockable metal lids and are to be located at least 8 metres from buildings.
• When siting externally located buildings such as timber huts, sheds, portakabins, demountable
buildings, contractors’ huts, plastic greenhouses, corrugated plastic canopies, timber outdoor
learning “gazebos” etc. these are to be sited well away from other buildings (ideally at least 8
metres).
• Combustible items such as benches etc. are to be located well away from buildings (ideally at
least 8 metres) and are to be secured/immobilised to prevent them being moved.
• Externally located waste materials are to be cleared regularly and are not to be stored outside
of the waste bins provided.
• Careful consideration is to be given to the provision of such items as tyres, pallets etc. to ensure
their suitability in a school/nursery setting. Easily
moveable items of combustible outdoor play equipment
including such items as tyres, pallets, cable reels, plastic
piping, small logs and pieces of wood etc. are either to be
securely locked in a suitable non-combustible
store/metal container when the school/nursery is closed
or they are to be suitably immobilised/secured in place
away from the building e.g. sufficiently weighted down,
cemented in place etc. Alternatively, such items can be
secured to immobile objects by chains/padlocks or
within caged compounds located at least 8 metres from
buildings, when the school/nursery is closed.
• External canopies that adjoin buildings should not be
used for storage of combustible materials, such as play
equipment, out of school hours.
• Third party organisations e.g. breakfast clubs, before and after school clubs, holiday clubs etc.
are to be adequately controlled to ensure they are not leaving combustible materials, including
waste materials, furniture, play and other equipment etc. outside when buildings are closed.
• Contractors are to be adequately controlled to ensure combustible construction materials,
easily moveable equipment, ladders etc. are adequately secured well away from buildings to
prevent them being used either as fuel or as climbing aids. Review and upgrade security of
external areas to make it harder for intruders to access the site such as ensuring gates are
locked at night, weekends and during holiday periods and ensuring fencing is in good condition.
• Ensure the site is well-lit, particularly in areas that can be seen by passers-by or neighbours.
• Ensure vegetation around the building is kept low to
allow good views of the building by passers-by or
neighbours and to reduce the risk of fire spread to
buildings from vegetation that has been set alight.
August 2021
• Review any existing CCTV provided and ensure all
cameras are operating correctly and are positioned for
maximum effect. Consider installing CCTV in higher risk
locations such as alcove areas, bin stores etc. In addition,
consideration should be given to having CCTV monitored
remotely at all times.
• Review and upgrade building security, including
windows, doors and the building fabric.
• Ensure any intruder alarm provision is operating correctly
including remote signalling provision.
• Ensure flammable liquids and gases are securely stored
away from buildings.
• Vehicles are to be parked a minimum of 8 metres from
buildings, particularly out of hours. When siting electrical
vehicle charging units, the 8 metres minimum distance is to be adhered to.
• Implement a formal close-down procedure to ensure buildings are secured, combustible items
are put away and waste materials are cleared and stored appropriately, at the end of each
working day.
If you have any queries, then please do not hesitate to contact your Zurich Risk Engineer or
Risk and Insurance Consultant.
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All information contained in this document has been compiled and obtained from sources believed to be reliable and credible but no
representation or warranty, express or implied, is made by Zurich Insurance Group Ltd or any of its subsidiaries (the ‘Group’) as to their accuracy
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