Scot
The Government department responsible for Education in England has
issued a risk assessment tool which has to be used in planning all new
schools. In the case of virtually all secondary schools and many
larger primary tools the outcome from the risk assessment indicates
that sprinklers should be installed.
You should understand that we have had (and still have) a major arson
problem in the UK - some 60% of non domestic fires are deliberate and
schools are in the highest category with arson varying between 60 and
75% over the past 20 years.
Sprinklers are as much a property protection measure as life safety
provision. We are spending £30 billion on new and refurbished schools
over 10 years and quite most of the stakeholders want to protect their
investments.
Regards
Stewart
On 31 Dec 2008, at 18:26, å... .... wrote:
Interesting story - I have recently had 'discussions' with a
consultant who has undertaken a 'fire engineering study' for an
education dept in England which concluded that sprinklers were not
needed in a new school (despite a presumption issued by the Government
Department responsible for schools which states that all new schools
should be sprinklered).
*******************
Does not the demand for sprinkler depend on
what the need for the sprinklers are?
Most forum members want a fire
reduced society, and full employment. But is it really cost
effective to
require sprinklers in all occupancies? For instance, in Type I and
Type II
schools? It depends on what the need is.
Is the need to maintain
life safety and egress of occupants in a Type I or II school? If
that is
the
need, then sprinklers need not be part of the plan, probably.
Is the need for sprinklers to help justify man-down policies at fire
departments? Touchy, but one that needs to be faced
front forward.
Is the need for sprinklers to prevent business interruption?
An arguably justifiable need.
But to just say, they need sprinklers, is selfish of our industry,
without
us stating what the sprinklers provide. In a few cases, not much, or
more importantly, not what is needed.
Frankly, I believe if we simply put sprinklers and a slightly
more-than-prescribed number of exits in the design, we would
not need me, FPE's expertise or their fees on 85% of our building
inventory.
That is not being greedy or dumb or lazy, that is being good to
society and efficient at cutting excess fat out of the job...
something every worker should try to do.
scot deal
excelsior fire engineering
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