Is Your School One Fire Safety Assessment Away from Crisis?

The Findings

 A “substantial risk to life from fire”. The following issues were found to exist:

• Fire exits that couldn’t be opened easily.
• Fire doors that didn’t shut properly.
• Escape routes left unprotected.
• Combustible materials stored near ignition sources.
• Even cooking appliances are in questionable condition.

This instance isn’t a run-down building on the fringes of society. It’s a modern Scottish secondary school with over 1,300 pupils, and its risk assessment reads like a checklist of what not to do.

This Could Be Your School

If you’re in charge of a school, college, nursery or any educational premises, you are the “Responsible Person” under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRO). Under Article 9 of the Fire Safety Order, you are legally required to carry out a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and review it regularly, especially when there are significant changes to the building, staff, or pupil population. That legal duty means you must:

• Carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment
• Ensure fire exits and escape routes are clearly marked, accessible and protected
• Maintain all fire doors, alarms, extinguishers and cooking appliances
• Train staff, run drills, and ensure procedures are documented
• Take preventative action, not reactive.

Lenzie Academy’s failings weren’t obscure technical faults. They were foundational issues: poor housekeeping, inaccessible equipment, and breakdowns in passive protection.

And yet, how many schools might be unwittingly operating with similar gaps?

Key Lessons for Education Leaders

We break down some of the failures uncovered and how you should check your own site right now.

Problem: Fire doors are not always closed or fit for purpose

Action: Are all your fire doors certified, undamaged, self-closing and capable of withstanding 30 minutes (FD30) or 60 minutes (FD60) of fire resistance? Check door seals, closers, gaps and signage. Replace damaged doors immediately.

Problem: Escape routes are not protected or accessible

Action: Walk your escape routes. Can every corridor, stairwell and fire exit be used without key access, obstruction or confusion, even in smoke or darkness?

BS 9999 and BB100 both stress clearly protected, lit, and signed egress routes.

Problem: Cooking appliances are not properly maintained

Action: Has a competent person serviced your catering equipment (especially gas and oil appliances) within the last year? Is the extraction system clean? Kitchen fires are among the leading causes of school fires.

Problem: Combustible items near ignition sources

Action: Are display boards, decorations, foam mats, papers or cardboard stored close to heaters, lighting, or portable appliances? Basic housekeeping could prevent a catastrophe. Check design & tech rooms, science labs, and art departments especially.

Problem: Fire extinguishers hidden behind doors

Action: Extinguishers must be visible, correctly signed and mounted. Do your staff know where to find and use them?
Schedule monthly checks and record them in your fire safety logbook.

“Dangerous” Is Not an Overstatement

The local EIS teaching union described conditions in the school as “dangerous”. A parent called it “not fit for purpose”. A fire safety officer said the council’s failure to share the risk assessment with staff left them vulnerable.

Could the same be said about your school? Like many organisations, many educational settings assume that once a fire risk assessment is filed away, that particular box has been ticked.

But if the FRA isn’t up to date, acted upon, or even shared with staff, it becomes a meaningless document. Worse, a liability.

25 Recommendations Later… and Counting

East Dunbartonshire Council received 25 recommendations in this single report, including:

• Upgrading all non-compliant fire doors
• Ensuring all extinguishers are accessible
• Storing combustibles safely and away from ignition risks

Five Questions You Should Ask Today

1. When was your last fire risk assessment reviewed?
2. Are all fire doors maintained, certified, and functional?
3. Have cooking, electrical and heating systems been inspected this year?
4. Do staff know the fire plan and evacuation procedure?
5. Are actions from your last assessment still outstanding?

If you’re unsure of any answer, then now is the time to act — not after a fire inspector or local journalist knocks on your door.

Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Reveal the Truth

We often say, “nothing is more important than pupil safety.” But do our buildings, systems, and training prove that in reality?

Fire safety is not just a compliance issue; it’s an ethical duty to the people who trust us with their lives every day.

If you need help reviewing your risk assessments, checking fire doors, or delivering up-to-date fire warden training for your staff, the IPS team is ready to assist.

Need help with a school fire safety audit or compliance check? Talk to our fire safety experts today to book your fire risk assessment or compliance review. Get a free quote.

Further reading

• BBC News Article
• Fire Safety Risk Assessment: Educational Premises – GOV.UK
• Building Bulletin 100 – Fire Safety Design for Schools (2024 Draft)
• The Fire Safety Order 2005 – Full Statutory Duties